--target=x86_64-pc-windows-msvc --target=x86_64-w64-windows-gnu MSVC target (native Windows) clang main.c -o main.exe clang main.cpp -o main.exe -std=c++20 Using clang-cl (MSVC-compatible syntax) clang-cl /EHsc main.cpp /Fe:main.exe MinGW target (produces more Unix-like ABI) clang --target=x86_64-w64-windows-gnu main.c -o main.exe 5. Important Flags for Windows | Purpose | Clang (MSVC target) | clang-cl | |---------|---------------------|-----------| | Enable exceptions | -fexceptions (on by default) | /EHsc | | Enable RTTI | -frtti (on by default) | /GR | | Optimization level | -O2 | /O2 | | Debug symbols | -g | /Zi | | Linker | -fuse-ld=lld (fast) or -fuse-ld=link (MSVC link.exe) | /link | | Precompiled headers | -Xclang -fmodule-header | /Yc , /Yu | | Static runtime | /MT (not in clang, but passed to linker) | /MT | Example: Release build with LTO clang -O2 -flto=thin -fuse-ld=lld main.cpp -o main.exe 6. Linking and Runtimes MSVC target linking Clang expects link.exe (Microsoft linker) or lld-link.exe (LLVM’s MSVC‑compatible linker). If using standalone LLVM without VS, you must install the Windows SDK and MSVC build tools (or copy link.exe and libraries).
To use LLD (faster, no VS dependency):
clang -fuse-ld=lld main.cpp | Flag | Runtime | |-------|---------| | /MD | Dynamic MSVC runtime (msvcp140.dll, vcruntime140.dll) | | /MT | Static MSVC runtime | | /MDd | Dynamic debug runtime | | /MTd | Static debug runtime |
Example with clang-cl:
--target=x86_64-pc-windows-msvc --target=x86_64-w64-windows-gnu MSVC target (native Windows) clang main.c -o main.exe clang main.cpp -o main.exe -std=c++20 Using clang-cl (MSVC-compatible syntax) clang-cl /EHsc main.cpp /Fe:main.exe MinGW target (produces more Unix-like ABI) clang --target=x86_64-w64-windows-gnu main.c -o main.exe 5. Important Flags for Windows | Purpose | Clang (MSVC target) | clang-cl | |---------|---------------------|-----------| | Enable exceptions | -fexceptions (on by default) | /EHsc | | Enable RTTI | -frtti (on by default) | /GR | | Optimization level | -O2 | /O2 | | Debug symbols | -g | /Zi | | Linker | -fuse-ld=lld (fast) or -fuse-ld=link (MSVC link.exe) | /link | | Precompiled headers | -Xclang -fmodule-header | /Yc , /Yu | | Static runtime | /MT (not in clang, but passed to linker) | /MT | Example: Release build with LTO clang -O2 -flto=thin -fuse-ld=lld main.cpp -o main.exe 6. Linking and Runtimes MSVC target linking Clang expects link.exe (Microsoft linker) or lld-link.exe (LLVM’s MSVC‑compatible linker). If using standalone LLVM without VS, you must install the Windows SDK and MSVC build tools (or copy link.exe and libraries).
To use LLD (faster, no VS dependency):
clang -fuse-ld=lld main.cpp | Flag | Runtime | |-------|---------| | /MD | Dynamic MSVC runtime (msvcp140.dll, vcruntime140.dll) | | /MT | Static MSVC runtime | | /MDd | Dynamic debug runtime | | /MTd | Static debug runtime | clang on windows
Example with clang-cl: