VS Code Configuration for Debugging C++ programs

January 28, 2025

This is the configuration I use for debugging C++ programs in vscode:

Build Tasks

{
 "version": "2.0.0",
 "tasks": [
  {
   "label": "build",
   "type": "shell",
   "command": "/usr/bin/clang++",
   "args": [
    "-std=c++20",
    "-g",
    "-o",
    "${fileDirname}/${fileBasenameNoExtension}",
    "${file}"
   ],
   "group": {
    "kind": "build",
    "isDefault": true
   },
   "detail": "Generated task to build the project"
  }
 ]
}

Note

You might need to set the command property to a different directory. Use which clang++ or which g++ in your terminal.

Launch

{
 "version": "0.2.0",
 "configurations": [
  {
   "type": "lldb",
   "request": "launch",
   "name": "Debug",
   "program": "${workspaceFolder}/${relativeFileDirname}/${fileBasenameNoExtension}",
   "cwd": "${fileDirname}",
  }
 ]
}

Notes

I have the type set to lldb. If you are on a mac and use the defaultclang++, you will need to install this extension.
If you are on Windows (ew) or Ubuntu (eww) or any other OS, you might want to set the type to gdb.
If you want to take input using a file, add this after the cwd line:
```
"initCommands": [
"settings set target.input-path ${workspaceFolder}/${fileBasenameNoExtension}.input",
]
```
- I usually have the input files name the same as the source file name with a .input extension added (usually during codeforces contests).