CodePointer

CodePointer is a free programming environment for developers, useful for those who write code in multiple languages. This software supports Rust, Go, C++, Python and other programming languages (the focus is on local development, not web applications).

The program is built using Qt framework and C++ technology, it runs on Microsoft Windows systems (exe installer available) and Linux distributions (AppImage package). Connection to remote servers is not required, all work happens locally on your computer. After you install the software, you can load projects, edit source files and build applications (check the features list in section below). The developer of this program is Diego Iastrubni, he started this project and continues working on new releases. Code gets released monthly, typically on the 1st day of each month with testing versions (RC/Beta/Alpha) starting around the 20th.

Main Functions

• text editor that supports UTF-8 encoding only (if you need different encoding, you can request this feature)

• project loading and building: CMake projects, Meson build system, Go modules, Cargo for Rust

• file preview capabilities: XML documents, JSON files, SVG graphics, Markdown text

• binary file editor with hexadecimal view

• basic image viewing function

• automatic update system with stable channel and testing channel options

• command palette: press Control+P for opening files quickly, Control+Shift+P shows available commands

• automatic save function (modified files get restored when you start the program next time)

• git integration currently in development (work in progress status)

• simple IDE functions available: you can load your projects, compile them and run the main executable from the user interface, but debugging tools are not included yet, code completion needs improvement

CodePointer Review

Note: This software is in early development stage! The program works well as a text editor with some restrictions. If you need a basic IDE for your projects, CodePointer can handle loading and building, but advanced features like debugging are missing currently.

Usually there are new versions of CodePointer released each month.

If you write programs in Rust, Go or C++, CodePointer brings an advantage, it offers you a light environment that doesn't require cloud services or remote connections.

This IDE is focused on local development work so everything runs on your machine. The program is built with Qt framework which means it works on both Windows and Linux systems. You do have some alternatives from large players such as Microsoft or JetBrains that will certainly offer complete solutions but they usually (like most suites) demand more system resources and there are a lot of features that you will probably not going to use.

If you compare this IDE with other free code editors such as the popular Visual Studio Code or Geany or CodeLite (another Qt-based IDE from open source community) CodePointer takes a different approach with its minimalistic design. I am not sure what would be the perfect comparison but if your ever used Audacity in the past, there was a great version named DarkAudacity developed by one of the main developers of the Audacity project. Or think at IrfanView vs Photoshop - if you only use a few features, it doesn't make sense to install the Photoshop behemoth (not trying to sound disrespectful).

Another strong point to me is that this software works completely locally so there is no telemetry or data collection, your code stays on your computer. To me this is important and I keep asking left and right. If you create code and it is something original or something sensitive are you aware of the difference when it comes to data collection?

Anyway, just download the installer, run CodePointer and try it - I listed a couple of main features above.

I already said this is a new program and it means some features are incomplete. For example, the code completion doesn't work perfectly yet and according to the author, debugging capabilities are planned but not currently available. Also, the git integration shows as work in progress on the roadmap. But for a text editor with project management, CodePointer already functions well.

Good to know: The author, Diego Iastrubni maintains a kanban board on GitHub (https://github.com/users/diegoiast/projects/2) where you can see planned features and report issues. If you want to help with development, contributions are accepted, instructions are in the hack.md file in repository. You need a C++ compiler, CMake and Qt installed on your system to build from source.

If you're looking for some live coding videos you can find them on YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQeAIMKe60pMtZp3KZTmYoYXySy6UlvD3).

As a final conclusion, the main benefits are the small size of this program, the local operation (no cloud services required, no telemetry - so full respect for your privacy), the multi-language support (Rust, Go, C++, Python work with same IDE) plus a clean interface. It is released under GPLv2 license which means it will stay free. If you need a simple code editor with some basic IDE functions and you don't want any heavy commercial software, CodePointer is a great alternative.

Full Changelog: https://github.com/diegoiast/qtedit4/compare/v0.1.1...v0.1.2

March 2026 - release 0.1.2 - Very superstition

This short month brings up 3 major things:

1. Initial git commit dialog. You can trigger it via control g, c. Most of the commits in this cycle. Note that all git commits can be done by pressing control+g and the leaving control and pressing another command (commit, log, "file log", diff with more to come).
2. clang format support. If in the route of a saved file there is a .clang-format file - the IDE will call clang format after saving. This is configurable (never, only for files in loaded projects or always). This defaults to never, but I am testing it locally with loaded projects.
3. As I continue using the IDE as my main IDE, I setup my computer to use dark themes on nights. I found out that color changes were not properly applied. This was not trivial to find out - but this should not be a problem from now on.

Some other good cleanups were done (comments are properly supported on nested syntaxes, clicking diff will open the corresponding file a the modified line, markings are cleared when rebuilding, completion will preserve the case of the text. See details in each commit.

Changelog

• Delete empty line not possible - https://github.com/diegoiast/qutepart-cpp/issues/65
• Selection: moving selection moves a line too much - https://github.com/diegoiast/qutepart-cpp/issues/64
• Git-commit - https://github.com/codepointerapp/codepointer/issues/170
• HexViewer: use inline search - https://github.com/codepointerapp/codepointer/issues/160
• editor: clicking on a diff should open the current file - https://github.com/codepointerapp/codepointer/issues/163
• Line edit operations unit test is broken - https://github.com/diegoiast/qutepart-cpp/issues/49
• Python unit test - data driven - is not working - https://github.com/diegoiast/qutepart-cpp/issues/50
• CStyle indenter - if12 broken - https://github.com/diegoiast/qutepart-cpp/issues/52
• CStyleIndenter - for1 unit test broken - https://github.com/diegoiast/qutepart-cpp/issues/53
• Editor: auto reload - https://github.com/codepointerapp/codepointer/issues/168
• qutepart: marking are not properly cleared - https://github.com/diegoiast/qutepart-cpp/issues/66
• Completion does not honor case - https://github.com/diegoiast/qutepart-cpp/issues/67
• clang-format - https://github.com/codepointerapp/codepointer/issues/172
• Toggle comment - https://github.com/diegoiast/qutepart-cpp/issues/9
• The IDE does not adopt to new themes change - https://github.com/codepointerapp/codepointer/issues/166
• Closing a tab before content loaded, causes a crash - https://github.com/codepointerapp/codepointer/issues/162