---
title: ".cpp file — what it is and how to open it"
description: "A .cpp file is a C++ Source. Source code in C++, the language of games, browsers and performance-critical software. How to open one on Windows, macOS and Linux, and what to convert it to."
url: https://atoneplace.net/file/cpp/
site: "At One Place"
---

# .cpp files

**.cpp file: C++ Source**

Source code in C++, the language of games, browsers and performance-critical software.

## What opens a .cpp file

- **Windows:** Visual Studio, Visual Studio Code, CLion, Notepad (built in)
- **macOS:** Xcode, Visual Studio Code, CLion
- **Linux:** Visual Studio Code, CLion, Text Editor (built in)

## What a .cpp file is

C++ extends C with classes, templates and a large standard library, and is what game engines, browsers and trading systems are built from. A .cpp file is plain text; compiling needs a toolchain such as Visual Studio, GCC or Clang. The same code also appears as .cc, .cxx or .c++ depending on project convention.

## Converting it

A .cpp file is commonly converted to .exe, .o or .txt. It is a plain text format, so any text editor can open and edit it directly.

## Details

- **Extension:** .cpp
- **Full name:** C++ Source
- **Category:** Code and scripts
- **MIME type:** text/x-c
- **Created by:** Bjarne Stroustrup / ISO
- **Format:** Plain text

## Common questions

### How do I open a .cpp file?

On Windows use Visual Studio; on macOS use Xcode; on Linux use Visual Studio Code. Source code in C++, the language of games, browsers and performance-critical software.

### What is a .cpp file?

C++ Source. C++ extends C with classes, templates and a large standard library, and is what game engines, browsers and trading systems are built from. A .cpp file is plain text; compiling needs a toolchain such as Visual Studio, GCC or Clang.

### Can I convert a .cpp file?

Yes. It is usually converted to .exe, .o or .txt, either by exporting from one of the programs listed above or with a format converter.

## Related pages

- [.html — HyperText Markup Language](https://atoneplace.net/file/html/)
- [.js — JavaScript Source](https://atoneplace.net/file/js/)
- [.css — Cascading Style Sheet](https://atoneplace.net/file/css/)
- [.py — Python Source](https://atoneplace.net/file/py/)
- [.java — Java Source](https://atoneplace.net/file/java/)
- [.tsx — TypeScript Source (JSX)](https://atoneplace.net/file/tsx/)
- [.php — PHP Source](https://atoneplace.net/file/php/)
- [.c — C Source](https://atoneplace.net/file/c/)
- [.cs — C# Source](https://atoneplace.net/file/cs/)
- [.go — Go Source](https://atoneplace.net/file/go/)
- [.rs — Rust Source](https://atoneplace.net/file/rs/)
- [.rb — Ruby Source](https://atoneplace.net/file/rb/)

## Sources

- Media Types Registry — IANA (https://www.iana.org/assignments/media-types/)
- Official vendor product documentation — At One Place (/about/)