How to Download MinGW: A Free and Open-Source Programming Environment for Windows
If you are looking for a simple and effective way to develop native Windows applications using C/C++ or other languages, you might want to try MinGW. MinGW stands for Minimalist GNU for Windows, and it is a port of the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) and GNU Binutils for Windows. In this article, we will show you how to download, install, and use MinGW on Windows 10, as well as some alternatives that you can explore.
What is MinGW and why use it?
MinGW is a free and open-source programming environment for the Microsoft Windows operating system. It integrates a lot of GNU tools for building and debugging programs, such as GCC (GNU Compiler Collection), as well as runtime libraries and development headers. Here are some of the reasons why you might want to use MinGW:
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MinGW is a port of the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) and GNU Binutils for Windows
GCC is one of the most popular and widely used compilers in the world, supporting many languages such as C, C++, Objective-C, Fortran, Ada, Go, and more. GCC is also known for its high performance, portability, and compliance with standards. Binutils is a collection of binary tools that work with GCC, such as assembler, linker, debugger, etc. By using MinGW, you can access these powerful tools on your Windows system.
MinGW provides a complete programming toolset for developing native Windows applications
MinGW allows you to create programs that run on Windows without depending on any third-party libraries or frameworks. You can use the standard Windows API functions and libraries, as well as extensions to the MSVC runtime that support C99 functionality. You can also use other libraries that are compatible with MinGW, such as SDL, GTK+, Qt, Boost, etc.
MinGW is easy to use, compatible, and customizable
One of the main advantages of MinGW is how simple it is to use. The software is designed to be easy to install and configure, making it an excellent choice for beginners new to Windows programming development. Additionally, MinGW shares a command-line interface with operating systems that are similar to Unix. Thus, users who are already familiar with the commands and tools of Unix-like systems, such as Linux or macOS, will find it easy to adapt to MinGW. Moreover, MinGW is compatible with many other development tools and environments, such as Visual Studio, Code::Blocks, Eclipse, etc. You can also customize your MinGW installation by choosing which components and packages you want to install, depending on your needs and preferences. How to download and install MinGW on Windows 10
Downloading and installing MinGW on Windows 10 is a straightforward process that should not take more than a few minutes. Here are the steps you need to follow:
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Download the installer from the official link
The first thing you need to do is to download the MinGW installer from the official website: . This is a small executable file that will allow you to download and install the MinGW components you want. You can also download the installer from other mirrors or sources, but make sure they are trustworthy and up-to-date.
Run the installer and select the components to install
Once you have downloaded the installer, run it as an administrator and follow the instructions on the screen. You will be asked to choose a folder where you want to install MinGW. The default location is C:\MinGW, but you can change it if you want. You will also be asked to select which components you want to install. The minimum requirement is to install the base system and the GCC compiler suite. However, you can also install other packages, such as GDB (GNU Debugger), MSYS (Minimal System), etc. You can also add or remove packages later using the MinGW Installation Manager.
Add the MinGW bin folder to the Windows PATH environment variable
After installing MinGW, you need to add its bin folder to the Windows PATH environment variable. This will allow you to use the MinGW tools from any command prompt without having to specify their full path. To do this, follow these steps:
Open the Control Panel and go to System and Security > System.
Click on Advanced system settings on the left side.
Click on Environment Variables at the bottom of the System Properties window.
In the System variables section, find and select the variable named PATH and click on Edit.
In the Edit environment variable window, click on New and type or paste the path to your MinGW bin folder. For example, if you installed MinGW in C:\MinGW, type C:\MinGW\bin.
Click on OK to save the changes and close all the windows.
Check your MinGW installation by typing gcc --version in a command prompt
To verify that your MinGW installation is working properly, open a command prompt and type gcc --version. You should see something like this:
C:\Users\user>gcc --version gcc (MinGW.org GCC-8.2.0-5) 8.2.0 Copyright (C) 2018 Free Software Foundation, Inc. This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.
If you see an error message or a different output, make sure you have followed the previous steps correctly and that your PATH variable is set correctly.
How to use MinGW to compile and run C/C++ programs on Windows
Now that you have installed MinGW, you can use it to compile and run C/C++ programs on Windows. Here is a simple example of how to do that:
Create a simple Hello World program in a text editor and save it as hello.c
Open your favorite text editor and type the following code:
#include <stdio.h> int main() printf("Hello, world!\n"); return 0;
This is a simple C program that prints "Hello, world!" on the screen. Save it as hello.c in a folder of your choice.
