# Fpm not finding compiler
**URL:** https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/fpm-not-finding-compiler/9042
**Category:** Help
**Created:** [January 5, 2025, 12:45am UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/fpm-not-finding-compiler/9042 "2025-01-05T00:45:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@richo123](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/richo123)
#### Post date: [January 5, 2025, 12:45am UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/fpm-not-finding-compiler/9042/1 "2025-01-05T00:45:21Z")
I installed fpm on Ubuntu 24.04 using a snap package and set up the first\_steps sample project. When I run “fortran-fpm run” I get an error which says that fpm cannot find the compiler gfortran. However gfortran is definitely in my PATH and is located at /bin/gfortran. The log file I get has the line
sh: 1: /bin/gfortran: not found
Is there an environment variable needing to be set? Note that fortran-fpm is the snap package command for fpm…
---
### Author:  [@ivanpribec](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/ivanpribec)
#### Post date: [January 5, 2025, 1:23am UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/fpm-not-finding-compiler/9042/2 "2025-01-05T01:23:36Z")
You could try setting the environment variable `FPM_FC`,
```txt
> export FPM_FC=`which gfortran`
```
Alternatively you can override on the command line using `--compiler `:
```txt
$ fpm run --compiler `which gfortran`
+ mkdir -p build/dependencies
test_fpm.f90 done.
libtest_fpm.a done.
main.f90 done.
test_fpm done.
[100%] Project compiled successfully.
Hello, test_fpm!
```
But by default it will try to use `gfortran`.
---
### Author:  [@urbanjost](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/urbanjost)
#### Post date: [January 5, 2025, 8:38am UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/fpm-not-finding-compiler/9042/3 "2025-01-05T08:38:28Z")
How familiar are you with snap? It intentionally runs the applications in a container with limited access to the host system. That is a very unusual way to install fpm. If you install it as a conventional application and/or build it from the single-source-file it will run in a normal shell with access to the base operating system applications which I assume is where you installed the compiler (?).
[https://fpm.fortran-lang.org/install/index.html](https://fpm.fortran-lang.org/install/index.html)
---
### Author:  [@richo123](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/richo123)
#### Post date: [January 5, 2025, 1:24pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/fpm-not-finding-compiler/9042/4 "2025-01-05T13:24:38Z")
Yes that was the problem. snap runs in a container and restricts the environment making it cumbersome to run dev apps. I downloaded the binary and it works fine. Pity that fpm is not in the Debian/Ubuntu apt repo to avoid these complications or that the snap docs for fortran-fpm are not more helpful
---
### Author:  [@Harper](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/u/Harper)
#### Post date: [January 5, 2025, 7:56pm UTC](https://fortran-lang.discourse.group/t/fpm-not-finding-compiler/9042/5 "2025-01-05T19:56:35Z")
I often had trouble finding compilers in my Linux system after installing them until I realised that commands like these tell you where they are:
```auto
locate bin/gfortran
locate bin/ifx
```
You may also find some old versions lurking in your machine.