msvc-kit is a portable MSVC Build Tools installer and manager for Rust/Windows development. Download and manage MSVC compiler and Windows SDK without full Visual Studio installation.
Publisher’s description
What is msvc-kit?
msvc-kit is an open-source languages & sdk program for Windows from loonghao. It is written in Rust.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 64-bit as Portable. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 0.2.23, released on October 25, 2026. 7 versions are listed since January 5, 2026, each with links to its own installer files. The last update is less than a month old.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (loonghao/msvc-kit) has 40 stars. Similar programs include Go Programming Language, LLVM and Deno.
Project description on GitHub: “A portable MSVC Build Tools installer and manager for Rust development. Download and manage MSVC compiler and Windows SDK without full Visual Studio installation.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Portable: runs without installation
- Updated in the last two months
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: msvc-kit is an open-source languages & sdk tool for 64-bit PCs.
Is msvc-kit safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
2EE3C564AF93EBA3C2949C8FB55A009BE029A9532F7E633BF57BF2EDFDB82350· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Recent versions
All 7 versions ›| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.2.23Latest | October 25, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 0.2.22 | October 13, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 0.2.21 | October 11, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 0.2.20 | October 11, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 0.2.19 | October 10, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 0.2.16 | September 19, 2026 | — | 64-bit Portable |
| 0.2.2 | January 5, 2026 | — | 32-bit Portable64-bit PortableARM64 Portable |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id loonghao.msvc-kit -eProgram files (.exe): msvc-kit.exe
Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- loonghao
- Category
- Languages & SDKs
- Licence
- MIT
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/loonghao/msvc-kit
- Written in
- Rust
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 0.2.23
- Released
- October 25, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- January 5, 2026
- Versions listed
- 7
- GitHub stars
- 40
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- loonghao.msvc-kit
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
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Frequently asked questions
Is msvc-kit free?
Yes. msvc-kit is open-source software under the MIT licence.
Is msvc-kit safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install msvc-kit with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Does msvc-kit run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of msvc-kit?
The versions page lists all 7 versions with links to their official installer files, back to January 5, 2026.
Can I use msvc-kit without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to msvc-kit?
Go Programming Language, LLVM, Deno, CMake and Yarn. The alternatives page compares them.