Open a command prompt and navigate to the folder where you saved hello.c
Open a command prompt and use the cd command to change your current directory to the folder where you saved hello.c. For example, if you saved it in C:\Users\user\Documents\MinGW\hello.c, type:
C:\Users\user>cd Documents\MinGW C:\Users\user\Documents\MinGW>
You can also drag and drop the hello.c file to the command prompt window to automatically insert its full path.
Compile the program by typing gcc hello.c -o hello.exe
To compile the program, use the gcc command with the name of the source file (hello.c) and the name of the output file (hello.exe). The -o option specifies the name of the output file. If you omit it, the default name will be a.exe. Type the following command and press Enter:
C:\Users\user\Documents\MinGW>gcc hello.c -o hello.exe
If there are no errors, the command will create an executable file named hello.exe in the same folder as hello.c.
Run the program by typing hello.exe
To run the program, simply type its name and press Enter:
C:\Users\user\Documents\MinGW>hello.exe Hello, world!
You should see the output of the program on the screen. Congratulations, you have successfully compiled and run your first C program using MinGW!
Alternatives to MinGW for Windows programming
MinGW is not the only option for Windows programming using GCC and GNU tools. There are some alternatives that provide different features and functionalities for different needs and preferences. Here are some of them:
MinGW-w64 is a fork of MinGW that supports 64-bit and 32-bit Windows applications
MinGW-w64 is a project that was created to extend MinGW with support for 64-bit Windows applications, as well as improved support for 32-bit ones. It also includes more libraries and headers, such as DirectX, Windows 8 API, etc. You can download MinGW-w64 from .
Cygwin is a Unix-like environment and command-line interface for Windows that allows running POSIX programs
Cygwin is a software that provides a Unix-like environment and command-line interface for Windows. It allows you to run many POSIX programs, such as bash, awk, sed, etc., as well as compile and run programs using GCC and other tools. Cygwin also provides a POSIX emulation layer that allows programs to access Windows functions and libraries. You can download Cygwin from .
MSYS2 is an independent rewrite of MSYS that provides a modern Cygwin and MinGW-w64 environment
MSYS2 is a software that provides a modern Cygwin and MinGW-w64 environment for Windows. It includes a package manager that allows you to install and update various tools and libraries, such as GCC, GDB, Python, Ruby, etc. MSYS2 also provides a terminal emulator that supports colors, tabs, etc. You can download MSYS2 from .
Conclusion
In this article, we have shown you how to download, install, and use MinGW on Windows 10. MinGW is a free and open-source programming environment for Windows that allows you to develop native Windows applications using GCC and GNU tools. MinGW is easy to use, compatible, and customizable, and offers many benefits for both novice and experienced developers. MinGW also has some alternatives that provide different features and functionalities for Windows programming.
We hope you have found this article helpful and informative. If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to leave them below. Happy coding!
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between MinGW and MinGW-w64?
MinGW is the original project that provides a port of GCC and GNU Binutils for Windows. MinGW-w64 is a fork of MinGW that adds support for 64-bit Windows applications, as well as improved support for 32-bit ones.
What is the difference between MinGW and Cygwin?
MinGW is a programming environment that allows you to create native Windows applications using GCC and GNU tools. Cygwin is a Unix-like environment and command-line interface that allows you to run POSIX programs on Windows.
What is the difference between MinGW and MSYS2?
MinGW is a programming environment that provides GCC and GNU Binutils for Windows. MSYS2 is an independent rewrite of MSYS that provides a modern Cygwin and MinGW-w64 environment for Windows.
How do I update my MinGW installation ?
You can update your MinGW installation by using the MinGW Installation Manager. This is a graphical tool that allows you to add or remove packages from your MinGW installation. You can access it by running mingw-get.exe from your MinGW bin folder.
How do I uninstall MinGW from my Windows system?
You can uninstall MinGW from your Windows system by following these steps:
Delete the MinGW folder from your installation location.
Remove the MinGW bin folder from your Windows PATH environment variable.
Delete any shortcuts or icons related to MinGW from your desktop or start menu.
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