Compiler Options Listed Alphabetically
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The following is a comprehensive alphabetical list of compiler options. For a categorical list, see the Compiler Options Listed by Category.
| Option | Purpose |
|---|---|
| @ | Specifies a response file. |
| /? | Lists the compiler options. |
| /AI | Specifies a directory to search to resolve file references passed to the #using directive. |
| /analyze | Enable code analysis. |
| /arch | Specifies the architecture for code generation. |
| /bigobj | Increases the number of addressable sections in an .obj file. |
| /C | Preserves comments during preprocessing. |
| /c | Compiles without linking. |
| /cgthreads | Specifies number of cl.exe threads to use for optimization and code generation. |
| /clr | Produces an output file to run on the common language runtime. |
| /D | Defines constants and macros. |
| /doc | Process documentation comments to an XML file. |
| /E | Copies preprocessor output to standard output. |
| /EH | Specifies the model of exception handling. |
| /EP | Copies preprocessor output to standard output. |
| /errorReport | Allows you to provide internal compiler error (ICE) information directly to the Visual C++ team. |
| /F | Sets stack size. |
| /favor | Produces code that is optimized for a specific x64 architecture or for the specifics of micro-architectures in both the AMD64 and Extended Memory 64 Technology (EM64T) architectures. |
| /FA | Creates a listing file. |
| /Fa | Sets the listing file name. |
| /FC | Display full path of source code files passed to cl.exe in diagnostic text. |
| /Fd | Renames program database file. |
| /Fe | Renames the executable file. |
| /FI | Preprocesses the specified include file. |
| /Fi | Sets the preprocessed output file name. |
| /Fm | Creates a mapfile. |
| /Fo | Creates an object file. |
| /fp | Specify floating-point behavior. |
| /Fp | Specifies a precompiled header file name. |
| /FR /Fr |
Generates browser files. /Fr is deprecated. |
| /FS | Forces writes to the program database (PDB) file to be serialized through MSPDBSRV.EXE. |
| /FU | Forces the use of a file name as if it had been passed to the #using directive. |
| /Fx | Merges injected code with source file. |
| /GA | Optimizes code for Windows application. |
| /Gd | Uses the __cdecl calling convention (x86 only). |
| /Ge | Deprecated. Activates stack probes. |
| /GF | Enables string pooling. |
| /GH | Calls hook function _pexit. |
| /Gh | Calls hook function _penter. |
| /GL | Enables whole program optimization. |
| /Gm | Enables minimal rebuild. |
| /GR | Enables run-time type information (RTTI). |
| /Gr | Uses the __fastcall calling convention (x86 only). |
| /GS | Buffers security check. |
| /Gs | Controls stack probes. |
| /GT | Supports fiber safety for data allocated using static thread-local storage. |
| /guard:cf | Adds control flow guard security checks. |
| /Gv | Uses the __vectorcall calling convention. (x86 and x64 only) |
| /Gw | Enables whole-program global data optimization. |
| /GX | Deprecated. Enables synchronous exception handling. Use /EH instead. |
| /Gy | Enables function-level linking. |
| /GZ | Deprecated. Same as /RTC1. |
| /Gz | Uses the __stdcall calling convention (x86 only). |
| /H | Deprecated. Restricts the length of external (public) names. |
| /HELP | Lists the compiler options. |
| /homeparams | Forces parameters passed in registers to be written to their locations on the stack upon function entry. This compiler option is only for the x64 compilers (native and cross compile). |
| /hotpatch | Creates a hotpatchable image. |
| /I | Searches a directory for include files. |
| /J | Changes the default char type. |
| /kernel | The compiler and linker will create a binary that can be executed in the Windows kernel. |
| /LD | Creates a dynamic-link library. |
| /LDd | Creates a debug dynamic-link library. |
| /link | Passes the specified option to LINK. |
| /LN | Creates an MSIL module. |
| /MD | Creates a multithreaded DLL using MSVCRT.lib. |
