CLion, developed by JetBrains, is a powerful IDE for C and C++ development. It provides various tools and features to enhance your programming experience. In this blog post, I’ll guide you through the process of downloading and installing CLion on your computer.
Step 1: Visit the Official JetBrains Website
- Open your web browser and navigate to the official JetBrains website: JetBrains CLion. or click the download button below
- On the CLion page, you’ll see an option to download a free trial or purchase the product. For this guide, we’ll use the free trial.
Step 2: Download CLion
- Click on the Download button.
- You’ll be redirected to the download page. Here, you can select the version of CLion compatible with your operating system (Windows, macOS, or Linux).
- Select the appropriate download link for your operating system:
- Windows: CLion-.exe
- macOS: CLion-.dmg
- Linux: CLion-.tar.gz
- Save the file to your desired location on your computer.
Step 3: Install CLion
Windows
- Locate the downloaded
.exe
file and double-click it to start the installation. - Follow the on-screen instructions in the setup wizard.
- Choose the installation path and select any additional options as needed.
- Click Install and wait for the installation process to complete.
- Once the installation is finished, click Finish to exit the setup wizard.
macOS
- Locate the downloaded
.dmg
file and double-click it to mount the disk image. - Drag the CLion application to the Applications folder.
- Eject the disk image after the installation is complete.
Linux
- Open a terminal and navigate to the directory where the
.tar.gz
file is downloaded. - Extract the tarball using the following command:
tar -xzf CLion-<version>.tar.gz
- Move the extracted directory to
/opt
:
sudo mv clion-<version> /opt/clion
- To run CLion, navigate to the
bin
directory and execute theclion.sh
script:
/opt/clion/bin/clion.sh
Step 4: Activate CLion
- When you first launch CLion, you’ll be prompted to activate your copy.
- If you have a JetBrains account, you can log in with your credentials.
- If you’re using the free trial, select the Evaluate for free option.
Step 5: Configure CLion
- Once activated, you can configure CLion according to your preferences.
- Set up your toolchains (compilers, debuggers, etc.) for C/C++ development.
- Customize the IDE’s appearance and behavior by navigating to File > Settings (or CLion > Preferences on macOS).

Step 6: Start Coding
Now that CLion is installed and configured, you can start coding your C and C++ projects. Create a new project or open an existing one, and take advantage of CLion’s powerful features like code analysis, refactoring, and debugging.
Conclusion
Downloading and installing CLion from the official JetBrains website is straightforward. With CLion, you have a robust IDE to support your C and C++ development, enhancing your productivity and coding experience. Happy coding!
Feel free to share your feedback and experiences with CLion in the comments below. If you have any questions or run into issues during the installation, don’t hesitate to ask for help.