How to setup raylib with C++ in Visual Studio 2022 Community - Beginner tutorial

How to Set Up raylib on Windows with C++ and Visual Studio

Introduction to the Tutorial

• This video provides a step-by-step guide for setting up raylib on a Windows computer, integrating it with C++ and Visual Studio in just 10 minutes.

Downloading Visual Studio 2022

• The first step is to download Visual Studio 2022, a Microsoft software development environment that includes tools for building applications.

• Users are instructed to download the Community edition, which is free, by clicking the "Download" button. This downloads the Visual Studio Installer rather than the full application.

Installing Required Workloads

• Upon running the installer, users will see available workloads; selecting "Desktop development with C++" is essential for C++ development.

• The installer automatically downloads necessary components like the C++ compiler and Standard Library after selecting this workload. Users must click "Install" to begin installation.

Creating a Simple C++ Project

• After installation completes, Visual Studio launches automatically; users can skip signing in and choose their preferred theme before starting.

• To create a new project, select "C++ console app," name it (e.g., "Hello World"), and press F5 to test if everything is set up correctly by displaying a terminal window with "Hello World."

Installing vcpkg for Library Management

• Next steps involve installing vcpkg, a tool that simplifies managing C++ libraries; users need to visit its GitHub repository and download it as ZIP.

• After unzipping vcpkg on their computer (recommended at C drive), they should open the folder in Terminal to execute setup commands: ./boostrap-vcpkg.bat. This prepares vcpkg for use by downloading its executable.

Integrating vcpkg with Visual Studio

• Running ./vcpkg integrate install integrates vcpkg with Visual Studio so that installed libraries are recognized within the IDE. This modifies Visual Studio's library list accordingly.

• Finally, users run ./vcpkg install raylib:x64-windows to install raylib itself; this process may take some time as it configures raylib for use in projects.

Using raylib in Your Project

• Once installation is complete, users can reopen their previous project in Visual Studio and include raylib using #include <raylib.h>, confirming successful integration as it's recognized immediately by the IDE.

• Compiling and running this project confirms functionality without errors; however, no visual output appears yet until further code is added (e.g., bouncing ball example).

Conclusion & Further Learning Resources

• A simple bouncing ball example demonstrates successful implementation of raylib within Visual Studio when executed again (F5). Users can access this project template via a link provided in the video description for future projects.