How to Use raylib with C++ to Start Making Games

raylib is a C library for videogame programming that works directly in C++ projects, and the fastest way to start is to install it, compile a minimal window program, then learn the API from the official cheatsheet and examples rather than from formal documentation. This guide fits you if you already know some C++ and want a lightweight library with no GUI editor, no visual helpers, and no engine overhead — just code. If you prefer a drag-and-drop engine or need a full editor workflow, raylib is the wrong tool.

What raylib actually is

raylib describes itself as "a simple and easy-to-use library to enjoy videogames programming." Two things about that description matter for your decision:

• It is a library, not an engine. The project states there is "no fancy interface, no visual helpers, no gui tools or editors... just coding in pure spartan-programmers way." You write C or C++ code and call functions.
• It is written in C. That is why it drops into C++ projects without wrappers, and why the same library is available through 60+ language bindings if you ever switch languages.

Because it is minimal, raylib does not ship the typical API documentation or a large tutorial set. The project's own guidance is that the library "is designed to be minimalistic and be learned just from a cheatsheet with all required functionality and a big collection of examples." Plan your learning around reading code, not reading manuals.

Setting up raylib for C++

The site points to a raylib Windows Installer that "install[s] raylib in seconds." That is the shortest path on Windows. On other systems, or if you prefer managing dependencies yourself, you install raylib through your platform's package manager or build it from source — the site does not spell out those commands, so treat the installer as the documented quick route and check the wiki for your platform.

What you need before writing code:

1. A C++ compiler (any compiler that supports C++ and links against C works, since raylib is a C library).
2. raylib installed so your compiler can find its headers and link its library.
3. OpenGL support on your machine — raylib requires C language and OpenGL graphics (or similar), and the site notes that "technically, any platform that supports C language and OpenGL graphics (or similar) can run raylib."

The site lists a set of tested supported platforms but does not enumerate them in the material available here, so verify your target against the supported-platforms list on raylib.com before committing.

Your first raylib program in C++

The input, action, and expected result are the same for every raylib program: you include the header, open a window, run a loop until the window should close, draw, and close.

#include "raylib.h"

int main() {
    InitWindow(800, 450, "My first raylib game");
    SetTargetFPS(60);

    while (!WindowShouldClose()) {
        BeginDrawing();
        ClearBackground(RAYWHITE);
        DrawText("Hello, raylib!", 190, 200, 20, LIGHTGRAY);
        EndDrawing();
    }

    CloseWindow();
    return 0;
}

• Input: the window size, title, and target frame rate you pass in.
• Action: InitWindow creates the window and graphics context; the while loop runs once per frame; BeginDrawing/EndDrawing bracket your drawing calls.
• Expected result: an 800×450 window showing the text, which closes when you click the close button or press Escape.

Compile it by linking raylib the same way you link any C library in your toolchain. If the compiler cannot find raylib.h, your include path is wrong; if it fails at link time with undefined references, your library path or link flags are wrong. Those two errors cover most first-run failures.

Learning the API without formal docs

Since raylib intentionally skips conventional API documentation, use these resources in this order:

The project's own advice is blunt: "Best way to learn to code is reading code." If you feel lost among the choices, the raylib game template is the recommended starting point because it "provides some structure and a Makefile that are quick and easy to pick up and use."

Extending raylib and going further

raylib is designed to be combined with extra libraries for additional functionality. Most of those are single-file, header-only, and have no external dependencies, and some are already used internally by raylib itself. That means you can add capability without restructuring your project or pulling in a dependency tree.

raylib is also the base technology behind the raylib technologies tools, several multiplatform tools built with raylib and raygui — useful to look at if you want to see what larger projects built on the same foundation look like.

When raylib is the right choice

Choose raylib if you want to write game code in C++ with minimal abstraction, you are comfortable reading examples instead of documentation, and you do not need a visual editor. Look elsewhere if you want a scene editor, asset pipeline, or a large built-in API surface — those are explicitly not what raylib provides. The project is open to corporate sponsorship and donations, but the material here contains no pricing information, so do not assume any commercial tier or cost structure from this page.