Is there a simple but powerful IDE for C/C++?

Question

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C++ IDE for Linux?

I'm looking for a suitable for me IDE for C/C++. I'd like not to use projects etc, the main idea that I've accustom is to compile a file (not build a project) and run a compiled program then. So things like code::blocks as well as M$ VC are not for me... well, there is FreePascal IDE that is fully looks like I'd like to - I can simply open a source file, run it with one key, debug it (aka step and next, but run to cursor and breakpoint also) without seeing how gdb actually works, open watch windows and so on. Is there something with similar features for C/C++? I'm tired of editing everything in FAR/midnight internal editor and compile than with g++ -o <> and sometimes use gdb from command-line when nothing help. I don't care if it is text-based or GUI but I just wish it to be simply and free. Better if there is highlight (maybe even basic syntax checking), would very good if IDE can work like or with memcheck/valgrind... Any suggestions, please?

Answer 1

The Qt Creator is

• nice and easy to work with
• current as well as maintained / being extended
• cross-platform (which may be a benefit at some other point in time)
• free in all the right senses (speech, code, beer, ...)
• does not force you to use Qt if you don't want
• can work with Makefiles

and generally does more than you as for here. Worth a look.

Answer 2

I recommend this:

http://wxdsgn.sourceforge.net/

It's free, includes a compiler and "just works". It has a built-in debugger and everything.

Answer 3

You can compile single files in Code::Blocks without making a project. It's just that if you do it that way, you'll get warnings like "This syntax is valid for C/C++ but not for Objective-C" or something (it's been a while since I've worked with Code::Blocks myself, so I don't remember the exact error messages); by making a project for your file, you can specify whether you want to compile as a C program, a C++ program, or what have you. Otherwise the IDE basically guesses as to what you want to compile it as. And I'd recommend doing it project-wise anyway, because you can make different build configurations and such for easier testing (without having to use makefiles).

If even that is too much for you, then just go with something in someone else's answer.

Answer 4

Eclipse does what you ask I would say.

It's free, easy to install and use (at least for me), does not need command line for compiling, can compile/run a single file just by pressing a button, can do debug, has highlighting, works under Linux.

Answer 5

Under linux, there is geany which might correspond to the 'simple yet powerful' description, but the auto-completion is lacking in my opinion - you always have to draw the line when designing a 'simple' IDE.. when does it stop being simple?

Anyways, the concept of project is almost absent from it. The symbols are generated from the open files.

Answer 6

An IDE will almost always need some sort of project file (<-> makefile) for its business. This allows it to know what files to show in the project listing among other things. You can do one of three things:

1. Use any IDE (QtCreator is my personal preference) or text editor (Notepad++ for Windows, stuff like gEdit and Kate on Linux) you want , and design you app so that it compiles like this (* is the asterisk aka wildcard, g++ will process every .cpp file):

   g++ -O2 *.cpp -o myprogram[.exe]

2. Use makefiles and any text editor or IDE you want

3. Use a cross-platform IDE like Eclipse, QtCreator, or Code::Blocks and don't care about the way it handles its internals.

1 and 3 will allow you to "just use" the debugger, 2 is a lot harder there, very dependent on the used text editor (I believe there are several Linux ones that work nicely for debugging/breakpoints as well).