Using Rust on Windows

As of release 0.9, Rust still depends on GCC for platform linker and C runtime libraries, so you will need to install one:

MinGW

The standard way of running Rust on Windows is via the MinGW/MSYS environment:

1. Click "Downloads" at the top of the page, download and run mingw-get-setup.exe.
2. Once package manager window opens, check the "mingw32-base" option.
3. Optionally, check "msys-base" to install MSYS shell.
4. Apply changes (Installation/Apply Changes).
5. If you installed MSYS, launch MSYS shell, <mingw>\msys\1.0\msys.bat, type sh /postinstall/pi.sh, and answer the questions.
6. Use Rust compiler from MSYS shell (bonus: rustc will output colored error messages!). Or, simply add <mingw>\bin to your PATH and use it from the Windows Command Prompt.

For the absolutely minimal installed footprint, don't mark any packages for installation, but simply run mingw-get install gcc from the command prompt.

Alternatives

If you are feeling a bit adventurous, you may also try using a standalone MinGW GCC distribution such as mingw-builds:

1. Download and run mingw-builds-install.exe.
2. Choose installation options: architecture=x32, threads=posix, exceptions=dwarf.
3. Use Rust compiler from mingw-builds terminal (there will be a shortcut in the Start menu), or add <mingw-builds>\mingw32\bin directory to your PATH.