Top Best IDEs for C++/C

 Top IDEs for C or C++ Developers in 2021 & Beyond!

Hi! I am Mohsin welcome to all the programmers and readers.

Before we go ahead and read the below article, I’m sure the first computer language which you all would have explored would be “C”, right?

In this digital era, nothing is possible without programming. From smartphones in our pocket to self-driving cars, everything needs programming. The cursor of the mouse which you are rolling needs programming too! That’s quite an interesting fact. Lol to myself.

Let’s start with the basics:-

Knowledge of programming allows programmers to communicate with computers with their machine language.

Considering this, we have covered the 10 best IDEs (Integrated Development Environment) for C or C++ programming language in this article. Points 5 and 6 being my personal favorite

A Little About Integrated Development Environment…

Integrated Development Environment or IDE for short is an application or software which programmers use for programming. It helps a programmer to program easily by providing all the comprehensive facilities required for the development of software. IDE can improve the productivity of a programmer or developer because of its fast setup and various tools. Without this, a programmer takes a lot of time deciding on various tools to use for their tasks.

Mainly, an IDE includes 3 parts i.e. source code editor, a build automation tool (compiler), and a debugger. The source code editor is something where programmers can write the code, whereas, build automation tool is used by the programmers for compiling the codes and the debugger is used to test or debug the program in order to resolve any errors in the code. Furthermore, these IDEs also comes with additional features like object and data modeling, unit testing, source code library, and a lot more.

As of now, several IDEs are available for various programming languages like Python, C++, Java, JavaScript, R, and others. The modern IDEs even possess intelligent code completion for maximizing the programmer’s productivity.

Advantages of Using IDEs

• These are simple editing environments consisting of several features making coding quick and efficient.
• Takes less time and effort- It includes various tools and features that help to prevent mistakes, organizes resources, and provides shortcuts.
• It allows quick navigation to the type
• Programmers can quickly navigate to other members by using hyperlinks
• IDEs organize imports and can add appropriate imports
• It can give a warning in case of any errors or mistakes
• IDEs are great for generating code or completing the code depending upon previous codes.
• These environments make the unit test’s running easy

Apart from these, there are several other benefits of using IDE’s depending upon their types or programming languages.

Some IDEs are specific to the programming language while some support various programming languages. Because of the C and C++ programming language’s growing popularity and having multiple applications, herein we will discuss the 17 best IDE’s for the same. Both of these programming languages are also the most basics and is recognized worldwide. All the IDE’s which I have mentioned below not only supports C/C++ but also various other languages.

Read More:

• Best Resources To Learn C/C++ Programming In 2021!
• Best IDEs and Code Editors for Python Developer- 2021
• Best JavaScript IDEs and Code Editors in 2021
• The 1-2-3 Of C++ Interview- Common But Essential Questions To Ace Any C++ Interview

16 best IDEs for C or C++

1. Visual Studio Code

It is an open-source code editor developed by Microsoft for Windows, Linux and Mac OS. Visual Studio Code is based on an Electron framework. According to a survey done in 2018 by Stack Overflow, it was ranked the most popular developer environment tool among others. Furthermore, this IDE is also customizable which lets programmers change the theme, keyword shortcuts and preferences.

Key Benefits:

• Support for Debugging
• Syntax highlighting
• Intelligent Code completion, snippets and code refactoring
• EmbeddedGit Control
• Completely portable
• Easy customization

Programming Languages Supported: C, C++, C#, CSS, Go, HTML, Java, JavaScript, Python, PHP, TypeScript and much more!

To know more about Visual Studio Code, you can read the blog “Visual Studio Code Is So Popular, But Why?“

2. Eclipse

It is one of the most popular, powerful and useful IDEs used by developers for C/C++ programming. It is an open-source software which is simple and easy to use. Originally, it was used for Java Programming but now it is used for various languages. Eclipse can run Windows, Linux and Mac OS. You can even file a bug on their website if you encounter any on the Eclipse IDE or Compiler.

Key Benefits:

• Great Graphical User Interface with drag-and-drop functionality
• Supports static code analysis
• Smart code completion
• Productivity Boosters
• Git integration
• Cross-platform support
• Rich Community

Programming Languages Supported: C, C++, C#, Java, JavaScript, COBOL, Perl, PHP, Python & others

3. NetBeans

It is one of the most used IDEs and can run on Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, and Solaris. It is a free and open-source IDE that is written in Java. This IDE consists of an interface that comes with a drag-and-drop feature and a list of convenient project templates. You can use NetBeans to create C/C++ applications with dynamic and static libraries. It allows programmers to create C/C++ applications from existing code. Additionally, it provides a great set of tools for C/C++ programmers. NetBeans has numerous plugins that can extend the software. Developers can also remotely monitor their project’s development.

Key Benefits:

• Cross-platform support
• Rich set of plugins
• Supports multiple programming languages
• Simple and efficient project management
• Smart code editing
• Large support community

Programming Languages Supported: Java, HTML, HTML 5, C, C++ and others

4. Sublime Text

It is a cross-platform source code editor which supports several languages and markup languages. Sublime Text has a Python application programming interface and has a slick user interface along with incredible features and amazing performance. Programmers can also add additional functions with numerous plugins that are community-built.

Key Benefits:

• Go To Anything- Quick navigation to symbols, lines or words
• Go To Definition- Can automatically generate a project-wide index of every class, method and function.
• Allows multiple selections
• Command Palette
• Powerful API
• Highly customizable
• Cross-platform supporting Mac, Windows and Linux
• Syntax highlighting
• Auto-completion
• Plugins and Integrations

Programming Languages Supported: C, C++, Java, and others