| /MDd | Creates a debug multithreaded DLL using MSVCRTD.lib. |
| /MP | Compiles multiple source files by using multiple processes. |
| /MT | Creates a multithreaded executable file using LIBCMT.lib. |
| /MTd | Creates a debug multithreaded executable file using LIBCMTD.lib. |
| /nologo | Suppresses display of sign-on banner. |
| /O1 | Creates small code. |
| /O2 | Creates fast code. |
| /Ob | Controls inline expansion. |
| /Od | Disables optimization. |
| /Og | Deprecated. Uses global optimizations. |
| /Oi | Generates intrinsic functions. |
| /openmp | Enables #pragma omp in source code. |
| /Os | Favors small code. |
| /Ot | Favors fast code. |
| /Ox | Uses maximum optimization (/Ob2gity /Gs). |
| /Oy | Omits frame pointer (x86 only). |
| /P | Writes preprocessor output to a file. |
| /Qfast_transcendentals | Generates fast transcendentals. |
| /QIfist | Deprecated. Suppresses _ftol when a conversion from a floating-point type to an integral type is required (x86 only). |
| /Qimprecise_fwaits | Removes fwait commands inside try blocks. |
| /Qpar (Auto-Parallelizer) | Enables automatic parallelization of loops that are marked with the #pragma loop() directive. |
| /Qsafe_fp_loads | Uses integer move instructions for floating-point values and disables certain floating point load optimizations. |
| /Qvec-report (Auto-Vectorizer Reporting Level) | Enables reporting levels for automatic vectorization. |
| /RTC | Enables run-time error checking. |
| /sdl | Enables additional security features and warnings. |
| /showIncludes | Displays a list of include files during compilation. |
| /Tc /TC |
Specifies a C source file. |
| /Tp /TP |
Specifies a C++ source file. |
| /U | Removes a predefined macro. |
| /u | Removes all predefined macros. |
| /V | Deprecated. Sets the .obj file version string. |
| /vd | Suppresses or enables hidden vtordisp class members. |
| /vmb | Uses best base for pointers to members. |
| /vmg | Uses full generality for pointers to members. |
| /vmm | Declares multiple inheritance. |
| /vms | Declares single inheritance. |
| /vmv | Declares virtual inheritance. |
| /volatile | Selects how the volatile keyword is interpreted. |
| /w | Disables all warnings. |
| /W0, /W1, /W2, /W3, /W4 | Sets which warning level to output. |
| /w1, /w2, /w3, /w4 | Sets the warning level for the specified warning. |
| /Wall | Enables all warnings, including warnings that are disabled by default. |
| /wd | Disables the specified warning. |
| /we | Treats the specified warning as an error. |
| /WL | Enables one-line diagnostics for error and warning messages when compiling C++ source code from the command line. |
| /wo | Displays the specified warning only once. |
| /Wp64 | Obsolete. Detects 64-bit portability problems. |
| /Wv | Displays no warnings introduced after the specified version of the compiler. |
| /WX | Treats all warnings as errors. |
| /X | Ignores the standard include directory. |
| /Y- | Ignores all other precompiled-header compiler options in the current build. |
| /Yc | Creates a precompiled header file. |
| /Yd | Deprecated. Places complete debugging information in all object files. Use /Zi instead. |
| /Yl | Injects a PCH reference when creating a debug library |
| /Yu | Uses a precompiled header file during build. |
| /Z7 | Generates C 7.0–compatible debugging information. |
| /Za | Disables language extensions. |
| /Zc | Specifies standard behavior under /Ze./Za, /Ze (Disable Language Extensions) |
| /Ze | Deprecated. Enables language extensions. |
| /Zg | Removed in Visual C++ 2015. Generates function prototypes. |
| /ZI | Includes debug information in a program database compatible with Edit and Continue. |
| /Zi | Generates complete debugging information. |
| /Zl | Removes default library name from .obj file (x86 only). |
| /Zm | Specifies the precompiled header memory allocation limit. |
| /Zp | Packs structure members. |
| /Zs | Checks syntax only. |
| /ZW | Produces an output file to run on the Windows Runtime. |
See Also
C/C++ Building Reference
Compiler Options
Setting Compiler Options