MinGW-w64 Alternatives

MinGW-w64 is described as 'The project's goal is to deliver runtime, headers, and libs for developing 64 bit (x64), as well as 32 bit (x86), windows applications using gcc-4.4 or newer versions' and is a Compiler in the development category. There are more than 10 alternatives to MinGW-w64 for a variety of platforms, including Windows, Linux, BSD, Git and Cygwin apps. The best MinGW-w64 alternative is Cygwin, which is both free and Open Source. Other great apps like MinGW-w64 are MinGW, MSYS2, Windows Command Prompt and gow.

MinGW-w64
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The project's goal is to deliver runtime, headers, and libs for developing 64 bit (x64), as well as 32 bit (x86),...

More about MinGW-w64
More about MinGW-w64
MinGW-w64 alternatives page was last updated Feb 6, 2025
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  1. Cygwin icon

    Cygwin

     225 likes
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    Cygwin is a Unix-like environment and command-line interface for Microsoft Windows. Cygwin provides native integration of Windows-based applications, data, and other system resources with applications, software tools, and data of the Unix-like environment.

    28 Cygwin alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Cygwin terminals running on Windows 7

    Cygwin Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Linux on Windows
    3.  SSH
    4.  POSIX-compatible
    5.  ANSI color support

    Cygwin VS MinGW-w64

     

    • Cygwin is the most popular Windows alternative to MinGW-w64.

    • Cygwin is the most popular Open Source & free alternative to MinGW-w64.

    • Cygwin is Free and Open SourceMinGW-w64 is also Free and Open Source
  2. MinGW icon

    MinGW

     128 likes
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    MinGW ("Minimalistic GNU for Windows") is a port of the GNU Compiler Collection (GCC) and GNU Binutils. It provides a complete Open Source programming toolset which is suitable for the development of native MS-Windows (x86) applications, which do not depend on any...

    23 MinGW alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Linux
    • BSD
    Installation Manager

    MinGW Features

    1.  Portable
    2.  C++
    3.  Cross Compiler
    4.  Native application compiler
    5.  C support
    6.  GNU/linux-libre

    MinGW VS MinGW-w64

     
    Comments about MinGW as an Alternative to MinGW-w64
    Guest
    Positive Mar 1, 2016
    0

    It basically runs all basic UNIX and LINUX codes. Its colorful as well as easy to use too

    MinGW icon

    • MinGW is the most popular Linux alternative to MinGW-w64.

    • MinGW is Free and Open SourceMinGW-w64 is also Free and Open Source
  4. MSYS2 icon

    MSYS2

     47 likes
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    MSYS2 is an independent rewrite of MSYS, based on modern Cygwin (POSIX compatibility layer) and MinGW-w64 with the aim of better interoperability with native Windows software.

    18 MSYS2 alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • International

    Platforms

    • Windows
    MSYS2 screenshot 1

    MSYS2 Features

    1.  Command line/bash
    2.  Linux on Windows
    3.  Command line interface
    4.  POSIX-compatible
    5.  Support for scripting

    MSYS2 VS MinGW-w64

     
  5. Windows Command Prompt icon

    Windows Command Prompt

     60 likes
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    Command Prompt, also known as cmd.exe or cmd (after its executable file name), is the command-line interpreter on Windows NT, Windows CE, OS/2 and eComStation operating systems. It is the counterpart of COMMAND.

    41 Windows Command Prompt alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Application types

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    A picture of cmd, with the name blacked out.

    Properties

    1.  Lightweight

    Features

    1.  Command line interface
    2.  Extensible by Plugins/Extensions
    3.  Support for scripting

    Windows Command Prompt VS MinGW-w64

     
    Comments about Windows Command Prompt as an Alternative to MinGW-w64
    Guest
    Negative Feb 6, 2025
    0

    MinGW-w64 is a compiler, Command Prompt is a system shell. They may share a few similarities, but are effectively two very different things.

    Windows Command Prompt icon
    • Windows Command Prompt is Free and ProprietaryMinGW-w64 is Free and Open Source
    • Windows Command Prompt is LightweightMinGW-w64 is not according to our users

  6. gow

     28 likes
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    Gow (Gnu On Windows) is the lightweight alternative to Cygwin. It uses a convenient Windows installer that installs about 130 extremely useful

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    gow screenshot 1
    Discontinued

    No activity for over a year.

    gow VS MinGW-w64

     
  7. Babun icon

    Babun

     20 likes
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    Would you like to use a linux-like console on a Windows host without a lot of fuzz? Try out babun!

    11 Babun alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    • Git
    • Cygwin
    • zsh
    Includes Vim with color highlighting.
    Discontinued

    The project seems to be no longer developed. Last version, 1.2.0, released in July 2015, can be still downloaded from GitHub

    Babun VS MinGW-w64

     
  9. TDM-GCC icon

    TDM-GCC

     10 likes
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    TDM-GCC is a compiler suite for Windows.

    It combines the most recent stable release of the GCC toolset, a few patches for Windows-friendliness, and the free and open-source MinGW or MinGW-w64 runtime APIs to create an open-source alternative to Microsoft's compiler and platf.

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows

    TDM-GCC Features

    1.  Debugging

    TDM-GCC VS MinGW-w64

     

  10. MSYS

     2 likes
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    MSYS is a collection of GNU utilities such as bash, make, gawk and grep to allow building of applications and programs which depend on traditionally UNIX tools to be present.

    4 MSYS alternatives

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Platforms

    • Windows

    MSYS Features

    1.  Command line interface

    MSYS VS MinGW-w64

     
  11. Microsoft Windows SDK icon

    Microsoft Windows SDK

     7 likes
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    The Windows SDK provides tools, compilers, headers, libraries, code samples, and a new help system that developers can use to create applications that run on Microsoft Windows.

    License model

    • Free • Proprietary

    Country of Origin

    • US flagUnited States

    Platforms

    • Windows
    Microsoft Windows SDK screenshot 1

    Microsoft Windows SDK VS MinGW-w64

     
  12. DJGPP icon

    DJGPP

     1 like
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    DJGPP (DJ's GNU Programming Platform) is a development suite for 386+ IBM PC compatibles which supports DOS-enabled operating systems. It is guided by DJ Delorie, who began the project in 1989. It is a port of the popular GCC compiler, as well as mostly GNU utilities such as...

    License model

    • Free • Open Source

    Application type

    Platforms

    • Windows
    DJGPP running in Windows.

    DJGPP VS MinGW-w64

     
10 of 10 MinGW-w64 alternatives