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Best C/C++ IDEs & Editors To Consider For Linux [Updated]

Aniket Anand
Linux ide

Both C & C++ programming languages have made it to the 2019 Stackoverflow’s list of most popular languages.Though all C and C++ users know that both programming languages are different; it is often used interchangeably by the majority of those who don’t know much about them.

For starters, C & C++ are different programming languages. Though both of them have certain similarities like similar syntax, code structures, compilation & notions, but also have certain differences. 

The major difference is that C is a procedural programming language that doesn’t support objects or classes, whereas, C++ can be called a hybrid language i.e. the combination of both object-oriented and procedural programming languages.

Coming back to the title of this article, let’s discuss the Linux IDEs and Code Editors for these programming languages. But before going to the section, first, let’s understand the importance of these 2 programming languages and of course about the IDEs and Code Editors. Remember that knowledge is important to mention when applying for Linux software development jobs.

By the way, if you want to read more articles about programming, you can visit Thoughtsoncloud.com

More About C & C++

Often C is called the mother of all major programming languages. It was 1st developed in the year 1972 and is also considered by many as the first high-level programming language. Apart from these, C is the only programming language that has survived for the longest period of time in the history of the programming world. Moreover, it is also one of those languages with which the majority of programmers start their journey.

While talking about C++, we can say that definitely it has influenced several other programming languages such as Java or C#. To your surprise, initially, C++ was called the new C, as it was inspired by C. Although, C++ was built upon the C framework, it included numerous new features and functions which helped it to gain popularity.

C is mainly used in the areas of low-level programming. The areas where no complex code is required are best suited for the utilisation of C language. C programming language is especially used in operating systems and multiple embedded devices, technical drivers, OS kernels, IoT applications and many more. On the other hand, C++ is an advanced programming language that is mainly used for graphic creation and building complex codes for heavy software. Several web browsers, game engines and VR applications also use C++ as a dominant coding language. 

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Differentiating IDEs & Code Editors

IDE or Integrated Development Environment is a tool or software that allows you to write, edit, modify, run, execute, debug and deploy your code. It gives you all these features under one roof or environment making your work more efficient and productive. 

Similar to IDE, Code Editors also allows you to write codes. However, it has comparatively fewer features but is lighter and fast. In recent times, thanks to all the modern developments, the difference between them has been blurred but still, programmers use both Linux IDEs and code editors with their ease.

The following are the differences between an IDE and a code editor:

  1. When a collection of software development tools is used and implied to simplify the process of coding then it is known as integrated development environment or IDE. Whereas code editors are a type of text editors that have professional in-built sophisticated capabilities for performing specific functionalities. 
  2. The simplification of the entire process of writing the codes and developing the software is done by IDE. This is done by combining multiple components of a computer program. On the other hand, code editors are used to ease the design and speed up the process of editing and creating code.
  3. IDE is equipped with writing several language codes but code editors can write only specific language codes. It does not support all languages.
  4. Integrated development environment has some specific features such as syntax highlighting, auto-completion, brace matching, etc. Whereas the features of a code editor include compiling and editing text, debugging, unit testing, syntax highlighting, code completion and so on.

Why IDEs or Editors for only Linux & Not Windows or Mac?

If you have searched for something like top C/C++ IDEs for Linux then you already know the answer to the above question. Still, for those who are new to Linux, well, there are several advantages of Linux. The biggest one is its security, and because of this, the majority of the servers in the world are created by using Linux. 

Earlier, Linux was more complicated than Windows, but with recent developments, it has become more user-friendly. Now, it is easy for any Windows user to switch to Linux.

Apart from security, it is also open-source, free, and stable. Unlike Windows, you can view and modify the source code as per your needs. You don’t even have to pay for anything. You can access the majority of the basics and advanced software for free which reduces your cost significantly. 

Furthermore, it is not prone to crashes which makes it highly stable and fast. Lastly, it has a huge community for support, comes with easy maintenance, is highly customizable, and with recent applications, it has become very easy to use.

Read More: Learn Linux OS Basic Commands From Scratch

Best C or C++ IDE for Linux

In today’s time, the world revolves around digitisation. Everything seems impossible without digital intervention and nothing seems to be working without programming. Thus, coding and programming have become inseparable parts of our world. C is considered to be the foundation or building block of all programming languages and its contribution to the digital world cannot be overlooked. C++ is an extended version and is considered to be the subset of C. It is more advanced and is equipped with writing complex codes.

The existence of C or C++ stands with no significance if they are not associated with IDEs. Some of the best IDEs that can help you to write the programming language of your interest are as follows:

CLion

It is one of the most popular and heavily used IDE for C and C++ programming while using Linux. CLion was introduced by Jetbrains and it is the most recommended IDE for cross-platform C++ programmers. Apart from Linux IDE, it can also be used for Windows and macOS. This IDE is available in both free & paid versions (for commercial use). This IDE is more suitable for big projects rather than trying to learn C or C++.

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Eclipse

Eclipse is a free and open-source IDE that is developed by IBM and is written in Java language. It is another well-known C/C++ Linux IDE that is used regularly for programming. This IDE supports almost 30 programming languages and is well-known for its vast community. This tool offers great GUI along with drag & drop functionality to the users. It comes in handy for arranging interface elements.

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Code::Blocks

Compared to others, it is a lightweight IDE that is used for programming in C, C++ and Fortran languages using Linux. Code::Blocks is developed by a GUI toolkit, named wxWidgets. It supports platforms like Windows, Linux and macOS. The unique feature of this IDE is that the user can access the source code to make changes and add contributions to it. It is also an open-source tool that allows you to make changes in the source code.It is not that powerful but comes with all the required features, and is user-friendly. Code::Blocks also run smoothly on the majority of the systems.

