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Prerequisites

Before installing Push Swap, ensure you have:
1

C Compiler

GCC or Clang compiler supporting C99 standard or later
# Check if you have a C compiler
gcc --version
# or
clang --version
2

Make Build Tool

GNU Make for building the project
# Check if make is installed
make --version
3

Git (Optional)

For cloning the repository
git --version
On macOS, you can install the Xcode Command Line Tools to get all prerequisites:
xcode-select --install

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Installation Steps

1

Clone the Repository

Download the source code to your local machine:
git clone <repository-url> push_swap
cd push_swap
Or download and extract the source files manually if you don’t have git.
2

Build the Project

Compile the source code using the Makefile:
make
This command:
  • Compiles all .c files with strict flags (-Wall -Wextra -Werror)
  • Links object files into the final executable
  • Creates the push_swap binary
$ make
cc -Wall -Wextra -Werror -c push_swap.c -o push_swap.o
cc -Wall -Wextra -Werror -c ft_error_exit.c -o ft_error_exit.o
cc -Wall -Wextra -Werror -c ft_split.c -o ft_split.o
cc -Wall -Wextra -Werror -c init_a_to_b.c -o init_a_to_b.o
cc -Wall -Wextra -Werror -c init_b_to_a.c -o init_b_to_a.o
cc -Wall -Wextra -Werror -c sort_big_stacks.c -o sort_big_stacks.o
cc -Wall -Wextra -Werror -c stack_utils.c -o stack_utils.o
cc -Wall -Wextra -Werror -c ft_fill_stack.c -o ft_fill_stack.o
cc -Wall -Wextra -Werror -c main.c -o main.o
cc -Wall -Wextra -Werror -c ft_push.c -o ft_push.o
cc -Wall -Wextra -Werror -c ft_reverse_rotate.c -o ft_reverse_rotate.o
cc -Wall -Wextra -Werror -c ft_rotate.c -o ft_rotate.o
cc -Wall -Wextra -Werror -c ft_swap.c -o ft_swap.o
cc -Wall -Wextra -Werror -c min_on_top.c -o min_on_top.o
cc -Wall -Wextra -Werror push_swap.o ft_error_exit.o ft_split.o \
  init_a_to_b.o init_b_to_a.o sort_big_stacks.o stack_utils.o \
  ft_fill_stack.o main.o ft_push.o ft_reverse_rotate.o ft_rotate.o \
  ft_swap.o min_on_top.o -o push_swap
3

Verify Installation

Test that the executable was created successfully:
./push_swap
You should see no output (the program exits silently with no arguments, which is correct behavior).Try a simple test:
./push_swap 3 2 1
You should see output like:
sa
rra

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Makefile Commands

The project includes several useful Make targets:

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make or make all

Builds the project (default target). 
make

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make clean

Removes object files (.o files) but keeps the executable. 
make clean

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make fclean

Removes all generated files including the executable. 
make fclean

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make re

Rebuilds the project from scratch (equivalent to make fclean + make). 
make re
Use make re when you want to ensure a completely fresh build, especially after modifying header files.

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Compilation Flags

The project is compiled with strict warning flags to ensure code quality: 
CFLAGS = -Wall -Wextra -Werror
  • -Wall: Enable all common warnings
  • -Wextra: Enable extra warnings not covered by -Wall
  • -Werror: Treat all warnings as errors (compilation fails if warnings exist)
These flags ensure the code is clean and follows best practices.

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Project Structure

After building, your directory will contain: 
push_swap/
├── push_swap          # Main executable
├── push_swap.h        # Header file
├── *.c                # Source files
├── *.o                # Object files (after compilation)
└── Makefile           # Build configuration

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Troubleshooting

You need to install a C compiler.On Ubuntu/Debian:
sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install build-essential
On macOS:
xcode-select --install
On Fedora/RHEL:
sudo dnf install gcc make
Install GNU Make:On Ubuntu/Debian:
sudo apt-get install make
On macOS:
xcode-select --install
The project uses strict compilation flags (-Werror). If you see compilation errors:
  1. Ensure you’re using a C99-compatible compiler
  2. Check that all source files are present
  3. Try a clean rebuild: 
    make fclean
make
  4. Verify your compiler version is recent enough: 
    gcc --version
Make the binary executable:
chmod +x push_swap
./push_swap
Check for error messages during compilation. If the build appears successful but no executable exists:
  1. Verify all source files are present
  2. Check disk space: df -h
  3. Try rebuilding: make re
  4. Check the Makefile for the correct output name (should be push_swap)

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Uninstallation

To remove all compiled files: 
make fclean
To completely remove the project: 
cd ..
rm -rf push_swap

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Next Steps

Quick Start

Learn how to use Push Swap with examples

Usage Examples

See common usage patterns and commands

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