Code Blocks

Code::Blocks is a great cross-platform for developers that need a C, C++ and Fortran IDE. Flexible, all plug-in based. Want to shape it your way? There’s even a wizard to help you build your own plug-ins. It maintains a consistent look and feel across Windows, Linux and macOS, and it scales from small one-file projects to large multi-workspace.

You will appreciate Code::Blocks if you've wrestled with Visual Studio's multi-gigabyte footprint. Code::Blocks gives you everything essential for C++ development and if you grab the version with MinGW bundled, you're writing and compiling code within minutes of downloading.

Here is a quick, overview of some of the great features found in Code::Blocks

Features	Description
Open Source	GPL v3 license with no hidden costs
Cross-Platform	Runs natively on Windows, Linux and macOS using wxWidgets
Plugin Framework	Extend or write plugins to add editors, compilers or custom tools
Compiler Support	GCC (MingW), Clang, MSVC, Digital Mars, Borland C++ and more
Custom Build System	Ultra-fast dependency tracking, build queues and parallel builds
Debugger Interface	GDB and MS CDB support with breakpoints, watches and call stack
Code Editing	Syntax highlighting, code folding, auto-completion and smart indent
Project Management	Workspaces for multi-project setups and import of MSVC/Dev-C++

The user interface and functionality

Open Code::Blocks and you're greeted with... nothing fancy. And that's great. The interface is classic, everything is exactly where you'd expect. Your code is in the center, project files live on the left, compiler output stays at the bottom. No hamburger menus, no "innovative" UI experiments.

If you want to create a new project. Pick your template - console app, static library, wxWidgets GUI, whatever - and you're coding. The IDE will find your compilers automatically. Switch between GCC and MSVC with a dropdown. No registry hack or PATH variables and no XML configuration files.

The editor does its job. Bracket matching works. Auto-indent behaves sensibly. Code folding doesn't forget your preferences. Just hit F9 and your code compiles and runs. Set a breakpoint, hit F8, and now you're debugging. No "would you like to install the C++ workload?" pop-ups. There is no "updating IntelliSense database" progress bars that never finish.

But here's where Code::Blocks really shines - wxWidgets development.

The built-in form designer will generate clean C++ code, not some proprietary format you're locked into. Design your GUI, and it spits out .cpp and .h files you can edit like any other source. You can move the generated code, add your own methods between the marker blocks - and the designer still recognizes everything when you reopen the form.

A few Alternatives

IDE	Download Size	Startup Time	Positive	Negative
Code::Blocks	50MB (400MB with compiler)	2 seconds	Just works	Looks dated
Visual Studio Community	2GB minimum	30+ seconds	Powerful debugger	Bloated beyond belief
Dev-C++	50MB	1 second	Nostalgic	Development dead since 2015
CLion	500MB	10 seconds	Modern UI	Subscription pricing
Qt Creator	300MB	5 seconds	Amazing for Qt	Overkill otherwise

If you build wxWidgets apps you should try Code::Blocks. The form designer alone is great. You can generate code you can actually maintain, not some black box you're afraid to touch.

Code::Blocks will work with ARM toolchains, AVR compilers, whatever architecture you're targeting. Point it at your compiler and that's it.

Finally

Code::Blocks delivers exactly what it promises - a fast, stable IDE for C++ development. It is not Visual Studio (actually to make an analogy is exactly as Nero Burning Rom vs CDBurnerXP) but it still great for serious work. If you code with wxWidgets or building real projects on Linux, Code::Blocks is a great pick. And yes, it is free after 20 years of development.

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