Win7 MingW

[Silberling]

Hi,

I have not the option using Visual Studio but I have the option to use the Win7 SDK or a MingW such as TDM-GCC.

Why is GCC supported on linux platforms but not on Windows?

Thanks

[Mparaiso]

I'm in the same case. Python on windows by the way , has development tools that come with gcc and other goodies , it could be used directly instead of relying on Microsoft C/C++ stack , ti would be great.

[Pomax]

Actually, you do. You just install the Express version, not the full, for-pay, version. This also comes with all the compilers and libraries necessary. If you want to develop on a windows machine, use the windows stack?

[Silberling]

As I said, I don't have this option :-/

[Pomax]

You may need to be more specific, then: you're on the internet, so you clearly have the option to download the express version of visual studio and SDK 7.1 to get the proper windows stack? What is your setup that necessitates a different stack? What setup are you trying to run node-gyp on?

[JayBeavers]

Supporting GCC for binary modules on Windows would require changes all the way back into gyp and v8 (owned and maintained by Google). Not a feasible change for node-gyp itself to make.

[radio-miskovice]

I have the same problem. MS' Visual Express is only available as 2013 edition, and this is only 32 bit and will not compile with 64 bit nodejs. I believe nodejs environment should be consistent. Either use only binaries in windows versions of npm packages (I can't understand why Windows packages should be recompiled on each machine; you don't recompile Excel, Chrome, Firefox and any other program, either) or provide setup to use adequate tools, i.e. freely available (not restricted MS versions of their SDK which change every three months or so, so one never knows exactly what has to be installed...). Relying on Microsoft software is a VERY BAD idea.

What about providing the necessary Windows binaries right from npm repository? Package owners do compile their source code anyway... Packages like Oracle or MEAN.io are no way on Windows.

[Pomax]

http://www.visualstudio.com/en-us/downloads#d-2010-express and http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=34673 pretty clearly demonstrate that this is a false claim ;)

Relying on Microsoft for the headers for a microsoft operating system is kind of exactly what you need to ensure a compile will correctly tie into the OS. You're on windows already, there is no room for specific-brand-hating if you want to code cross platform, or support windows specifically.

Several package owners already provide binaries, falling back to node-gyp only if the platform does not have a prebuilt binary for it, but it's hardly node-gyp's fault that other people don't do binary packing. If you want specific packages to not use node-gyp (which makes sense: why waste cpu cycles when you're on a common OS anyway), file a bug on their repo.

[radio-miskovice]

Thanks for the link! I was honestly trying to get it, but clicking through MS websites always ended on Express 2013 download page. BTW, for me some packages did not work even with Express 2013, not mentioning dozens of warnings about type conversions...

[bigfatbrowncat]

Actually, the main problem with Microsoft tools isn't that they are not free (or something), but that they are completely incompatible with all other C/C++ world. No autotools and no correct gnu-style makefile support means most legacy projects are out of scope and some others need very tough effort to build. And there is always "other way" of doing the same things. Yeah, gyp isn't bad inside, but if you would try to build something that relies on something else...

That would be better if mingw-w64 + msys is supported in some way. That will solve many many small and big problems. For example, I have no idea, why Chromium itself couldn't be built with gnu toolchain on Windows.

[smaudet]

This is also terribly inconvenient to me. MSVC should not be a pre-req for gyp on windows...I have a working version of nodejs (and the v8 runtime) built with the gcc toolchain.

There isn't a good reason this isn't supported, other than the node-gyp people are lazy.

[bnoordhuis]

@smaudet First and only warning: insults get you banned. Maintain a professional attitude from now on.