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Differences between Cygwin and MinGW
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- hwahyeon
Cygwin and MinGW both allow the use of Unix/Linux-style development tools on Windows, but they differ in purpose and functionality.
Cygwin
Cygwin provides a POSIX compatibility layer on Windows to emulate a Linux-like environment. It enables the use of Unix utilities such as Bash, grep, and awk. Programs built with Cygwin depend on the Cygwin DLL, meaning they can only run on systems where the Cygwin environment is installed.
MinGW
MinGW enables the use of the GCC compiler on Windows without providing a POSIX compatibility layer. It generates Windows-native executables that run independently without requiring additional runtime libraries.
Key Differences
| Feature | Cygwin | MinGW |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Reproducing a Linux-like environment | Creating Windows-native executables |
| POSIX Compatibility | Provides POSIX compatibility layer | Does not provide POSIX compatibility |
| Dependency | Requires Cygwin DLL | No dependency |
| Use Case | Using Linux commands and tools | Developing Windows-native applications |
| Executable Characteristics | Linux-style programs requiring the Cygwin environment | Independent executables running on Windows |
Conclusion
Cygwin is suitable when you want to emulate a Linux-like development environment on Windows. On the other hand, MinGW is ideal for creating standalone Windows-native executables.