Help me choose a good IDE for C and C++

[asgard20032]

Hi, its been a long time since my last connection here, just since today im back. Finally, summer vacancy. First, I want to start by saying that I didn't got the time to program during school, but i didn't forgot to much about programming.

When I was programming, I mainly used Code::Block. But, I want to switch IDE, because there was no stable release for Code::Block since few year, and I want to use a more updated IDE.

Here is the feature I want:

Integration with Mingw32
Intellisens
- Code completion (See below, i have some exigence)
- Template (not code template, but project template. Its alway useful to make a project template with all dependency set up)
- Easy to configure, not to much plugin to install, not to much thing to do with the mingw32 and Mysys installation
- Debugger
- Other traditional thing a IDE got, like easy to configure project option like linking and compiler flag, i never created makefile, and i want to focus on the - program itself, not MAKEFILE. If the IDE create a makefile from the option i put, it will even be better, no need to mess with makefile, and in bonus, the IDE even give me a makefile...
- cross-platform
- free
- Auto indentation

For code completion, there is 3 different way a code completion could be implemented.
a) Auto complete
b) Auto complete, and show function prototype
c) Auto complete and show function prototype and also show a small description of the function. (not a man page description, but a very small description. Check that picture: http://www.codelite.org/images/function ... omment.png)

Im currently looking for b) and c). If the IDE do c), please, specify it, its one of the feature i really like.

Also, here is bonus not essential, but i really like:
- Integration with visual studio/visual c++ compiler
- Integration with windows SDK's compiler (a 64 bit compiler)
- Integration with mingw-w64
- GUI builder
- Integration with Clang compiler (from what i heard, Clang will soon become a great threat to GCC, great rival)
- Be able to hide some portion of code. (See that picture, on left, where there is line number, we can click on arrow to hide a function or a if...else content. : http://www.codelite.org/images/function ... omment.png)


Here is IDE I heard, but im not sure if they all fulfill what i want:

EclipseCDT: I don't like this one, harder to configure, lot of tweak, need to install plugin, in windows, more set up to do to integrate with mingw. But a renowed IDE. Its a good one, but more for tweaker.

Codelite: It look like a good IDE for my need, but i don't know how it compare to other in this list

Netbean: I heard lot of this one, look like a Eclipse like IDE, with less tweaking. Cover lot of language, very modular, less thing to set-up. But from what i heard, it has little trouble with C++ and C parsing. I will try to found a link on the trouble with C/C++ parsing.

Monodevelop: From what i read from wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison ... .2FC.2B.2B It also support C/C++, but not on windows.

Code::Block: I like this one, but outdated

Microsoft Visual studio/VisualC++: I heard lot of good thing from it. Maybe one of the only good thing that M$ did. I heard it has one of the best intellisens and compiler. Unfortunately, from what I read, the compiler that come with it don't support c99, and the few feature of c99 it support it don't implement it in standard way. So their compiler is #$^#$ for C development. And, if it can integrate with mingw (i dont know if it can), i don't think we can use their debugger.

Geany: I heard its a good lightweight IDE, but to make it lightweight, they had to cut off in some feature im looking after.



What should i choose, (don't just say "Choose this one, its the best", but support what you said by saying more info like feature i mentioned or other thing.

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[snailface]

Qt is all the rage these days and it is quite awesome IMHO. It unpacks to around 5 GBs, but is totally worth it.
http://qt.nokia.com/downloads

It has all the features you mentioned and about 5 million more.

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[asgard20032]

Qt is all the rage these days and it is quite awesome IMHO. It unpacks to around 5 GBs, but is totally worth it.
http://qt.nokia.com/downloads

It has all the features you mentioned and about 5 million more.

Al thought we can make program without QT framework, it require extra step, and modifying the qmake file. Also, i don't know if we can do C programming with QT creator. Maybe later, when i will program in C++, i will use that IDE as my second IDE to use the QT framework.

