The Gnu Compiler Collection platform gets upgrades for diagnostics and C++ Credit: Deavmi The new Version 8.1 of the Gnu Compiler Collection (GCC) improves diagnostics and C++ support. GCC provides front ends and libraries for the Ada, C, C++, Fortran, and Google Go languages. Despite what the version number indicates, GCC 8.1 is actually the first production release in the new GCC line. GCC 8.1’s new features include: Better emitted diagnostics, with improved locations, location ranges, and fix-it hints, particularly in the C++ front end. Improvements to profile-driven optimizations, including the splitting of x86 functions into hot and cold regions by default. Link-time optimizations have a new way of emitting Dwarf format debug information, making LTO-optimized code more debuggable. The C++ front end has experimental support for parts of the upcoming C++ 2a draft, the next version of C++ expected in 2020. Featured are the std=c++2a and std=gnu++2a flags, including designated initializers and default member initializers for bit fields. The libstdc++ library has further C++ 17 and C++ 2a draft library features. The AArch64 processor target supports Scalable Vector Extension. Support includes automatic vectorization with SVE instructions. But SVE Arm C Language Extensions are not yet included. GCC 8.1 also removes some features: Support for the obsolete SBD/coff debug info format has been removed. Cilk+ extensions for C and C++ have been removed. MPX extensions to C and C++ have been deprecated, with removal coming in a future release. Where to download GCC 8.1 You can download GCC via Gnu’s FTP servers, in the gcc/gcc-8.1.0/ subdirectory. Software DevelopmentC++Development Tools