Try it now
<< Back to integrations
The Clang tool is a front end compiler that is used to compile programming languages such as C++, C, Objective C++ and Objective C into machine code.
Use Clang with Incredibuild
What is Clang?
The Clang tool is a front end compiler that is used to compile programming languages such as C++, C, Objective C++ and Objective C into machine code.
Clang is also used as a compiler for frameworks like OpenMP, OpenCL, RenderScript, CUDA and HIP. Clang uses the LLVM compiler as its back end and it has been included in the release of the LLVM since the LLVM 2.6.
Clang is also built to be a drop-in replacement for GCC command. In its design, the Clang compiler has been constructed to work very similarly to GCC to ensure that portability is maximized. However, the difference between the two is that while GCC defaults to gnu89, Clang defaults to gnu99.
Try it now
How does Clang work? How to use Clang?
The Clang Compiler has been designed to work just like any other Compiler. Clang works in three different stages.
The first stage is the front end that is used for parsing source code. It checks the code for errors and builds a language-specific Abstract Syntax Tree (AST) to work as its input code.
The second stage is the optimizer that is used for optimizing the AST that was generated by the frontend.
The third and final stage is the back end. This is responsible for generating the final code to be executed by the machine which can depend on the target.
The History of Clang + Latest version
The original contributor of Clang is Apple. Apple developers originally made use of GCC as a front-end for LLVM but it caused certain problems for developers that were working with LLVM. This was mostly because the GCC code was large and it doesn’t integrate into Apple’s IDE (Integrated development environment).
In addition to this, the LLVM has a license which was not compatible with GCC’s license. During this time, Apple software made heavy use of Objective-C, which has a low priority for GCC developers as front-end. This was why Apple developed the Clang Project and made it open source in July 2007.
The latest version of Clang is the Clang 12. As of November 2020, it has been built with full support for all published C++ standards and partially supports the upcoming C++20 standards.
Try it now
Get Free License
How to download / Install Clang?
To download and install Clang, you need to apply the following instructions.
- Open a terminal window. Enter the command (clang — version) to confirm if the Clang Compilers had already been installed.
- To update or install the Clang Compilers, you need to type in the following command: command xcode-select–install
This will generate a pop-up window asking you if you want to install it now or later. Once you click on install, this will direct you to a License Agreement. Select “Agree” and you will see the installation in progress. Once the installation is completed, click on “Done.”
In case you still want to double-check the installation, type in the command: clang –version into the Terminal.
Clang examples
The first version of clang was Clang 1.0 and it was released with LLVM 2.6. The next version was Clang C++ which was able to parse GCC 4.2 libstdc, compile itself and function as a working code generator for non-trivial operations.
From Clang 3.0 down to the latest version – Clang 12.0.0, the compiler has evolved with a ton of meaningful features.
It has become more scalable, extremely light and very fast. It is designed to keep more data in the course of the compiling process when compared to GCC (learn about what is GCC). Also, it preserves the form of the main code.
The reason for this is that it will be easy to map errors back into the main source. Clang provides error reports that are specific and detailed and it is also machine-readable. This way IDEs get to index the compiler’s output while compiling.
Clang features / Clang attributes
According to performance comparisons carried out by Alibabatech, the results show that Clang’s front-end is significantly faster than GCC in the compilation and it uses less memory. This gives Clang an edge especially for making large projects.
Clang compiler generates diagnostics (error and warning messages) that are more useful and understandable.
Also, Clang uses a Library based Architecture as the front-end is separated into distinct libraries that can suit various needs. This makes it easy to time and estimates the cost of every stack layer.
Clang’s library-based process makes it easy for fresh developers to join because all they need is to get the basics and not the entire picture.
Clang Supports Diverse Clients as the primary goal is to aid incremental compilation. This gives it a better connection to the GUI of IDE. Great care was taken to build and design clang to give it a firm foundation for a new set of C++, Objective C and C development tools.
Clang supports a wide range of language extensions as they are compatible with Microsoft, GCC, and other well-known compilers to enhance functionality via specific features of clang.
Clang Compilers are also able to integrate with IDEs which gives the user more visibility over the entire project. Clang uses the BSD license of the LLVM for commercial projects as it was designed not to be used as a separate compiler alone.
It was designed as a library embedded within a third-party app. The BSD license encourages several contributors to go through and improve the source code which enhances it at the end of the day.
To learn more about Clang features, visit this GCC vs Clang blog post.
Clang has some advantages when used for the development of performance-critical software like Firefox or Chrome.
These Include:
Clang advantages
- Better diagnostics (more colored, more expressive, suggestions on how errors can be fixed, typdef preservation, quote source which includes pointing out the correct place, etc.)
- The compilation is faster (between 5-20%). This is further improved by support for precompiled headers (PCH). This is supported by the data gotten from SPEC compilation shown in the picture above.
