How to Remove Comments from C/C Code Without Preprocessing?

Stripping Comments from C/C Code without Preprocessing

In the realm of C/C development, there may be scenarios where one wishes to remove comments from a source file without resorting to preprocessing. This can be particularly useful when working with legacy code or when attempting to analyze the code's structure and flow. While using gcc with the -E flag can expand macros, it can also introduce unwanted changes to the code.

To effectively strip comments from a C/C source file without preprocessing, consider leveraging existing tools and flags. One such tool is the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC). By employing the following command, you can achieve the desired result:

gcc -fpreprocessed -dD -E -P test.c

As demonstrated in the example provided, running this command will eliminate comments from the source file without modifying any other aspects of the code. The output will contain only the necessary source code, free of comments.

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