Best IDE tools for C programming

C language is an excellent, powerful and general purpose programming language that offers modern and generic programming features for developing large-scale applications ranging from video games, search engines, other computer software to operating systems. There are several IDE programming tools out there that programmers can use for C programming. Tools offer comprehensive facilities and components for easy and ideal programming. Every good developer relies on having a collection of helpful IDE at their fingertips.

Here are some of the essential IDEs we think every programmer should have access to -

Code Blocks

Code Blocks is a free C IDE created to meet the most demanding needs of the developers of C. This is an IDE with all features you need for C development. It works on Windows, Linux and Mac OS X as well. It is designed to be fully configurable and extensible with its plugins. It supports Compiling, Debugging, Code Coverage, Profiling, Auto-completion of code. It is a class browser i.e it can visualize object-oriented programming.

Eclipse

Eclipse is one of the most popular and powerful IDE’s For C which offers open-source utility and functionality for C programmers. New users can find this IDE as simple to use and work upon. It supports all platforms Windows, Linux, Mac OS X. It supports Debugging, Compiling, Profiling, Auto-completion of code and Refactoring. It has a great graphical user interface (GUI) to arrange an element using drag and drop functionality. It also supports Static Code Analysis.

NetBeans

NetBeans is another advance open source IDE with features such as semantic highlighting, automatic formatting braces matching, unit testing, code assistance and much more. It supports multiplatform. Its code completion is fast and supports refactoring for C. This IDE is well integrated with the multi-session gdb debugger. It comes with automatic indentation, semantic highlighting, and formatting (provides a choice of formatting styles), code folding, bracket matching and templates. You can use development tools on remote hosts to create, execute, and even debug projects from your client system in a simple manner.

CodeLite

CodeLite is an another excellent, free, open source and cross-platform IDE for the C programming languages that run on all major Platforms (Windows, Linux, and OSX). Its generic support for compilers and Errors are clickable via the Build tab. It supports next-generation debugger. It has amazingly fast and powerful code completion tool based on their in-house parser. It also has its own RAD tool for building Widgets-based applications. It supports Static code analysis, refactoring, class browser and profiling.

Anjuta

Anjuta is a versatile IDE comprising a number of advanced programming facilities that focuses on providing a simple and usable user interface for powerful and efficient development. Although it is open source software it supports the Linux platform only. Anjuta UI is created to be simple to operate with powerful tools. Easy wizards and project templates to get started with new projects. Fully integrated GDB for onboard debugging.

Digital Mars

Digital Mars is another free C compiler having command line and GUI versions. And, Digital Mars features a fast compile and link time.

CLion

JetBrains well-known company has created this IDE for C/C++ developers. It has a multi-platform support first of all and a has a lot of functions which will help us in developing. Keyboard Shortcuts to help you with fast project creating.

Visual Studio

It is an IDE program from Microsoft, and only minus point is it works only with Windows. It is not only developed for C/C++ but also various other popular languages. Those who will be working as a team then you need a pro-version of this and not available for free. If you are working individually, then you need the IDE Express Edition which is free.

Qt Creator

Qt Creator is an open source version which you can download the trial for free and works on Windows, Mac OS X, Linux platforms. It is one of the most familiar libraries. If you are looking forward to building a GUI-based application, then this is the one. Features include such as Qt Quick 2D renderer, Boot to Qt, Qt data visualization, Qt webview and lots more.

Geany

It is a perfect IDE program for C/C++ and is lightweight which you can avail for free. It has features like code folding, Syntax highlighting, the auto closing of XML and HTML tag, symbol name auto-completion, etc. It helps you to build a system to execute and compile codes. It helps in simple project management. These are some of the features to work with Geany and you can literally build anything.

SubLime

Sublime Text is a multi-platform, well-refined text editor designed and developed for codes, prose and marks up. It offers a great user interface and can be used for writing C. Some of its features comprise of high customization facility, command palette, anything Goto functionality, multiple selections, API Plug-in Support, project switching support which is instant and many other features.

Pelles C

Pelles C is a good free Integrated Development Environment for developing C programs. It is a good alternative for the Old 16 Bit Borland Turbo C Compiler(TC). Pelles C is a lightweight bundle of Integrated features. It can be used it to edit source files, icons, cursors, bitmaps, resource scripts.

Bluefish

Bluefish is a more than just a normal editor, it is a lightweight, fast editor that offers programmers IDE like features for developing websites, writing scripts and software code. It is multi-platform, runs on Linux, Mac OSX, FreeBSD, OpenBSD, Solaris and Windows, and also supports many programming languages including C. It is feature rich including such as - multiple document interface, supports recursive opening of files based on filename patterns or content pattern, offers a very powerful search and replace functionality, snippet sidebar, support for integrating external filters of your own, pipe documents using commands such as awk, sed, sort plus custom-built scripts. It supports full-screen editing. It has site uploader and downloader. Multiple encoding support and many more other features.

Atom

Atom is also a modern, open-source, multi-platform text editor that can run on Linux, Windows or Mac OS X. It is also hackable down to its base, therefore users can customize it to meet their code writing demands.

 

 

Good IDE help programmers to create error-free and maintainable applications or website. These are best but not the only. There is a huge number of IDE’s For C on the web. Share with us which one is your favorite or best IDE’s For C, or if you have any other recommendations you can leave your suggestions in the Comments below. Thank you!