How to Install g++ (GCC C++) on CentOS / AlmaLinux / Rocky Linux

Quick Answer

To install the g++ compiler on CentOS, AlmaLinux, or Rocky Linux, use one of the following commands:

1. Install the full build environment (Recommended): sudo dnf group install "Development Tools"
2. Or install just the C++ compiler: sudo dnf install gcc-c++

Once installed, verify the version by running: g++ --version

When administering a Linux server, compiling software or extensions from source code is a mandatory task, and g++ (part of the GNU Compiler Collection) is an essential tool. This tutorial provides the fastest installation commands, shows how to run a test compilation, and helps you troubleshoot common errors.

Table of Contents

1. Quick Install Commands (Cheat Sheet)

If you are a sysadmin who needs to act quickly, use this summary table based on your OS version:

Objective Command on CentOS 7 (yum) Command on CentOS 8/9, AlmaLinux (dnf)
Install full build tools yum groupinstall "Development Tools" dnf group install "Development Tools"
Install g++ only yum install gcc-c++ dnf install gcc-c++
Check version g++ --version g++ --version

2. Method 1: Install "Development Tools" (Recommended)

This is the standard and safest method. This command not only installs g++ but also pulls in the entire necessary development environment, including gcc, make, and git. This prevents missing dependency errors when building source code later.

INSTALL DEVELOPMENT TOOLS
# For CentOS Stream 8/9, AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux
sudo dnf group install "Development Tools" -y

# For CentOS 7
sudo yum groupinstall "Development Tools" -y

3. Method 2: Install the gcc-c++ Package Only

If your system is storage-constrained and you are certain you only need the C++ compiler, you can install it individually.

You can verify the existence of this package by running a search:

SEARCH PACKAGE
# CentOS 8/9, AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux
dnf search gcc-c++

# CentOS 7
yum search gcc-c++

The official installation command is:

INSTALL GCC-C++
# CentOS 8/9, AlmaLinux, Rocky Linux
sudo dnf install gcc-c++ -y

# CentOS 7
sudo yum install gcc-c++ -y

4. Verify Installation and Test Compile

To ensure the compiler is working perfectly, we will check its version and test compile an actual C++ file.

Step 1: Check the version

CHECK VERSION
g++ --version

Step 2: Create and compile a Hello World app

COMPILE TEST
# Create test.cpp file
echo '#include 
int main() {
    std::cout << "G++ is working perfectly on Linux!" << std::endl;
    return 0;
}' > test.cpp

# Compile the file
g++ test.cpp -o test_app

# Run the newly built application
./test_app

5. Common Installation Errors

During the installation process, you might encounter the following hurdles:

  • "Could not retrieve mirrorlist / HTTP Error 404" Error: If you are using CentOS 7, this occurs because the OS has reached End-of-Life, and its default repositories are disabled.
    👉 Solution: See our detailed guide on How to Fix YUM Errors on CentOS 7 After EOL.
  • "No package gcc-c++ available" Error: This happens on certain Minimal Installs where supplementary repositories are not enabled. Run sudo dnf install epel-release -y before attempting to install g++.

6. Conclusion

Installing g++ on CentOS, AlmaLinux, or Rocky Linux is straightforward once you know the exact package identifier is gcc-c++. Utilizing the "Development Tools" group installation is the industry standard approach to prevent 99% of missing dependency errors during future server operations.

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