g++/gcc

GCC: GNU Compiler Collection

• Referrers to all the different languages that are supported by the GNU compiler.

gcc: GNU C      Compiler
g++: GNU C++ Compiler

The main differences:

1. gcc will compile: *.c/*.cpp files as C and C++ respectively.
2. g++ will compile: *.c/*.cpp files but they will all be treated as C++ files.
3. Also if you use g++ to link the object files it automatically links in the std C++ libraries (gcc does not do this).
4. gcc compiling C files has less predefined macros.
5. gcc compiling *.cpp and g++ compiling *.c/*.cpp files has a few extra macros.

http://stackoverflow.com/questions/172587/what-is-the-difference-between-g-and-gcc