Competitive Programming & SDL2 with JetBrains Fleet on Arch Linux

Why use a heavyweight IDE when JetBrains Fleet delivers everything—fast and clean?

I've recently adopted JetBrains Fleet for C++ development on Arch Linux, and it's quickly become my preferred setup for both competitive programming and SDL2 graphics projects. Fleet runs just as smoothly on Windows, making it a flexible option across platforms.

If you're looking for a sleek, distraction-free environment to write and run C++ code—including graphical applications—Fleet may be exactly what you need.

Overview

This guide covers:

Setting up Fleet for C++ on Windows/Linux
Running competitive programming problems with custom input/output
Compiling and running SDL2-based image applications
Creating useful run.json configurations

Why JetBrains Fleet?

Fleet is a lightweight IDE from JetBrains designed to:

Launch quickly
Support multiple languages via Smart Mode
Allow customizable build commands
Work seamlessly on Linux, even with graphical libraries like SDL2

Setting Up C++ Development in Fleet

While this guide is based on Arch Linux, the steps apply to most Linux distributions and Windows.

Requirements

A C++ compiler (e.g., GCC or Clang):
```
sudo pacman -S gcc
```
JetBrains Fleet (installable via JetBrains Toolbox)
(Optional) SDL2 libraries if working on graphical projects

Project Structure for Competitive Programming

An example layout:

project/
├── fleet/
│   └── run.json
├── main.cpp
├── input.in
├── output.out

Sample `run.json` for Competitive Programming

{
  "configurations": [
    {
      "type": "command",
      "name": "Build and Run",
      "program": "sh",
      "args": [
        "-c",
        "c++ -o $FILE_NAME_NO_EXT$.exe $FILE$ && ./$FILE_NAME_NO_EXT$.exe < input.in > output.out"
      ]
    }
  ]
}

This configuration:

Compiles the .cpp file
Redirects input.in as input
Saves the result to output.out

Running Code in Fleet

Use Ctrl + R to build and run without additional setup.

SDL2 Project Setup in Fleet

To build graphical applications with SDL2, use a project layout like:

project/
├── fleet/
│   └── run.json
├── main.cpp
├── src/
│   ├── Include/   (SDL2 headers)
│   └── Lib/       (SDL2 libraries)

Installing SDL2 (on Linux)

sudo pacman -S sdl2 sdl2_image

Sample `run.json` for SDL2 Projects

{
  "configurations": [
    {
      "type": "command",
      "name": "Build",
      "program": "c++",
      "args": [
        "-Isrc/Include",
        "-Lsrc/Lib",
        "-o",
        "$FILE_NAME_NO_EXT$.exe",
        "$FILE$",
        "-lSDL2",
        "-lSDL2_image"
      ]
    },
    {
      "type": "command",
      "name": "Run",
      "program": "$FILE_DIR$/$FILE_NAME_NO_EXT$.exe"
    }
  ]
}

Adjust the -I and -L paths based on your SDL2 setup. On Linux, there's no need to link -lmingw32 or -lSDL2main.

Why This Setup Works

Fast compile-and-run workflow for problem solving
Minimal UI distractions
Supports graphics, games, and visualizations
Fully customizable through run.json

Example: Competitive Programming Workflow

Example main.cpp:

#include <iostream>

int main() {
    int a{}, b{};
    std::cin >> a >> b;
    std::cout << a + b << std::endl;
    return EXIT_SUCCESS;
}

With input.in containing:

10 20

Running the configuration will:

Compile the program
Use 10 20 as input
Output 30 to output.out

All within Fleet—no terminal switching required.

Final Thoughts

While JetBrains Fleet may not yet be the most widely used C++ IDE, it offers a compelling balance of speed, modern design, and flexibility. If you value:

Lightweight, responsive tools
Clean UI with custom CLI-like workflows
Cross-platform support for both code and graphical projects

Bonus: Try It Out

Install JetBrains Fleet
Select a problem from Codeforces or AtCoder
Add sample input to input.in
Press Ctrl + R to build and run

Resources

Happy coding! If this helped, consider sharing or starring the GitHub repo.

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