Is there any reason why not to strip symbols from executable?

Question

A couple of years ago I asked a question how to reduce size of executables. Using MinGW compiler, stripping symbols (-s option) helped to reduce 50%+ of the size.

Answer 1

MinGW is an acronym for "Minimalist GNU for Windows"; as such, the compiler suite is GCC ... the GNU Compiler Collection. Naturally, this compiler suite will tend to comply with the GNU Coding Standards, which demand that every build shall be a "debug build" ... i.e. it shall include both debugging symbols, and those required for linking. (This is logical, since a "debug build" is orders of magnitude more useful to the application developer, than is a so-called "release build"). Furthermore, a build system which discriminates between "debug build" and "release build" modes is more complex -- possibly significantly more so -- than one which concerns itself with only a "debug build".

In the GNU build model, there is no need for a "release build" anyway. A "release" is not created at build time; it is created at installation time -- usually as a "staged" installation, from which a release package is created. The GNU tool-chain includes both a strip command, and an install command, which can strip a "debug build" on the fly, when creating a staged installation for packaging as a release, (or in place, if you wish), so there really is no need to clutter the build system with "release build" specifics; just create a "debug build" up -front, then strip it after the event, so converting this to an effective "release build", when you require it.

Since your MinGW tool-chain is fundamentally a GNU tool-chain, it fully supports this GNU build model.