This is an update of a post that originally appeared on August 25, 2014.
A lot of people have asked why I chose Code::Blocks as the editor for C++ All-In-One for Dummies, 4th Edition. There are a number of reason that I chose this particular editor including:
- Ease of use
- Free download
- Runs on a large number of platform types
- Provides internationalization support
However, the fact that Code::Blocks works well for the book and for most beginning projects doesn’t mean it’s the best solution for your particular needs. There are many different C++ Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) out there and I’m constantly trying new products. When the new version of Visual Studio comes out, you can be sure I’ll obtain a copy and check it out because some of my readers use Visual Studio. The problem with Visual Studio is that it tends to use Microsoft additions to the C++ language and it also doesn’t run on all the platforms that the book must support. However, if you’re working with Microsoft systems and need to create a relatively large project, Visual Studio might be a good choice for you—only you can make that determination.
The Eclipse IDE is another good selection. I had thought about using Eclipse for C++ All-in-One for Dummies, 4th Edition, but after reviewing the IDE and comparing it to Code::Blocks, I felt Code::Blocks was a lot simpler. Even so, if you need great multiplatform support for your C++ projects, Eclipse is a great choice.
I recently looked at another IDE, Intel® oneAPI Base Toolkit. This is most definitely not a IDE for the faint of heart or the light of pocketbook (the asking price for the cheap version is $1,499.00). The main reason to obtain a product like this one is that it provides phenomenal parallelism support for multiprocessor applications. In other words, you use this sort of IDE for high end projects. You can read all the other features this product offers on the vendor site. One of the other items that grabbed my attention is that it provides both multiplatform (Windows, Mac, Linux, and Android) and multiformat (Phone, Tablet, PC, Ultrabook, and Server) support. Whether this particular IDE makes sense for your needs depends on the kind of applications you create.
Although the information in Wikipedia is often suspect, you can find a comparison of various IDEs at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_integrated_development_environments. The best way to choose a C++ IDE is to look for a product that meets your needs and then try it out on a subset of the problem you’re trying to solve. Researching the IDE you use is essential because a mistake can cost you a lot of time later. Not every IDE support every C++ feature, every platform, or every team need. Tell me why you think I should move to something other than Code::Blocks for the next edition of the book at [email protected].
