Resolving Microsoft Visual C++ Build Tool Errors in Python

Understanding the Error and its Cause

When installing Python packages using pip, you might encounter an error message stating "Microsoft Visual C++ 14.0 or greater is required." This indicates that the package you’re trying to install contains code written in C or C++ that needs to be compiled during the installation process. The compilation requires a C++ build toolset to be present on your system. Python doesn’t natively include these tools, so you need to install them separately.

This error commonly arises because many Python packages utilize compiled extensions for performance or to interface with system-level libraries. These extensions aren’t pure Python; they require a C++ compiler to translate the C/C++ code into machine-executable instructions.

Installing the Necessary Build Tools

The most common solution is to install the Microsoft C++ Build Tools. These tools provide the compiler and linker needed to build the C/C++ components of the Python package. Here’s how to do it:

1. Download the Build Tools: Visit the official Microsoft Visual C++ Build Tools download page: https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/visual-cpp-build-tools/
2. Run the Installer: Execute the downloaded installer.
3. Select Workloads: During the installation process, you’ll be presented with a list of workloads. Select "Desktop development with C++". This ensures you have the necessary components.
4. Individual Components (Important): Expand the "Individual components" section and ensure that the following are selected:
   • "Windows 10 SDK" (or the latest available SDK)
   • "C++ x64/x86 build tools"
5. Install: Click the "Install" button and allow the installation to complete. This process may take some time depending on your internet connection and system performance.

After the installation is finished, try installing your Python package again using pip. The error should be resolved.

Alternative Solutions and Considerations

While installing the full Build Tools is the most reliable solution, there are a few alternative approaches:

• Pre-built Wheels: Sometimes, pre-compiled binary distributions (known as "wheels") are available for certain packages. These wheels are already compiled for your platform and architecture, so they don’t require a build process. pip automatically prioritizes wheels if they are available. However, not all packages have wheels available for every Python version and platform.

• Using Pre-Compiled Packages from Third-Party Sources: If wheels are unavailable, you can try downloading pre-compiled packages from unofficial sources, like Christoph Gohlke’s Python Package Index: https://www.lfd.uci.edu/~gohlke/pythonlibs/

  • Download the appropriate .whl file for your Python version and architecture (e.g., frozenlist-1.3.0-py3-none-any.whl).
  • Open your terminal or command prompt and navigate to the directory where you downloaded the .whl file.
  • Install the package using pip install <filename>.whl. For example: pip install frozenlist-1.3.0-py3-none-any.whl

• Downgrading Python (Last Resort): In some cases, the issue may be related to a specific combination of Python version and package. Downgrading to an older, more compatible Python version might resolve the error, but this should be considered a last resort as it may introduce other compatibility issues.

Silent Installation (Automation)

For automated deployments or scripting, you can perform a silent installation of the Visual C++ Build Tools using the following command:

vs_buildtools__370953915.1537938681.exe --quiet --add Microsoft.VisualStudio.Workload.VCTools

Replace vs_buildtools__370953915.1537938681.exe with the actual filename of the downloaded installer. This command installs the Build Tools without requiring any user interaction.