- Clang is easier to read (when looking for compiler bugs) and reuse (the libcland feature allows other tools to be written and the compiler extended) as it is a newer modular codebase that is written in C++.
Clang for Windows
One of the recommended IDEs for using Clang on Windows is Visual Studio as it comes with full support for targeting Clang/LLVM based toolsets. To install the Clang tools on Windows is easy. There is a Clang compiler for Windows which is an optional component built with the ‘Desktop development with C++’ workload. This will handle the complete development of Clang on Windows. To get the best support in IDE, it is best to use the latest version of Clang.
Clang for Linux
For you to use Clang/LLVM on a remote Linux machine with Visual Studio, what you need to do is to install alongside the package manager of the distributor. Once the “which clang” feature can detect the compiler, then you are good to go.
In addition, Clang is offered in every Linux/GNU distribution or BSD as it is part of its packaging systems. Clang is the default compiler for macOS X starting from Xcode 4.2.
It is highly recommended that developers that want the quickest incremental builds should use the Ninja build system.
The generated Visual Studio project files can be used to edit the source code of Clang which will generate a second build directory alongside for running the tests
Clang for Mac
Clang can be installed on macOS by using Visual studio code or with Homebrew.
- The first step is to install Visual Studio Code on macOS.
- After this, you need to install the C++ extension for VS code. Next, ensure that Clang is installed on your macOS. To do this, go to a macOS Terminal and type this command: clang –version
- If Clang is not installed on your macOS, then enter this command to install; xcode-select –install.
- You can then create a new folder from which you will be running projects.
Installing with Homebrew
- To begin, run the command: $ brew install llvm
- After installing Clang using brew, the new binaries won’t be in the path automatically. Keep in mind the formula says: OS X already provides this software and installing another version in parallel can cause all kinds of trouble.
- The binaries are here: $(brew –prefix llvm)/bin
- Run this command to show the Homebrew llvm/clang in your PATH:
$ echo ‘export PATH=”/usr/local/opt/llvm/bin:$PATH”‘ >> ~/.bash_profil
Clang and Incredibuild:
Incredibuild can highly accelerate Chang/LLVM compilations executed by the Visual Studio IDE or any of the long lists of build systems Incredibuild accelerates such as CMake, ninja and others. By using its uniquely distributed computing technology, Incredibuild seamlessly distributes clang compilation processes across hundreds of remote cores in the network resulting in drastic acceleration of clang based compilation time. This has also provided more support for the distribution of Clang++ through Unreal Engine.
Bottom line
Clang is not just like any other compiler, it comes with an Infrastructure that allows it to build tools and it can also extend its behaviors easily. The LLVM/Clang source code includes many tools while others are available on the web. Clang can be used as a very good C/C++ parser for building tools.
Get Free License
More Compilers
- CUDA
- GCC
MS (VS) C++
g++ / gnu
tcc
Intel c++ (floating license)
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However you may visit Cookie Settings to provide a controlled consent.
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie | Duration | Description |
---|---|---|
ARRAffinity | session | ARRAffinity cookie is set by Azure app service, and allows the service to choose the right instance established by a user to deliver subsequent requests made by that user. |
ARRAffinitySameSite | session | This cookie is set by Windows Azure cloud, and is used for load balancing to make sure the visitor page requests are routed to the same server in any browsing session. |
cf_use_ob | past | Cloudflare sets this cookie to improve page load times and to disallow any security restrictions based on the visitor's IP address. |
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics". |
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional | 11 months | The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". |
cookielawinfo-checbox-others | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-advertisem*nt | 1 year | Set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin, this cookie is used to record the user consent for the cookies in the "Advertisem*nt" category . |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". |
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance | 11 months | This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". |
viewed_cookie_policy | 11 months | The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data. |
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Cookie | Duration | Description |
---|---|---|
__cf_bm | 30 minutes | This cookie, set by Cloudflare, is used to support Cloudflare Bot Management. |
bcookie | 2 years | LinkedIn sets this cookie from LinkedIn share buttons and ad tags to recognize browser ID. |
bscookie | 2 years | LinkedIn sets this cookie to store performed actions on the website. |
lang | session | LinkedIn sets this cookie to remember a user's language setting. |
lidc | 1 day | LinkedIn sets the lidc cookie to facilitate data center selection. |
UserMatchHistory | 1 month | LinkedIn sets this cookie for LinkedIn Ads ID syncing. |
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Cookie | Duration | Description |
---|---|---|
_gat | 1 minute | This cookie is installed by Google Universal Analytics to restrain request rate and thus limit the collection of data on high traffic sites. |
_uetsid | 1 day | Bing Ads sets this cookie to engage with a user that has previously visited the website. |
_uetvid | 1 year 24 days | Bing Ads sets this cookie to engage with a user that has previously visited the website. |
