Compiler Options Listed by Category

This article contains a categorical list of compiler options. For an alphabetical list, see Compiler Options Listed Alphabetically.

Optimization

Option

Purpose

/O1

Creates small code.

/O2

Creates fast code.

/Ob

Controls inline expansion.

/Od

Disables optimization.

/Og

Uses global optimizations.

/Oi

Generates intrinsic functions.

/Os

Favors small code.

/Ot

Favors fast code.

/Ox

Uses maximum optimization (/Ob2gity /Gs).

/Oy

Omits frame pointer. (x86 only)

/favor

Produces code that is optimized for a specified architecture, or for a range of architectures.

Code Generation

Option

Purpose

/arch

Use SSE or SSE2 instructions in code generation. (x86 only)

/clr

Produces an output file to run on the common language runtime.

/EH

Specifies the model of exception handling.

/fp

Specifies floating-point behavior.

/GA

Optimizes for Windows applications.

/Gd

Uses the __cdecl calling convention. (x86 only)

/Ge

Activates stack probes.

/GF

Enables string pooling.

/Gh

Calls hook function _penter.

/GH

Calls hook function _pexit.

/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

Checks buffer security.

/Gs

Controls stack probes.

/GT

Supports fiber safety for data allocated by using static thread-local storage.

/Gv

Uses the __vectorcall calling convention. (x86 and x64 only)

/Gw

Enables whole-program global data optimization.

/GX

Enables synchronous exception handling.

/Gy

Enables function-level linking.

/GZ

Enables fast checks. (Same as /RTC1)

/Gz

Uses the __stdcall calling convention. (x86 only)

/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.

/Qfast_transcendentals

Generates fast transcendentals.

QIfist

Suppresses the call of the helper function _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

Enables automatic parallelization of loops.

/Qpar-report

Enables reporting levels for automatic parallelization.

/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.

/volatile

Selects how the volatile keyword is interpreted.

Output Files

Option

Purpose

/doc

Processes documentation comments to an XML file.

/FA

Configures an assembly listing file.

/Fa

Creates an assembly listing file.

/Fd

Renames program database file.

/Fe

Renames the executable file.

/Fi

Specifies the preprocessed output file name.

/Fm

Creates a mapfile.

/Fo

Creates an object file.

/Fp

Specifies a precompiled header file name.

/FR /Fr

Generates browser files.

Preprocessor

Option

Purpose

/AI

Specifies a directory to search to resolve file references passed to the #using directive.

/C

Preserves comments during preprocessing.

/D

Defines constants and macros.

/E

Copies preprocessor output to standard output.

/EP

Copies preprocessor output to standard output.

/FI

Preprocesses the specified include file.

/FU

Forces the use of a file name, as if it had been passed to the #using directive.

/Fx

Merges injected code with the source file.

/I

Searches a directory for include files.

/P

Writes preprocessor output to a file.

/U

Removes a predefined macro.

/u

Removes all predefined macros.

/X

Ignores the standard include directory.

Language

Option

Purpose

/openmp

Enables #pragma omp in source code.

/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.

/Z7

Generates C 7.0–compatible debugging information.

/Za

Disables language extensions.

/Zc

Specifies standard behavior under /Ze.

/Ze

Enables language extensions.

/Zg

Generates function prototypes.

/ZI

Includes debug information in a program database compatible with Edit and Continue. (x86 only)

/Zi

Generates complete debugging information.

/Zl

Removes the default library name from the .obj file.

/Zo

Generate enhanced debugging information for optimized code in non-debug builds.

/Zpn

Packs structure members.

/Zs

Checks syntax only.

/ZW

Produces an output file to run on the Windows Runtime.

Linking

Option

Purpose

/F

Sets stack size.

/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

Compiles to create a multithreaded DLL, by using MSVCRT.lib.

/MDd

Compiles to create a debug multithreaded DLL, by using MSVCRTD.lib.

/MT

Compiles to create a multithreaded executable file, by using LIBCMT.lib.

/MTd

Compiles to create a debug multithreaded executable file, by using LIBCMTD.lib.

Precompiled Header

Option

Purpose

/Y-

Ignores all other precompiled-header compiler options in the current build.

/Yc

Creates a precompiled header file.

/Yd

Places complete debugging information in all object files.

/Yu

Uses a precompiled header file during build.

Miscellaneous

Option

Purpose

/?

Lists the compiler options.

@

Specifies a response file.

/analyze

Enables code analysis.

/bigobj

Increases the number of addressable sections in an .obj file.

/c

Compiles without linking.

/cgthreads

Specifies number of cl.exe threads to use for optimization and code generation.

/errorReport

Enables you to provide internal compiler error (ICE) information directly to the Visual C++ team.

/FC

Displays the full path of source code files passed to cl.exe in diagnostic text.

/FS

Forces writes to the program database (PDB) file to be serialized through MSPDBSRV.EXE.

/H

Restricts the length of external (public) names.

/HELP

Lists the compiler options.

/J

Changes the default char type.

/kernel

The compiler and linker will create a binary that can be executed in the Windows kernel.

/MP

Builds multiple source files concurrently.

/nologo

Suppresses display of sign-on banner.

/sdl

Enables additional security features and warnings.

/showIncludes

Displays a list of all include files during compilation.

/Tc /TC

Specifies a C source file.

/Tp /TP

Specifies a C++ source file.

/V

Sets the version string.

/Wall

Enables all warnings, including warnings that are disabled by default.

/W

Sets warning level.

/w

Disables all warnings.

/WL

Enables one-line diagnostics for error and warning messages when compiling C++ source code from the command line.

/Wp64

Detects 64-bit portability problems.

/Yd

Places complete debugging information in all object files.

/Yl

Injects a PCH reference when creating a debug library.

/Zm

Specifies the precompiled header memory allocation limit.

See Also

Reference

Compiler Options

Setting Compiler Options

Other Resources

C/C++ Building Reference