Windows Development Environment

Install Visual Studio (VS)

1. Open a CMD terminal and run the commands below:

   • Install Visual Studio (Community, Professional, or Enterprise)

     winget install --id Microsoft.VisualStudio.2022.Community -e
     #winget install --id Microsoft.VisualStudio.2022.Professional -e
     #winget install --id Microsoft.VisualStudio.2022.Enterprise -e

   • Add workloads Desktop development with C++ and .NET Desktop development

     cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio\Installer"
     
     /f "delims=" %i in ('vswhere -latest -property installationPath') do set "VSPATH=%i"
     
     vs_installer.exe modify --installPath %VSPATH% --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.NativeDesktop --passive --norestart
     
     vs_installer.exe modify --installPath %VSPATH% --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.ManagedDesktop --passive --norestart

Install Visual Studio Code (VSCode)

1. Open a CMD terminal and run the commands below:

   • Install Visual Studio Code (Stable or Insiders)

     winget install --id Microsoft.VisualStudioCode -e
     #winget install --id Microsoft.VisualStudioCode.Insiders -e

   • Install VSCode Extensions

     code --install-extension ms-vscode.cpptools-extension-pack --force
     code --install-extension vadimcn.vscode-lldb --force
     code --install-extension ms-vscode.makefile-tools --force
     code --install-extension nvidia.nsight-vscode-edition --force
     code --install-extension ms-dotnettools.csdevkit --force
     code --install-extension dotnettools.vscodeintellicode-csharp --force
     code --install-extension ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh --force
     code --install-extension ms-toolsai.jupyter --force
     code --install-extension ms-python.python --force

Install Nvidia Driver (also included in the CUDA Toolkit)

Note that this assumes you have an Nvidia graphics card

1. Visit: https://www.nvidia.com/en-us/drivers

2. Find your Nvidia Graphics card driver

   • Scroll down to the Manual Driver Search
   • Search for your Nvidia Graphics Card
   • Make any adjustments in the drop-down combo boxes
   • Cick the Find button

   

3. On the next page, click the View button

   

4. Click the Download button

   

5. Double-click the downloaded file to start the installation

   • Follow the instruction to install the driver.

6. Verify the installation by opening a CMD terminal and runnning the command nvidia-smi

7. Make a note of the CUDA Version in the top right

   • This is the highest version of the CUDA Toolkit that the driver supports

   

Install Cuda Toolkit

Note that this assumes you have an Nvidia graphics card

1. Visit: https://developer.nvidia.com/cuda-toolkit-archive

2. Choose a CUDA Toolkit version

   • Click on a CUDA Toolkit version that your driver supports
   • Latest version: https://developer.nvidia.com/cuda-downloads

3. Choose:

   • Operating System: Windows
   • Architecture: x86_64
   • Version: 10, 11, Server 2022, or Server 2025
   • Installer Type: exe (local) or exe (network)
   • Click the Download button

   

4. Double-click the downloaded file to start the installation

   • Follow the instruction to install the CUDA Toolkit.

5. Verify the installation by opening a CMD terminal and runnning the command nvcc

   

6. Note the CUDA compilation tools, release

   • This is your CUDA Toolkit version
   • It can’t be higher than your driver’s Cuda Version (top right in nvidia-smi)

7. (optional) If you also want to install cuDNN, you can download it here:

   • https://developer.nvidia.com/cudnn
   • https://developer.nvidia.com/cudnn-archive

Install AMD Radeon and AMD Ryzen Drivers

Note that this assumes you have an AMD Radeon graphics card (or AMD Ryzen CPU)

1. Visit: https://www.amd.com/en/support/download/drivers.html
2. Click the Dowload Windows Driver button
3. Double-click the downloaded file to start the installation
   • Follow the instruction to install the AMD driver(s).
   • https://www.amd.com/en/resources/support-articles/faqs/RSX2-INSTALL.html
   

Install HIP SDK

Note that this assumes you have an AMD Radeon graphics card

1. Visit: https://rocm.docs.amd.com/en/latest

2. In the left margin, under Install, click HIP SDK on Windows

3. In the left margin, under HIP SDk Installation (Windows), click Install HIP SDK

4. Follow the instructions to install the HIP SDK.

   

Install Intel Driver(s)

Note that this assumes you have an Intel CPU and/or GPU

1. Visit: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/support/detect.html

2. Download the tool and update your Intel drivers

   

Install Intel oneAPI Base Toolkit

Note that this assumes you have an Intel CPU and/or GPU

1. Visit: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/developer/tools/oneapi/base-toolkit-download.html
2. Choose:
   • Packages: Intel oneAPI Base Toolkit
   • Operating System: Windows
   • Installer Type: Offline Installer or Online Installer
3. Fill in:
   • Business Email Address
   • Country/Region
4. Click the Submit & Begin Download button
5. Double-click the downloaded file to start the installation
   • Follow the instruction to install the Intel oneAPI Base Toolkit
   

Install OpenCL SDK

1. Open a terminal, then run the commands below

2. Install Git

   winget install --id Git.Git

3. Install VCPKG

   git clone https://github.com/microsoft/vcpkg.git %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\vcpkg
   cd %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\vcpkg
   .\bootstrap-vcpkg.bat
   setx PATH "%PATH%;%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\vcpkg"

4. Install OpenCL SDK and Integrate VCPKG it with Visual Studio

   vcpkg install opencl:x64-windows
   vcpkg integrate install

5. The OpenCL headers and libraries are now available here:

   • %LOCALAPPDATA%\\Programs\vcpkg\installed\x64-windows\include
   • %LOCALAPPDATA%\\Programs\vcpkg\installed\x64-windows\lib

(Optional) Install GCC, GDB, Clang, and LLDB

1. Open a terminal, then run the commands below

2. Install 7zip and wget

   winget install --id 7zip.7zip
   winget install --id GNU.Wget2
   mklink %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WinGet\Links\wget.exe %LOCALAPPDATA%\Microsoft\WinGet\Links\wget2.exe

3. Install WinLibs

   wget -O winlibs.7z https://github.com/brechtsanders/winlibs_mingw/releases/download/14.2.0posix-12.0.0-ucrt-r3/winlibs-x86_64-posix-seh-gcc-14.2.0-llvm-19.1.7-mingw-w64ucrt-12.0.0-r3.7z
   7z x winlibs.7z -o%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\WinLibs -y
   del winlibs.7z
   setx PATH "%PATH%;%LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\WinLibs\mingw64\bin"

4. GCC, GDB, Clang, and LLDB are now available here:

   • %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\WinLibs\mingw64\bin