API Guide > Setting up your build environment >

# Linux compiler requirement

To compile plug-ins and standalone applications for Maya 2013 for Linux, use the gcc compiler, version 4.1.2. Plug-ins built with any other compiler will not work because the C++ ABI (Application Binary Interface) must match between Maya and plug-ins. For best compatibility with Maya, the operating system should be either Red Hat Enterprise Linux 6.0 or Fedora Core 14.

Note that the compiler should be renamed with the "412" extension to avoid conflict with the default version of gcc on the system.

Unlike other platforms, on Linux we build the gcc compiler with certain options. Follow these steps to build the gcc compiler:

    Download the gcc 4.1.2 source tar file from http://gcc.gnu.org/install/

    Setup directories:
     % mkdir gcc412
     % cd gcc412
     % mkdir gcc-build

    Extract the source files:
     % tar zxvf gcc-4.1.2.tar.gz
     % cd gcc-build

    Configure the compiler. Run the following all on 1 line:
    ../gcc-4.1.2/configure --prefix=/opt/gcc412 --program-suffix=412
    --enable-shared --enable-threads=posix --enable-checking=release
    --with-system-zlib --disable-libunwind-exceptions
    --enable-__cxa_atexit

    Build the compiler:
     % make -j 2 bootstrap

    Install compiler as root:
     % su root
     % make install

    Note: you can make a symlink in /usr/bin to make the call to gcc easier for the
    user:
     % cd /usr/bin
     % ln -s /opt/gcc412/bin/gcc412 .
     % ln -s /opt/gcc412/bin/g++412 .