HDF5 Build and Install Instructions for Windows

March 31, 2026 ยท View on GitHub

We recommend that users build, test and install HDF5 using CMake.

Instructions for building and testing HDF5 using CMake can be found in the INSTALL_CMake.md file found in this folder.

For instructions on building and testing an application with HDF5, see USING_HDF5_CMake.md file found in this folder.

Users who want to build and run an application with HDF5 in Visual Studio without using CMake should consult the USING_HDF5_VS.md file. Building applications with the dynamic/shared hdf5 libraries requires that the H5_BUILT_AS_DYNAMIC_LIB compile definition be used.