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Cookie | Duration | Description |
---|---|---|
_ga | 2 years | The _ga cookie, installed by Google Analytics, calculates visitor, session and campaign data and also keeps track of site usage for the site's analytics report. The cookie stores information anonymously and assigns a randomly generated number to recognize unique visitors. |
_gat_UA-8508435-1 | 1 minute | A variation of the _gat cookie set by Google Analytics and Google Tag Manager to allow website owners to track visitor behaviour and measure site performance. The pattern element in the name contains the unique identity number of the account or website it relates to. |
_gcl_au | 3 months | Provided by Google Tag Manager to experiment advertisem*nt efficiency of websites using their services. |
_gid | 1 day | Installed by Google Analytics, _gid cookie stores information on how visitors use a website, while also creating an analytics report of the website's performance. Some of the data that are collected include the number of visitors, their source, and the pages they visit anonymously. |
_hjAbsoluteSessionInProgress | 30 minutes | Hotjar sets this cookie to detect the first pageview session of a user. This is a True/False flag set by the cookie. |
_hjFirstSeen | 30 minutes | Hotjar sets this cookie to identify a new user’s first session. It stores a true/false value, indicating whether it was the first time Hotjar saw this user. |
_hjIncludedInPageviewSample | 2 minutes | Hotjar sets this cookie to know whether a user is included in the data sampling defined by the site's pageview limit. |
_hjIncludedInSessionSample | 2 minutes | Hotjar sets this cookie to know whether a user is included in the data sampling defined by the site's daily session limit. |
_hjTLDTest | session | To determine the most generic cookie path that has to be used instead of the page hostname, Hotjar sets the _hjTLDTest cookie to store different URL substring alternatives until it fails. |
CONSENT | 2 years | YouTube sets this cookie via embedded youtube-videos and registers anonymous statistical data. |
MR | 7 days | This cookie, set by Bing, is used to collect user information for analytics purposes. |
utm_campaign | 2 months | Google Ad Services sets this cookie to store session campaign value if present. |
utm_content | 2 months | This cookie is used for storing the session content value if present. |
utm_source | 2 months | This cookie is used to record from where the visitor came to the website orginally. This information is used by the website operator to know the efficiency of their marketing. |
utm_term | 2 months | This cookie is used to record from where the visitor came to the website orginally. This information is used by the website operator to know the efficiency of their marketing. |
vuid | 2 years | Vimeo installs this cookie to collect tracking information by setting a unique ID to embed videos to the website. |
Advertisem*nt cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Cookie | Duration | Description |
---|---|---|
_fbp | 3 months | This cookie is set by Facebook to display advertisem*nts when either on Facebook or on a digital platform powered by Facebook advertising, after visiting the website. |
_mkto_trk | 2 years | This cookie, provided by Marketo, has information (such as a unique user ID) that is used to track the user's site usage. The cookies set by Marketo are readable only by Marketo. |
fr | 3 months | Facebook sets this cookie to show relevant advertisem*nts to users by tracking user behaviour across the web, on sites that have Facebook pixel or Facebook social plugin. |
IDE | 1 year 24 days | Google DoubleClick IDE cookies are used to store information about how the user uses the website to present them with relevant ads and according to the user profile. |
MUID | 1 year 24 days | Bing sets this cookie to recognize unique web browsers visiting Microsoft sites. This cookie is used for advertising, site analytics, and other operations. |
personalization_id | 2 years | Twitter sets this cookie to integrate and share features for social media and also store information about how the user uses the website, for tracking and targeting. |
test_cookie | 15 minutes | The test_cookie is set by doubleclick.net and is used to determine if the user's browser supports cookies. |
utm_medium | 2 months | This cookie is used to record from where the visitor came to the website orginally. This information is used by the website operator to know the efficiency of their marketing. |
VISITOR_INFO1_LIVE | 5 months 27 days | A cookie set by YouTube to measure bandwidth that determines whether the user gets the new or old player interface. |
YSC | session | YSC cookie is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages. |
yt-remote-connected-devices | never | YouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video. |
yt-remote-device-id | never | YouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video. |
yt.innertube::nextId | never | This cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen. |
yt.innertube::requests | never | This cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen. |
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
Cookie | Duration | Description |
---|---|---|
_hjSession_2537450 | 30 minutes | No description |
_hjSessionUser_2537450 | 1 year | No description |
AnalyticsSyncHistory | 1 month | No description |
BIGipServersn-mch-v2-80 | session | No description |
BIGipServersn02web-nginx-app_https | session | No description |
ib_last_referrer | 2 months | No description |
incap_ses_1319_2167377 | session | No description |
li_gc | 2 years | No description |
muc_ads | 2 years | No description |
nlbi_2167377 | session | No description |
original_req_url | past | No description |
referrer66_00f | 1 month | No description |
visid_incap_2167377 | 1 year | No description |
visitorId | 1 year | No description |