How Can I Cross-Compile Windows Executables from Linux using GCC and MinGW?

Cross-Compiling Windows Executables on Linux with GCC

You've developed C effects on Linux using FreeGLUT and are familiar with compiling them using the following command:

g++ -Wall -lglut part8.cpp -o part8

Now, you're curious if it's possible to create static Windows executables containing all the necessary dependencies using g on Linux.

Using MinGW for Cross-Compilation

The key to cross-compiling Windows executables on Linux lies in using MinGW (Minimalist GNU for Windows). MinGW is a development environment that provides a collection of compilers, linkers, and tools for cross-compiling Windows applications.

Installing MinGW on Linux

To install MinGW on Linux, you can use your package manager. For instance, on Ubuntu, you can use the following command:

$ apt-cache search mingw

This will list the available MinGW packages. Choose the appropriate package for your system and install it using:

$ sudo apt-get install mingw-w64

Cross-Compiling with MinGW

Once MinGW is installed, you can cross-compile your C code for Windows using the following command:

x86_64-w64-mingw32-gcc-win32 -Wall -lglut part8.cpp -o part8.exe

This command uses the MinGW compiler and linker to create a static Windows executable named part8.exe.

Using Other Tools for Cross-Compilation

In addition to MinGW, there are other tools available for cross-compiling Windows applications on Linux, such as:

• CMake: A cross-platform build system that can handle cross-compilation.
• CrossLinux: A set of tools that include a MinGW compiler and linker for cross-compiling Windows applications.

These tools can be used to simplify the cross-compilation process and provide additional options for customization.

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