Microsoft has consolidated these tools into a single installer. You do not need to install the full Visual Studio IDE to get the C++ Build Tools.

The is a set of essential command-line tools used to compile, build, and run C++ applications on Windows. It is most commonly required by developers working with Python or Rust when they encounter errors like "Microsoft Visual C++ 14.0 is required" while trying to install specific libraries. Why Do You Need Build Tools 14.0?

Version 14.0 refers to the compiler toolset that originally shipped with . While modern versions like Visual Studio 2022 use newer toolsets (v143), many older projects and Python wheels specifically look for version 14.0 to compile C extensions. Step-by-Step Download and Installation