Installing C++ Compiler

    Online installation of Visual Studio sucks because Microsoft doesn't allow downloading it as a complete pack(say .iso). And the online installation download size is huge, in terms of GBs. So, installing it in one go sometimes poses risks of cancelling the installation due to connectivity issues.

   The solution is:

Install Eclipse C/C++ IDE Developers commonly called as Eclipse CDT(C/C++ Development Tool).

    Here, the procedures for installing this IDE will be listed, along with the installation of the required compiler toolchain. The installation procedure will be still online, but the size of download is around 300MB. So, lets give it a go.

Step 1:  Download eclipse-inst-win64.exe from  
http://www.eclipse.org/cdt/downloads.php
as

 

    Now, run the downloaded installer i.e., eclipse-inst-win64.exe and let it install online. As already mentioned, the total online installation download size will be around 300MB.

    After its installed, exit the installation.

Now,download mingw-get-setup.exe from https://sourceforge.net/projects/mingw/files/ and run it. Let it install, online. This doesnot yet install mingw compiler. So, the download size is negligible for now.

    When the installation is complete, you will get a window similar to this:

Select the "Basic Setup" as I have done and mark all the items except those listed below:(Note: I have marked all the items. You don't need all of them for C++ compiling.)

1. The GNU Ada Compiler.

2. The GNU FORTRAN Compiler.

Now, click Apply Changes:

 

and, click Apply:

 

   And the online installation for Mingw compiler will begin for Windows. The Download size is less than 300MB.

When the online installation is completed, you are ready to start using the Eclipse CDT IDE for programming and compiling C/C++.

Happy Coding.