Compile DuckDB using CMake in MSVC/Clang

Compiling duckdb on Windows

2026-02-28

Written by: xiaobin

• Source code (zip)

We recommend using a Clang-based VS Code environment.

Clang-win

• Stage 1
• Stage 2

Stage 1 - static and dynamic library

File -> Open Folder

Open the root directory

C:\Users\hp262\Documents\duckdb-1.4.4

and Build -> Build All

Stage 2 - Example

Open embedded-c++ directory

C:\Users\hp262\Documents\duckdb-1.4.4\examples\embedded-c++

Edit CMakeLists to change the location of the lib directory; Original location:

link_directories(../../build/release/src)

Modified location:

link_directories(../../build/src)

and Build -> Build All

MSVC

• VS2019+

includes C++ CMake tools for Windows

Stage 1 - static and dynamic library

File -> CMake

Open CMakeLists.txt in the root directory

D:\d2b\duckdb-1.4.4\CMakeLists.txt

and Build -> Build All

Stage 2 - Example

File -> CMake

Open CMakeLists.txt in the embedded-c++ directory

D:\d2b\duckdb-1.4.4\examples\embedded-c++\CMakeLists.txt

Edit CMakeLists to change the location of the lib directory; Original location:

link_directories(../../build/release/src)

Modified location:

link_directories(../../out/build/x64-Debug/src)

and Build -> Build All

Test

Copy the following files to the same directory:

• example.exe
• duckdb.dll

The output will be displayed at the command prompt:

C:\Users\hp262\Documents>example.exe
i
INTEGER
[ Rows: 1]
3