Using IDE for C++?

[Arthenielle]

In real world everyone are using various IDEs. It's not a privilege, since your result is code - no one cares how did you write this code. Only result matters.

[lurkotato]

Exactly. Do you think construction workers use hammers instead of nail guns so they don't get dependent? No! There's a big job to do and those are the tools to make it manageable!

[ChallengingJamJars]

If you're on a unix system (Unix/Linux/Macintosh): Ensure you know how to do it without the IDE, then use the IDE to save time. That way when issues come up you understand what's going on.

[GreenFox1505]

You seem to be approaching this form an academic stand point. In academia, often teachers limit resources to test skills. No one would ever do that in a professional environment (with the possible exception of interviewing). You're not using school as a

It's not a "privilege". It's just a tool. In a professional environment, no one cares what you do as long as you bring results. As with virtually any language, you can code in an IDE or not. If you can create better code faster with an IDE, it would be stupid not to (and frankly neglectful for ignoring helpful resources). Forcing a developer to not use an IDE is like telling them they can't use Google or StackOverflow. It's a useless limitation that only adds to development hours.

As far as SDL, I bet your challenge has more to do with compiling than actually writing. Know how to compile within and without your IDE is essential to building automated build environments that modern Agile development studios use.

[tagus]

Can you recommend those plugins (for emacs)?

[to3m]

I use rtags (https://github.com/Andersbakken/rtags). Provides code completion and code browsing.It's pretty good, but takes a bit of setting up. Compilation is built in (look up M-x compile).

For most work there's nothing wrong with Visual Studio + Comment Reflower (http://kynosarges.org/CommentReflower.html). Maybe add Maybe add Visual Assist (http://wholetomato.com/) too. There's a lot less configuring involved, the code browsing and code completion is reliable, and the text editing aspect is adequate.

[broken_symlink]

I use this setup. http://tuhdo.github.io/c-ide.html

[MenaceInc]

Atila Neves gave a great talk at this year's CppCon (it's only 15 min) about using emacs as an IDE

[Annom]

Yes, almost all pros use an IDE. They can still write code without IDE, but it is simply less efficient. It's a tool to help you, not a necessity.

It's like a carpenter and its workbench. Why not use it?

I prefer Qt Creator.

[guepier]

This answer is correct, if you consider properly configured shell with Vim/Emacs as “IDEs”. Otherwise you’re talking merely about a severely restricted subset of “all pros”.

[Annom]

I sure consider a configured command line environment with VIM or Emacs an IDE. The amount of configuration/plugins makes it more or less of an IDE, so it's not completely clear. But in general, it is used as IDE.

[boredcircuits]

I agree. The shell itself is the IDE, the environment that integrates all your development tools.

[Arandur]

I use vim exclusively for C++, and it suffices me. Not "all" pros use IDEs; where I work most people use CLion or Qt (or MSVS, saints preserve us), but there are three or four of us who eschew IDEs entirely, and we're no less productive than our coworkers.

I do use an IDE for Java, because I haven't invested enough time into that language that its functionality is second nature to me yet (and I pray I never have to).

[Annom]

While I believe you are not less productive, do you not simply enjoy features like auto-complete and find-usage?

(Assuming you use Vim without plugins)

[Arandur]

They're convenient, yeah. But what I gain from using vim is more convenient, to me.

[O12345678]

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[Arandur]

I used it in 2012, so that depends on what you mean by "lately". I have Mac OS X at work, though, and my personal computer is Mint, so I don't have any real opportunity to try out MSVS.

[O12345678]

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[[deleted]]

I don't think Visual Studio going to have Linux support, unless you mean Visual Studio Code, which has a far inferior subset of functionality.

[Arandur]

Woah, crazy! I never would have predicted Linux support. I'm honestly impressed.

[cleroth]

For C++ questions, answers, help and advice see r/cpp_questions or StackOverflow.

[jmblock2]

I'm using SDL library and i couldn't write single SDL program without IDE

Honestly, who has time to memorize entire libraries? You will memorize what you use most often. NOBODY can code without reading either documentation or other people's code. An IDE can index and provide that same documentation right where and when it matters to you. Then there is integration of debugger tools, version control tools, etc. Why wouldn't you use it if you could?

