Dev-C++ is a good IDE for programming in C++. It supports both MinGW and MSVC compilers and includes useful features like syntax highlighting, integrated debugger, profiler, and TO-DO lists. It's best suited for small to medium-sized project development and is particularly popular among beginners and students.
Basic Requirements
Microsoft Windows
This tutorial assumes you're running Windows XP or later. While newer versions of Windows are recommended, Dev-C++ works well on older systems.
MinGW
Download Direct Link (SourceForge)
MinGW is an open source development suite for Microsoft Windows. It stands for "Minimalist GNU for Windows" and is a Windows port of the famous GCC (GNU Compiler Collection) development suite. It supports multiple languages including C/C++, Objective-C, Java, Fortran77, and Ada.
Dev-C++ (4.9.9.2) /wxDev-C++ (6.10.2)
Download (4.9.9.2)
Download (6.10.2)
It comes WITH MinGW or Without MinGW. You can always download latest MinGW or even compile its source from older compiler. You have to download both Dev-C++ 4.9.9.2 and wxDev-C++ 6.10.2 as wxDev is just an Executable file which runs on the old 4.9.9.2 base.
Tutorial
All optional steps are recommended for a better development experience.
Step 1: Install Dev-C++
Install Dev-C++ 4.9.9.2 following the standard installation wizard. Choose the version that includes MinGW if you don't have it installed separately.
Step 2: Upgrade to wxDev-C++ (Optional)
If you want the enhanced wxDev-C++ interface:
- Extract wxDev-C++ 6.10.2 to your Dev-Cpp/bin directory
- Rename the existing devcpp.exe to olddevcpp.exe
- Rename the new wxDev-C++ executable to devcpp.exe
Step 3: Install MinGW (If Needed)
If you installed Dev-C++ without MinGW, download and install MinGW separately from the link above.
Step 4: Add to System PATH (Optional)
Add MinGW/bin or Dev-Cpp/bin to your system PATH environment variable. This allows you to use the compiler from the command line. See Microsoft's documentation for instructions on editing PATH.
Step 5: Create Your First Windows Project
Start Dev-C++ and click on File → New → Project.
Select the language C++ and choose Windows Application as the project type. Enter a name for your project.
Choose a directory where you want to save your project files.
Dev-C++ will generate a Windows application template with a main.cpp file. The template includes the basic structure for a Windows GUI application.
Step 6: Configure the GDI32 Library
Before compiling, you need to link the GDI32 library. Right-click on your project name in the Project Inspector and select Project Options.
In the Parameters tab, under the Linker section, add the following flag:
-lgdi32
Step 7: Compile and Run
Click Execute → Compile or press F9 to build your project.
If everything is configured correctly, you'll see a basic Windows application window appear. Congratulations! You've successfully created your first Windows GUI application with Dev-C++.
