Mini Dev-C++

A lightweight C IDE for macOS that recreates the Dev-C++ 4.9.9.2 experience — the same menu bar, project explorer and compile / run / console workflow, rebuilt with SwiftUI for macOS 14 and later.

◆ macOS 14+ ◆ Apple silicon & Intel ◆ SwiftUI ◆ No network code ◆ MIT ◆ v1.0

Download for macOS .dmg Source on GitHub

Free & open source · 100% offline · needs the Xcode Command Line Tools for clang

Interface

The Dev-C++ look, pixel-honest

Menus, toolbar, project explorer, editor palette, compiler log — the layout an entire generation learned C in, running natively on macOS.

Mini Dev-C++.app — light appearance

Features

Everything an old-school C course needs, and nothing more

No plugins, no package manager, no accounts. Open a file, press ⌘B, see the errors, press ⌘R.

Install

Two minutes from download to first compile

Drag the app into Applications, install Apple's command line tools once, and start writing C.

Get the app

Download Mini.Dev-C++.For.Mac.V1.0.dmg from GitHub Releases and drag Mini Dev-C++.app into /Applications.

Install the compiler

The IDE drives the clang that ships with the Xcode Command Line Tools — full Xcode is not required.

# one time only
xcode-select --install

Open a file or a folder

⌘N for a new file, ⌘O for a .c file, or File ▸ Open Folder as Project… to load a folder — every .c/.cpp/.m inside is compiled and linked into one executable.

Compile & run

⌘B compiles, ⌘R runs, ⌘⏎ does both. Diagnostics land in the Compiler tab — click one to jump to the line; program output and stdin live in the Program Output tab.

About signing: the build script signs the bundle ad-hoc, and the app is not notarized by Apple. If Gatekeeper blocks the first launch, allow it in System Settings ▸ Privacy & Security (or right-click the app and choose Open).

From source

Build it yourself in three commands

A plain Swift Package plus build.sh — no Xcode project, no dependency manager, nothing to fetch.

# clone
git clone https://github.com/duhaoze2007/MiniDevCppForMac.git
cd MiniDevCppForMac

# build the app bundle (ad-hoc signed)
bash build.sh

# launch it
open "Mini Dev-C++.app"

Toolchain note: since the macOS 26/27 SDK, SwiftUI's property wrappers (@State, @Binding, …) are macros whose implementation ships only inside Xcode. build.sh detects a Command Line Tools–only toolchain and builds against the newest installed SDK whose SwiftUI declares no such macros; the binary still runs on the current macOS. With Xcode installed the workaround is skipped — export SDKROOT to override the choice yourself.

Keyboard

The shortcuts muscle memory already has

Same chords as the original: compile, run, rebuild, find, comment, toggle the panes.

Shortcut	Action

Credits & license

Standing on other people's shoulders

Mini Dev-C++ is an independent re-implementation: it contains no code from Dev-C++ — the original is credited as the design reference only. The same list appears in-app under Help ▸ About Mini Dev-C++.