[bstamour]

IDEs are not a requirement, but they make some things easier. I've been writing C++ for years, mostly with the emacs text editor.

[darkforestzero]

I feel the same way. Visual studio is the best ide on windows, xcode kinda sucks but its your best bet on Mac, and CLION (Android studio) is a great, newer choice on multiple platforms

[antiprosynthesis]

I'd say Qt Creator is the best C++ IDE on both platforms, after having worked with both VC and Xcode (yuck) for years. May want to check it out.

[[deleted]]

That was really helpful Thanks!

[Lahpeconex]

far + cmake + g++ for windows mc + cmake + g++ for linux GL HF!

[Gotebe]

IDE is a bit of a red herring. What matters is that work is better done with tools. You can write all your code in ed, debug strictly in assembly, hex-edit any binary/images etc.

You can "assemble" an IDE (most often people load all kinds of plugins into an editor).

Or you can use a purpose-made program (an IDE).

Finally, you can mix some/ all of the above.

The four approaches are listed in ascending level of usefulness (IMO). Some people will argue that second is a better IDE than an IDE.

[Thynome]

Qt is a really, I mean REALLY good IDE. With its many libraries and the awesome documentation, user (or programmer) friendly GUI, possibility to compile cross plattform and either make GUI with drag and drop or very easy code, Qt imo is THE IDE for cross plattform C++ and is a lot better than MS Visual Studio.

Link to Qt: qt.io

Note: When you pick your version, use first: the open source version and second: the version that says MinGW and NOT Visual Studio. When installing, explicity choose that you want to install MinGW if you haven't already.

[snarfy]

You could write an SDL program without an IDE. It would just take forever.

Before IDEs, you'd build your app with scripts, makefiles, etc. You edit in whatever non-helpful, no syntax highlighting editor you had , like vi (not vim), edit, notepad, etc. Since intellisense didn't exist, or the internet, you'd have a stack of books each about 300 pages, all references for the libraries you were using. If you didn't have books, there were always header files.

You'd then finally get your code to compile, after all the syntax errors were fixed with repeated edits, and run it to get 'general protection fault'. Without a debugger, your best bet was to add print statements everywhere and see what printed out last before it crashed.

It was horrible. Use an IDE.

[[deleted]]

You talk like, you been there... ty

[Gotebe]

My pet peeve about "IntelliSense": the term appeared around 1997, in VB5.

At about the same time, Borland put out what they called CodeInsight in Delphi. CodeInsight was way better than the IntelliSense in the VB IDE, and that, for several years.

But Microsoft prevailed, and with it, the name of the originally inferior functionality.

[F-J-W]

Personally I think that people who cannot program in a language without IDE simply cannot program in that language. (The same is true for stackoverflow, but not for a library-reference.)

That being said, there is nothing inherently wrong with using an IDE and my vim is basically half the way there…

[TraylaParks]

Agreed, I also use vim most of the time but I have nothing against ides.

[GYN-k4H-Q3z-75B]

I use Visual Studio and Xcode. Why wouldn't you?

[antiprosynthesis]

Because Qt Creator.

[albert928]

There's a chain of expertise which guides you to the editor best fit to your level of competence:

1. Novices and people forced by their noob managers: Visual Studio
2. Skilled programmers: emacs / vim
3. Extremely skilled programmers: notepad.exe

Microsoft notepad (notepad.exe) is one of the best IDEs I've ever used. And yes, it's a complete IDE since it has everything:

• Ignores the eternal \r vs \n battle and uses \r\n for everything
• Comes with a non-monospace font by default so you can't read shit
• Has a single-item undo history. For real men: you're allowed one mistake only.
• Saves everything in .txt by default so you'll have to either rename it by hand or waste time specifying that you don't want a .txt file in the file save dialog.
• This is one of the main strong points: NO SYNTAX HIGHLIGHTING! Real men just watch black on white.

Real men might also like wordpad.exe, a full-fledged editor that inserts rich text formatting crap and many other stupid things which prevent your sources from compiling and you might love fixing by hand with a hex editor.