Free C++ Compiler and IDE solutions?

Kale · Post by **Kale** » Thu Mar 11, 2004 6:39 pm

I'm thinking of getting back into a bit of C++ coding again and wonder if any here use C++ on a regular basis, what IDE/Compiler do you use? If possible i'm looking for a free solution. What are your experiences and what do you recommend? Do i really need to shell out for MSVC++? I've recently been checking out PellesC but i really want to use C++ rather than just C (might as well go the whole hog!

).

tinman · Post by **tinman** » Thu Mar 11, 2004 6:51 pm

DevC++ (based on GCC 3.2) and it's free.
http://www.bloodshed.net

Pretty good IDE (i.e. behaves like a Windows program, with things where you'd expect unlike the last version of lcc I used) with integrated debugger and stuff like code completion, although there still seem to be minor issues with that. Hassle free setup. Regular updates. Useful if you don't want full blown thing like C++ Builder.

Post by **freak** » Thu Mar 11, 2004 7:33 pm

You might want to have a look here for a list:
http://www.thefreecountry.com/compilers/cpp.shtml

I can't tell you much though. I only used some c++ commandline compilers,
to compile some sources from the net, never to develop with them.

Timo

Saboteur · Post by **Saboteur** » Thu Mar 11, 2004 8:11 pm

In Linux, I use gcc + kdevelop.
In Windows, DevC++.

Some times, I look for another free compiler, (or any surprise

), but DevC++ is the best I found.

fsw · Post by **fsw** » Thu Mar 11, 2004 10:49 pm

There is also Pelles C

GeoTrail · Post by **GeoTrail** » Fri Mar 12, 2004 12:54 am

fsw wrote:There is also Pelles C

Cool, thanks for the link fsw.
I was looking for something other than eVC++

NoahPhense · Post by **NoahPhense** » Fri Mar 12, 2004 2:39 am

tinman wrote:DevC++ (based on GCC 3.2) and it's free.
http://www.bloodshed.net

Pretty good IDE (i.e. behaves like a Windows program, with things where you'd expect unlike the last version of lcc I used) with integrated debugger and stuff like code completion, although there still seem to be minor issues with that. Hassle free setup. Regular updates. Useful if you don't want full blown thing like C++ Builder.

[statement retracted]

- np

kns · Post by **kns** » Fri Mar 12, 2004 4:00 am

omg that is sweet... kicks PellesC in the as$ ..

That's somewhat unfair. GCC has a very long development history (20ish years) as does DevC++. Pellesc is a relatively recent project based on LCC (not lcc-win) and is being developed by one individual. It, like GCC and the DevC++ IDE, is free.

GCC represents a full development chain with many tools and compilers.

LCC is a C compiler.

NoahPhense · Post by **NoahPhense** » Fri Mar 12, 2004 4:24 am

kns wrote:
omg that is sweet... kicks PellesC in the as$ ..
That's somewhat unfair. GCC has a very long development history (20ish years) as does DevC++. Pellesc is a relatively recent project based on LCC (not lcc-win) and is being developed by one individual. It, like GCC and the DevC++ IDE, is free.

GCC represents a full development chain with many tools and compilers.

LCC is a C compiler.

Completely Valid.. forgot about the backend .. ok reinstalling
PellesC

- np

koehler · Post by **koehler** » Fri Mar 12, 2004 5:36 am

I've heard from some of the devs at work that GCC is just plain half-done compared to MSVC or Metrowerks. While not up on MSVC, ~$50 for an educational version seems decent enough. You can probably find a used copy from someone on campus.

kns · Post by **kns** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 6:57 am

I've heard from some of the devs at work that GCC is just plain half-done compared to MSVC or Metrowerks.

Are they talking about the compilerS or the IDE? I suspect the latter.

The GCC tool chain continues to evolve and has been doing so for years. It's ported to most major and not so major operating systems. I believe it may the heart of Apple's Developer Tools (from their site). And, near as I can tell a large percentage of major research tools are developed or ported to GCC, not to mention the various OSes that are available in source form.

I don't understand what half-done means other than there is no standard IDE with all the bells and whistles.

See the timeline at,

http://gcc.gnu.org/releases.html#timeline

This is the opening paragraph from the GCC site,

"GCC is the GNU Compiler Collection, which currently contains front ends for C, C++, Objective-C, Fortran, Java, and Ada, as well as libraries for these languages (libstdc++, libgcj,...). Further frontends are available."

There is a lot there that is being developed and maintained for a wide audience.

blueznl · Post by **blueznl** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 9:33 am

anybody have any comments on digital mars?

kns · Post by **kns** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 7:36 pm

Can't say anything about Digital Mars... but there is also Open Watcom. This too is a mature compiler based on the commercial code from the Watcom series of compilers. See openwatcom.org.

Saboteur · Post by **Saboteur** » Mon Mar 15, 2004 11:16 pm

Watcom was the best compiler any time ago. Is still as good as before?
I never liked it because its assembler style, but the C code was very very good.

Kale · Post by **Kale** » Tue Mar 16, 2004 12:09 am

Decided on Bloodshed's DevC++, it looks pretty cool! I must admit PellesC looks pretty awesome too. I sometimes find it hard to believe these very nice people provide these tools for free! 8O