msvcup is a standalone tool for installing the MSVC toolchain and Windows SDK without Visual Studio.
The Visual Studio Installer manages thousands of components, modifies the registry, and can take hours to configure. msvcup treats the toolchain as a versioned asset rather than global system state. The build environment is defined by code, not a GUI.
- Fast: Runs in milliseconds when already installed. Put it at the start of every build script.
- Reproducible: Lock file ensures everyone gets the same toolchain.
- Isolated: Every package is installed to its own versioned directory. No registry modifications. No conflicts.
- Cross-compilation: Target x64, arm64, or x86 out of the box.
- Minimal: Download only what's needed to get a working native toolchain/SDK.
Publisher’s description
What is msvcup?
msvcup by Jonathan Marler is open-source Windows software in the runtimes & libraries category. It ranks 31st by popularity among runtimes & libraries in this catalogue. It is written in Zig.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides Portable installers for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit Windows. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 2026_04_08, released on April 14, 2026. The version history goes back to February 25, 2026: 3 releases, all linked to the official files.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (marler8997/msvcup) has 371 stars. Similar programs include Microsoft Visual C++ v14 Redistributable (x64), LOVE and Taiga.
Project description on GitHub: “Hermetic install of MSVC/SDK from the CLI”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- Portable: runs without installation
In short: msvcup is an open-source runtimes & librarie tool for 64-bit, ARM64 and 32-bit PCs.
Is msvcup 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:
DDF0139AA771F8A546E0AD68CBF3E0440D25A6A782BB5DF0074512C688528B98· 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 3 versions ›| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026_04_08Latest | April 14, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP32-bit ZIPARM64 ZIP |
| 2026_03_02 | March 3, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP32-bit ZIP64-bit ZIP |
| 2026_02_24 | February 25, 2026 | — | ARM64 ZIP64-bit ZIP |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id JonathanMarler.msvcup -eProgram files (.exe): msvcup.exe
Related guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- Jonathan Marler
- Category
- Runtimes & libraries
- Licence
- MIT
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/marler8997/msvcup
- Written in
- Zig
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64, 32-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 2026_04_08
- Released
- April 14, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- March 2, 2026
- Versions listed
- 3
- GitHub stars
- 371
- GitHub forks
- 11
- Website
- github.com
- winget ID
- JonathanMarler.msvcup
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to msvcup
See all ›-
Microsoft Visual C++ v14 Redistributable (x64)14.51.36247.0The Microsoft Visual C++ v14 Redistributable Package (x64).Free63.8M ↓ -
Open source5.8K ↓ -
Open source2.6K ↓ -
Steam-Library-Manager1.7.2.0Open source utility to manage Steam, Origin and Uplay libraries in ease of use with multi library support.Open source2.3K ↓ - Open source172.6K ↓
-
MarcEdit7.8.25MarcEdit presently includes a very rich feature set targeted at making metadata translation and editing easier for both the beginner and advanced usersProprietary12.5K ↓ -
Renode1.16.0Renode is an open source software development framework with commercial support from Antmicro that lets you develop, debug and test multi-node device systems reliably, scalably and effectively.Open source★ 3.1K -
HyperHDR21.0.0.0Highly optimized open source ambient lighting implementation based on modern digital video and audio stream analysis for Windows, macOS and Linux (x86 and Raspberry Pi / ARM).Open source★ 2.2K
Frequently asked questions
Is msvcup free?
Yes. msvcup is open-source software under the MIT licence.
Is msvcup 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 msvcup 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 msvcup run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of msvcup?
The versions page lists all 3 versions with links to their official installer files, back to February 25, 2026.
Can I use msvcup without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.
What are alternatives to msvcup?
Microsoft Visual C++ v14 Redistributable (x64), LOVE, Taiga, Steam-Library-Manager and opencv. The alternatives page compares them.
