I built a free online C compiler from scratch – here's how it works

I recently constructed CForge, a free online C and C++ compiler that operates entirely within a web browser. There is no need to sign up, remove ads, or install anything. You can access it at https://v0-online-c-complier.vercel.app. The motivation behind its creation was the prevalence of online C compilers that either featured excessive advertisements, required user accounts, or lacked essential features like stdin input or command line arguments. I aimed to create a streamlined and efficient tool.

When you click "Run", the following sequence occurs: Your code is transmitted to a proxy API route, which forwards it to Piston, an open-source code execution engine utilizing GCC 10.2. The resulting output is displayed in the browser within a second. There is no need for Docker on your machine, nor is there a backend to manage.

The compiler supports C and C++ (GCC 10.2), standard input (scanf, cin), command line arguments (argc, argv), separate stdout, stderr, and compile error displays, shareable links where your code is encoded in the URL, and auto-saving to localStorage to prevent data loss on page refresh. The tech stack employed includes Next.js, CodeMirror 6 for the editor, Piston API for code execution, and Vercel for hosting.

Future updates include error line highlighting, enabling users to click on a compile error and jump directly to the relevant line, support for additional languages, and the option to toggle between dark and light themes. The developer welcomes feedback from the community, particularly from C learners who frequently utilize online compilers.