diff --git a/ale_linters/c/gcc.vim b/ale_linters/c/gcc.vim
index c22b5e88..06bcff22 100644
--- a/ale_linters/c/gcc.vim
+++ b/ale_linters/c/gcc.vim
@@ -9,7 +9,10 @@ let g:loaded_ale_linters_c_gcc = 1
 
 " Set this option to change the GCC options for warnings for C.
 if !exists('g:ale_c_gcc_options')
-    let g:ale_c_gcc_options = '-Wall'
+    " let g:ale_c_gcc_options = '-Wall'
+    " let g:ale_c_gcc_options = '-std=c99 -Wall'
+    " c11 compatible
+    let g:ale_c_gcc_options = '-std=c11 -Wall'
 endif
 
 call ale#linter#Define('c', {
diff --git a/ale_linters/cpp/gcc.vim b/ale_linters/cpp/gcc.vim
index 651d6e28..b868828a 100644
--- a/ale_linters/cpp/gcc.vim
+++ b/ale_linters/cpp/gcc.vim
@@ -11,7 +11,14 @@ let g:loaded_ale_linters_cpp_gcc = 1
 if !exists('g:ale_cpp_gcc_options')
   " added c++14 standard support
   " POSIX thread and standard c++ thread and atomic library Linker
-    let g:ale_cpp_gcc_options = '-std=c++14 -ldl -lpthread -lm -latomic -Wall -Wextra -Wshadow -pedantic'
+  " let g:ale_cpp_gcc_options = '-std=c++1z' for c++17
+  " for previous version and default, you can just use
+  " let g:ale_cpp_gcc_options = '-Wall'
+  " for more see man pages of gcc
+  " $ man g++
+  " make sure g++ in your $PATH
+  " Add flags according to your requirements
+    let g:ale_cpp_gcc_options = '-std=c++14 -Wall'
 endif
 
 call ale#linter#Define('cpp', {
diff --git a/doc/ale.txt b/doc/ale.txt
index ab6f6093..fa410547 100644
--- a/doc/ale.txt
+++ b/doc/ale.txt
@@ -431,7 +431,7 @@ g:ale_html_tidy_args                                     *g:ale_html_tidy_args*
 g:ale_c_gcc_options                                       *g:ale_c_gcc_options*
 
   Type: |String|
-  Default: `'-Wall'`
+  Default: `'-std=c11 -Wall'`
 
   This variable can be change to modify flags given to gcc.
 
@@ -442,7 +442,7 @@ g:ale_c_gcc_options                                       *g:ale_c_gcc_options*
 g:ale_cpp_gcc_options                                   *g:ale_cpp_gcc_options*
 
   Type: |String|
-  Default: `'-Wall'`
+  Default: `'-std=c++14 -Wall'`
 
   This variable can be changed to modify flags given to gcc.