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Prerequisites

This document outlines the requirements needed to build and run helios. Ensure all prerequisites are met before attempting to build the project.

System Requirements​

Operating System​

  • Windows 10/11 (x64)
  • Linux (Ubuntu 20.04+, Fedora 35+, or equivalent)
  • macOS 11+

Processor​

  • Support for C++23 features and module compilation
  • x64 architecture recommended

Required Software​

CMake​

  • Minimum version: 4.0
  • Installation:
    • Windows: Download from cmake.org or use package managers (Chocolatey, Scoop)
    • Linux: sudo apt install cmake (Ubuntu) or equivalent for your distribution
    • macOS: brew install cmake

Compiler​

The project requires a C++ compiler with comprehensive C++23 module support.

Windows​
  • MSVC 2022 (Visual Studio 2022 v17.4+)
    • Supports C++23 modules out of the box
    • Download: Visual Studio Community
    • Required workload: "Desktop development with C++"
Linux​
  • GCC 13+ (with C++23 module support)
    • sudo apt install g++-13 (Ubuntu)
    • sudo dnf install gcc-toolset-13 (Fedora)
  • Clang 16+ (with C++23 module support)
    • sudo apt install clang-16 (Ubuntu)
    • sudo dnf install clang-tools-extra-16 (Fedora)
macOS​
  • Clang 16+ (bundled with Xcode 14.3+)
    • Install Xcode Command Line Tools: xcode-select --install
    • Or install full Xcode from the App Store

Compiler Version Check​

Verify your compiler version:

# MSVC
cl.exe /?

# GCC
g++ --version

# Clang
clang++ --version

Build Tool​

Choose one:

  • Ninja (recommended for faster builds)

    • sudo apt install ninja-build (Linux)
    • brew install ninja (macOS)
    • Windows: Download from ninja releases

  • Visual Studio 2022 (Windows only, includes its own build system)

  • GNU Make (typically pre-installed on Linux/macOS)

OpenGL​

  • OpenGL 4.5+ support required
  • GPU driver with OpenGL 4.5+ support
  • Most modern GPUs (NVIDIA, AMD, Intel) support this

Optional Software​

Testing & Quality Assurance​

  • CTest (included with CMake)
  • clang-format (for code formatting)
    • sudo apt install clang-format (Linux)
    • brew install clang-format (macOS)
    • Included with Visual Studio (Windows)

Documentation​

  • Doxygen (for API documentation)

Version Control​

  • Git (recommended, required for cloning the repository)

Verification​

Step 1: Verify CMake​

cmake --version

Expected output: cmake version 4.0 or higher

Step 2: Verify Compiler​

# MSVC (Windows)
cl.exe /?

# GCC/Clang
g++ --version
# or
clang++ --version

Ensure version meets the minimum requirement for C++23 modules.

Step 3: Verify C++23 Module Support​

Create a test file test_modules.cpp:

// Test C++23 module compilation
int main() {
    return 0;
}

Compile with your compiler:

# MSVC
cl.exe /std:c++latest /EHsc test_modules.cpp

# GCC
g++-13 -std=c++23 test_modules.cpp

# Clang
clang++-16 -std=c++23 test_modules.cpp

If compilation succeeds, your compiler supports C++23.

Platform-Specific Setup​

Windows (MSVC)​

  1. Install Visual Studio 2022 Community Edition
  2. During installation, select "Desktop development with C++"
  3. Install CMake (or use Visual Studio's integrated CMake support)
  4. Install Ninja (optional, for faster builds)
# Verify setup
cmake --version
cl.exe /?

Linux (Ubuntu 20.04+)​

# Install dependencies
sudo apt update
sudo apt install cmake g++-13 ninja-build git

# Verify
cmake --version
g++-13 --version

Linux (Fedora)​

# Install dependencies
sudo dnf install cmake gcc-toolset-13 ninja-build git

# Enable GCC 13
scl enable gcc-toolset-13 bash

# Verify
cmake --version
g++-13 --version

macOS​

# Install Xcode Command Line Tools
xcode-select --install

# Install dependencies via Homebrew
brew install cmake ninja

# Verify
cmake --version
clang++ --version

Troubleshooting​

"CMake Error: cmake version required is 4.0 and above"​

  • Update CMake to version 4.0 or higher

"C++23 module support not available"​

  • Update your compiler to a version that supports C++23 modules (see recommended versions above)

"OpenGL headers not found"​

  • On Linux, install development headers: sudo apt install libgl1-mesa-dev

Build fails with module compilation errors​

  • Ensure your compiler is up-to-date and supports C++23
  • Clear your build directory: rm -rf build and reconfigure

Additional Resources​

Next Steps​

Once all prerequisites are installed, proceed with the Quick Start guide.