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Visual Studio Code

Visual Studio Code or VSC is developed by Microsoft. You can even use it for Linux OS for developing your C/C++ projects. It is a powerful IDE that can be used for building heavy and high-performance applications for web. However, visual studio code can best be used in Windows but it also supports other operating systems like Linux and macOS. It also works well with control systems related to the GIT version. The support for C/C++ is provided by a Microsoft C/C++ extension for all the platforms. Moreover, this code editor is known for its combination of simplicity and powerful developer tools. Other than VSC is lightning fast and is an option of choice for day-to-day usage.

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

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NetBeans

This IDE is another open-source tool for C/C++ development over Linux. It was developed by Apache Software Foundation, Oracle Corporation. It is considered to be one of the best IDEs for C++ development. NetBeans has a great design that shows all the projects in the project window and allows you to create dynamic as well as static applications. Its drag and drop feature is what makes it one of the highly recommended IDEs. As it also supports PHP & front-end development, NetBeans has gained popularity among web developers. But actually, it is its file navigation and remote development features that make it a good IDE for C/C++ programming in Linux. In the majority of the cases, programmers use NetBeans for Java development along with C/C++.

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Atom Code Editor

Atom is a text editor that looks very minimal and supports various languages. It is not an IDE but a text editor with all the features of an IDE. It is a very powerful text editor that is developed by GitHub. This tool is open-source, highly customizable and modern. Its feature can be enhanced by adding and using any 3rd party packages. It can be done via Atom’s package manager app. Just like Linux, Atom is equally used for Mac & Linux for C language programming.  However, it provides an extra gig and works explicitly well with languages like Python and R.

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Sublime Text Editor

Despite being a text editor instead of an IDE, it includes several features and is well-refined. It is designed for code, prose and markup. Programmers regularly use Sublime Text Editor for writing C/C++ code using Linux. Furthermore, it also offers great UI and allows users to add various community-built plugins for enhancing the existing functions.

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CodeLite

CodeLite is an IDE that is known for its simplicity and lightweight. The most unique and favourite feature of this IDEs is its ability to refactor code. It supports macOS and Windows. It is a great IDE if you want to perform the function of debugging and testing in C++. With the help of CodeLite, developers can easily develop cross-platform graphic designs. Some even consider it the best C++ IDE as it is specifically developed for C/C++, PHP & JavaScript (Node.JS) programming. It gets regular updates and has good support on GitHub. This tool is also packed with 2 code completion engines that provide improved code completion and better suggestions.

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Bluefish Editor

Bluefish is also not an IDE but a text editor that offers all the IDE-like features. It is a very lightweight editor and offers programmers the idea of fast development. Writing scripts and codes and developing software and websites become very convenient with Bluefish Editor as it is compatible with multiple operating systems such as Linux, macOS, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, Solaris, and Windows.

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Brackets

It was developed by Adobe and is truly a modern, open-source text editor that understands web design. Though it is an editor, it is packed with several features similar to an IDE. The main purpose of Brackets is to conveniently offer the features of web development and designing. . For C language, it comes with an extension pack that of course works more as an editor. Brackets is a perfect IDE for developers who are looking for all the features like any other IDE but also want a lightweight tool.

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KDevelop

It is a cross-platform IDE designed specifically for programming languages like C/C++, Python, JS & PHP. It is heavily used by Linux IDE users for development purposes. It also supports Solaris, FreeBSD, Windows, macOS, and other Unix-based operating systems. It mainly comprises KDE, QT Libraries and KDevPlatform. It can be made highly extensible with the use of plugins. This IDE offers a seamless development environment for programmers regardless of their project size. 

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GNAT Programming Studio

This tool is a complete IDE that is specially created for languages like Ada or C/C++. It is specifically developed for the purpose of unifying the communication and interaction between a developer and the code that he/she is trying to develop. It is ideal for programming and building software as it also comes with the feature of source navigation. It is a highly comfortable and user-friendly IDE. It comes with a wide range of tools that you can integrate without any difficulties. GNAT Programming Studio offers high-level programming for creating comprehensive systems.

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Qt Creator

It is a cross-platform IDE designed for creating UIs, applications and connected devices. This IDE is free of cost for freshers and developers with experience who need a commercial licence for using this particular IDE. It supports Windows, macOS and Linux. It helps you to create more rather than just coding for the application. You can use it for creating desktop and mobile applications along with connected embedded devices.

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VIM Editor

VIM is not exactly an IDE but a free and open-source text editor that contains all the functionalities and features of an IDE. This tool is an advanced & highly configurable text editor that is written in Vim Script & C language. Various programmers around the world consider Vim the perfect tool for all kinds of text editing, from editing configuration files to composing emails. Lastly, it also offers many exciting features to Unix or Linux users and is considered good for programming in C/C++ language.

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Also Read: C++ Books- 13 Proven Books To Get Into C++ Programming

Conclusion

With all this, let’s end this list of the best Linux C/C++ IDE for Linux. Apart from the IDEs, this list also covered some of the top C/C++ Code Editors for Linux. All the tools mentioned above offer numerous exciting features that often confuse programmers to choose anyone for their project. While there are also many other IDEs available, this list of IDEs contains the best ones that can prove to be the most beneficial and easy to use for you.

Till the next time, Keep Reading, Keep Learning & Keep Questioning!

Happy Reading!

 

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