• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

Best FREE Windows C Compiler?

Bulldog13

Bulldog13

Golden Member
Hello,

Quick question. I want to make the jump from Visual Basic to C/C++ as I want more low level programming. I have decided to start with C. What is the best free C/C++ windows compiler on everyone's opinion?

A quick google search refers "DJGPP", "LCC-WIN32", a Borland one, and "CYGWIN".

Any ideas?

Also can anyone recommend any good assembler books on the x86 platform? Preferably 32 bit. Should I learn 16 bit and then jump to 32 bit?

All advice welcome.
 
You can download the Microsoft C compiler for free. I don't know the link, but I downloaded it a while ago. As much as I dislike some M$ stuff, they do make pretty good compilers.
 
Also can anyone recommend any good assembler books on the x86 platform? Preferably 32 bit. Should I learn 16 bit and then jump to 32 bit?
Click to expand...

I would avoid assembly unless you really need it. All you'll end up doing is limiting yourself to x86 chips with no gains.
 
I'd recommend GCC on CYGWIN as well, if you're up to a bit of a challenge to install it; GCC is an excellent compiler. Otherwise, your best bet is probably to track down the Microsoft C Compiler; like PCHPlayer said, you should be able to find it on MS's website somewhere.
 
There is a free trial version of C++ Builder + Delphi. The difference between the trial version and the normal versions is nothing you compile in the trial versions will work outside the IDE, so you can't distribute it.
 
If you don't want the Cygwin environment, try MinGW.

Or for Win32 development, get the Borland command-line C++ compiler: http://www.winprog.org/tutorial/bcpp.html.
I don't believe this is a trial edition that glugglug refers to (you can get trial versions of all their commercial software). I think this is just the compiler suite from BC++ 5.5.

Here's the most popularly referenced free text on x86 assembly:
Art of Assembly

While I wouldn't say it makes a whole lot of sense to jump from a very high-level language to assembly, the HAL dialect used in this text is quite accessible for programmers.
 
I am going to start with Dev-C++. I got my "Hello World!" console program working. :beer:

The Art of Assembly 32 bit for Windows link of the page you linked doesn't seem to be working. Any others?

Anyone point me to any resources on "running program manipulation" (best term I can think of) in C? I really want to be able to dig in and alter running programs, see how they work, etc?

Thanks everyone for the resources.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

TRENDING THREADS

Back
Top