<p>In the past, the standard method of building for Windows has been to use MinGW. Either have MinGW on Windows and compile from within it (may be more difficult) or cross compile it from a Linux environment.</p>

<p>However, fairly recently, support for using MSVC has been added. Although the official binaries do not use MSVC, you can self compile using it. We even have CI that makes sure that everything builds under MSVC.</p>

<p>Instructions and the necessary project files can be found at <a href="https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/tree/master/build_msvc" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/tree/master/build_msvc</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-16T21:37:25.873Z
2019-10-16T21:37:25.873Z
Ava Chow
<p>With windows 10 you can now run linux directly on windows with the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Subsystem_for_Linux" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Windows Subsystem for Linux</a></p>

<blockquote>
  <p>or is it one of those cross-compilers like MingGW that compiles code originally written for Linux so it can be executed in Windows?</p>
</blockquote>

<p>There is some option to build bitcoin core without MingGW by using cygwin, msys2 or Visual Studio</p>

<p>Here is a complete guide: <a href="https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/doc/build-windows.md" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/doc/build-windows.md</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2019-10-16T20:56:41.103Z
2019-10-16T21:03:30.157Z
2019-10-16T21:03:30.157Z
Saxtheowl
<p>I'd like to try building the Bitcoin core source in Windows. The instructive materials I've found take too much for granted. What environment needs to be installed before building? Can it be built in Visual Studio, or is it one of those cross-compilers like MingGW that compiles code originally written for Linux so it can be executed in Windows?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2015-12-23T00:00:04.890Z
Generally all release builds are cross compiled from Linux, so you might struggle to find reliable material on doing so (it might even be impossible, I don't know).
Claris
<bitcoin-core><windows><compiling>
Environment for building Bitcoin core in Windows
Gerard Ashton
# Environment for building Bitcoin core in Windows

(Asked by: username_0 on 2015-12-22)

I'd like to try building the Bitcoin core source in Windows. The instructive materials I've found take too much for granted. What environment needs to be installed before building? Can it be built in Visual Studio, or is it one of those cross-compilers like MingGW that compiles code originally written for Linux so it can be executed in Windows?

**Tags:** bitcoin-core, windows, compiling

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Generally all release builds are cross compiled from Linux, so you might struggle to find reliable material on doing so (it might even be impossible, I don't know).  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2019-10-16. Score: 1

In the past, the standard method of building for Windows has been to use MinGW. Either have MinGW on Windows and compile from within it (may be more difficult) or cross compile it from a Linux environment.

However, fairly recently, support for using MSVC has been added. Although the official binaries do not use MSVC, you can self compile using it. We even have CI that makes sure that everything builds under MSVC.

Instructions and the necessary project files can be found at <https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/tree/master/build_msvc>


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### Answer by username_3 on 2019-10-16. Score: 1

With windows 10 you can now run linux directly on windows with the [Windows Subsystem for Linux](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Subsystem_for_Linux)

> or is it one of those cross-compilers like MingGW that compiles code originally written for Linux so it can be executed in Windows?

There is some option to build bitcoin core without MingGW by using cygwin, msys2 or Visual Studio

Here is a complete guide: <https://github.com/bitcoin/bitcoin/blob/master/doc/build-windows.md>


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