[Xian Nox]

Qt is all the rage these days and it is quite awesome IMHO. It unpacks to around 5 GBs, but is totally worth it.
http://qt.nokia.com/downloads

It has all the features you mentioned and about 5 million more.

Al thought we can make program without QT framework, it require extra step, and modifying the qmake file. Also, i don't know if we can do C programming with QT creator. Maybe later, when i will program in C++, i will use that IDE as my second IDE to use the QT framework.

You can create a custom project without Qt. It has "Plain C project" and "Plain C++ project" as options, by default works with the GNU compilers, can be configured to work with the M$ $#** on Windblows (by changing a tick during installation, or later as well). Has pretty good code completion (if you want more than that, then you're lazy), plenty of project templates, generates makefiles for you too, available on Linux and Mac too, and as free as it can get.

[asgard20032]

Qt is all the rage these days and it is quite awesome IMHO. It unpacks to around 5 GBs, but is totally worth it.
http://qt.nokia.com/downloads

It has all the features you mentioned and about 5 million more.

Al thought we can make program without QT framework, it require extra step, and modifying the qmake file. Also, i don't know if we can do C programming with QT creator. Maybe later, when i will program in C++, i will use that IDE as my second IDE to use the QT framework.

You can create a custom project without Qt. It has "Plain C project" and "Plain C++ project" as options, by default works with the GNU compilers, can be configured to work with the M$ $#** on Windblows (by changing a tick during installation, or later as well). Has pretty good code completion (if you want more than that, then you're lazy), plenty of project templates, generates makefiles for you too, available on Linux and Mac too, and as free as it can get.

Plenty of project template? I guess its only Qt template. If not, can you give some example of template... Is there C template, or only C++ template? Do I have to manipulate qmake file?

[HeroKing]

i would guess the templates are similar to how Code::Blocks worked. when you create a new project, you were given a choice of what kind of project you wanted (C/C++ file, windows .dll plugin, OpenGL, etc), and it includes what kind of compiler libraries that will be used with the template/project

[asgard20032]

i would guess the templates are similar to how Code::Blocks worked. when you create a new project, you were given a choice of what kind of project you wanted (C/C++ file, windows .dll plugin, OpenGL, etc), and it includes what kind of compiler libraries that will be used with the template/project

Im not asking how template work, but what sort of template is availaible

[Xian Nox]

You can create a custom project without Qt. It has "Plain C project" and "Plain C++ project" as options, by default works with the GNU compilers, can be configured to work with the M$ $#** on Windblows (by changing a tick during installation, or later as well). Has pretty good code completion (if you want more than that, then you're lazy), plenty of project templates, generates makefiles for you too, available on Linux and Mac too, and as free as it can get.

Plenty of project template? I guess its only Qt template. If not, can you give some example of template... Is there C template, or only C++ template? Do I have to manipulate qmake file?

Sometimes I feel like shouting...
makefile equivalent for Qt creator: .pro files. Here's one for a generic C project:

Code: Select all

TEMPLATE = app
CONFIG += console
CONFIG -= qt

SOURCES += main.c

Makefile is generated using this by qmake.

Non-Qt templates in a default install: generic C/C++ project, C++ library, HTML5 application.

[asgard20032]

Also, i have a bad internet connection. Someone stated that it will take around 5gb... On my internet connection, 1 gb = 7 hour. I can't monopolize internet for 35 hours... my brother and my parent will freak out.

But if i remember correctly, updating Qt from what i heard is very easy, big +++++ for Qt. But anyway, like i said, Qt is not a viable option for the moment. As long as i don't get better internet connection or few day that my family is not here, so i can monopolize the internet connection, i wont download it. Also, if i don't like it, i will feel like i wasted 5/35gb of my internet limit for the month. Currently, i do mainly C programming, almost no C++. In around 3-4 month, i will start C++.

[Xian Nox]

Qt Creator 2.5.0 for Windows (30 MB)