Nothing to Code: Setting up SDL2 in Ubuntu Linux Mint Debian

Updated: November 2014

In this tutorial you're going to install SDL2 from your repositories and finally run a test. This is the easiest way. You only have to search and install the packages using the package manager. Obviously, you will not have the latest version and fixes, but it's enough if you're starting with SDL2. If you need to install the latest version compiling the source code or you have any problem with this tutorial, go to this forum: http://www.

Install the following packages using apt, apt-get or aptitude

build-essential
libsdl2-dev
libsdl2-gfx-dev
libsdl2-image-dev
libsdl2-mixer-dev
libsdl2-net-dev
libsdl2-ttf-dev

Testing SDL2

Now you're a going to test SDL2 with a simple code
Go to your user home directory, you can use cd or cd ~

cd ~

Create a new directory for your SDL2 projects and one for this test

mkdir -p SDL2projects/SDL2test

Go to SDL2test directory

cd SDL2projects/SDL2test

Download the following image and the source code file

wget http:///files/0002/sdl.bmp
wget http:///files/0002/main.c

Compile the file main.c with the command

gcc main.c -o test -Wall -lSDL2

Run the program

./test

Enjoy it