Master These Embedded C/C++ Development Tools To Boost Efficiency!

I am Lao Wen, an embedded engineer who loves learning.

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In daily development work, embedded low-level drivers and application development often use C and C++ programming languages. Today, we will discuss the top 10 IDEs most suitable for C/C++ developers, and you can see which one fits you best.

An Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is an application or software used by programmers for coding. An IDE mainly consists of three parts: a source code editor, build automation tools (compiler), and a debugger.

The source code editor is where programmers write code, while they use build automation tools to compile the code, and the debugger is used to test or debug the program to resolve any errors in the code.

Some IDEs are specific to programming languages, while others support various programming languages. Due to the growing popularity of C/C++ and its multiple applications, today we will review the IDEs best suited for C language programming.

1. Visual Studio Code

It is an open-source code editor developed by Microsoft for Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. Visual Studio Code is built on Electron, and a survey conducted by Stack Overflow in 2018 showed that it is the most popular IDE. It supports customization, allowing you to customize themes, shortcuts, etc. Key features include:

• Support for code debugging
• Syntax highlighting
• IntelliSense auto-completion feature
• Built-in sidebar Git commands
• Customizable features

Address: https://code.visualstudio.com

2. Eclipse

It is one of the most popular, powerful, and useful IDEs for C/C++ programming. It is an easy-to-use open-source software that was initially used for Java programming but can now be used for various programming languages.

Eclipse can run on Windows, Linux, and Mac OS. If you encounter bugs in the Eclipse IDE or compiler, you can submit a bug report on their website. Key features include:

• Static code analysis support
• Intelligent code completion
• Git integration
• Cross-platform support
• A large community

Address: https://www.eclipse.org/

3. NetBeans

It is one of the most commonly used IDEs, supporting Windows, Linux, Mac OS X, and Solaris. It is a free open-source IDE written in Java, allowing you to create C/C++ applications with dynamic and static libraries. It enables programmers to create C/C++ applications from existing code.

NetBeans has many plugins to extend the software, such as remote monitoring of project development. Key features include:

• Cross-platform support
• A rich set of plugins
• Support for multiple programming languages
• Simple and efficient project management
• Intelligent code editing
• Community support

Address: https://netbeans.org/

4. Sublime Text

It is a cross-platform source code editor that supports multiple languages and markup languages. Sublime Text has a Python application programming interface and a beautiful user interface, along with many excellent features, including:

• Sublime Text automatically generates a project-wide index for each class, method, and function
• Command palette
• Powerful API
• Supports Mac, Windows, and Linux
• Syntax highlighting
• Plugins and integration

Address: https://www.sublimetext.com/

5. Atom

It is a highly configurable text editor designed and developed by GitHub, with a very large community. This editor provides a wealth of plugins that extend its features, and it supports OS X, Windows, and Linux, with a simple user interface. Key features include:

• Cross-platform support
• Package manager
• Plugin support
• Find and replace text options
• Command palette support

Address: https://atom.io/

6. Code::Blocks

It is a free, open-source IDE developed in C++, using wxWidgets as the GUI toolkit. It is an extensible and highly customizable IDE that can run on all platforms, including Linux, Mac, and Windows.

By installing some plugins, you can add any function to this IDE. Key features include:

• Compatibility with Linux, Mac, and Windows
• Intelligent code completion
• Clear navigation
• Integrated intelligent syntax highlighting
• Fully functional debugger

Address: http://www.codeblocks.org/

7. CodeLite

This is another excellent IDE used by countless programmers for C or C++ programming. It is open-source software that runs on all major platforms, including Windows, Linux, and OS X. Key features include:

• Powerful code auto-completion
• Similar to Visual Studio, easy to get started
• More user-friendly interface
• Integration with Subversion
• Integration with wxFormBuilder
• Powerful function jump feature

Address: https://codelite.org/

8. CodeWarrior

CodeWarrior includes all the major tools necessary for building platforms and applications – IDE, compiler, debugger, editor, linker, assembler, etc. Additionally, the CodeWarrior IDE supports developers inserting their favorite tools, allowing them to work freely in their desired way.

Address: https://www.nxp.com/support/developer-resources/software-development-tools/codewarrior-development-tools:CW_HOME

9. Dev-C++

It is a full-featured IDE for C/C++ languages, and it is free software that complies with the GPL. It integrates many free software such as GCC, MinGW32, and can obtain the latest versions of various tool supports. It supports software development on the Windows operating system. Key features include:

• Support for GCC-based compilers
• Syntax highlighting
• Code auto-completion
• Edit shortcuts
• Tool manager
• CVS support

Address: http://www.bloodshed.net/devcpp.html

10. MinGW

MinGW is a minimal GNU for Windows, providing a graphical user interface-based integrated development environment for MS Windows applications. Most languages supported by GCC are also supported in MinGW.

It covers C, C++, Objective-C, Fortran, and Ada. Programs developed with MinGW can run directly on Windows without requiring additional third-party DLL support. Key features include:

• Simple and fast
• Open-source programming toolset
• Suitable for developing native MS-Windows (x86) applications

Address:http://www.mingw.org/

If anyone has any additions, let more people know about these useful tools.

Source: Network, typeset by Embedded Intelligence Bureau.

Copyright belongs to the original author. If there is any infringement, please contact for deletion.

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