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# Getting started

C+ has two modes: **single-file**, where one file compiles on its own with built-in helpers, and **project**, where a `Cplus.toml` manifest pulls in imports. Pick one mode per program.

## Install

On macOS M-series, install with Homebrew:

```bash
brew install netdur/cplus/cplus
cpc --version
```

This installs prebuilt `cpc`, `cpc-lsp`, and `cpc-bindgen` with no Rust toolchain and no compile step; update later with `brew upgrade cplus`. The one external requirement is a C toolchain (clang), used to assemble and link the native binary. On macOS it comes from the Xcode Command Line Tools:

```bash
xcode-select --install
```

Linux x86-64 (`.deb`) and Windows x86-64 (`.zip`) builds are published on the [GitHub releases](https://github.com/netdur/cplus/releases) page. From a native host, `cpc` cross-compiles static libraries and headers for iOS, Android, and ESP32 with `--target`; the WebAssembly path is provided by `cpc-wasm`. See [Platforms and targets](/docs/targets). Front-end commands such as `cpc check`, `cpc fmt`, `cpc lsp`, and `cpc query` do not invoke clang.

Facet applications are supported through [facet_runtime](/docs/packages/facet_runtime) with [facet_appkit](/docs/packages/facet_appkit) on macOS, [facet_uikit](/docs/packages/facet_uikit) on iOS, [facet_android](/docs/packages/facet_android) on Android, [facet_gtk](/docs/packages/facet_gtk) on Linux, and [facet_win32](/docs/packages/facet_win32) on Windows.

## Single-file mode

The smallest complete program:

```cplus
fn main() -> i32 {
    #println("hello, world");
    return 0;
}
```

Build and run it:

```bash
cpc hello.cplus -o hello
./hello
```

In single-file mode `println` is a built-in **intrinsic**, so there is no import. It accepts an `i32` or a `str`.

## Project mode

A project is a directory with a manifest and `src/`. Installed packages resolve from a local `vendor/` override first and then the per-user package store:

```text
hello/
├── Cplus.toml
└── src/main.cplus
```

`Cplus.toml`:

```toml
[package]
name    = "hello"
version = "0.0.1"
edition = "2026"

[dependencies]
stdlib = "*"
```

`src/main.cplus` is the default application entry. To use another file, set `entry = "path/to/file.cplus"` under `[package]`. The removed `[[bin]]` and `[lib]` tables are not accepted in 0.0.28; C-facing library products use `[library]`.

`src/main.cplus`:

```cplus
import "stdlib/io" as io;

fn main() -> i32 {
    io::println("hello from a project");
    return 0;
}
```

Build and run:

```bash
cpc build
./target/debug/hello
```

Do not mix the two modes. In a project, use `io::println` from the standard library, not the intrinsic `#println`. `cpc init hello` creates this project shape and an embedded agent reference.

## Next

Continue with [Ownership](/docs/ownership), the part of C+ that differs most from C.