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Geany VS Xcode

Compare Geany VS Xcode and see what are their differences

Geany logo Geany

Lightweight IDE for Linux and Windows

Xcode logo Xcode

Xcode is Apple’s powerful integrated development environment for creating great apps for Mac, iPhone, and iPad. Xcode 4 includes the Xcode IDE, instruments, iOS Simulator, and the latest Mac OS X and iOS SDKs.
  • Geany Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-10-14
  • Xcode Landing page
    Landing page //
    2024-07-04

Geany features and specs

  • Lightweight
    Geany is designed to be a small and fast IDE, making it ideal for users who prefer a quick and responsive environment without the bulk of larger IDEs.
  • Cross-Platform
    Geany is available on multiple operating systems including Windows, Linux, and macOS, allowing for consistent development experience across different platforms.
  • Extensible
    Geany supports a wide variety of plugins that can expand its functionality, allowing users to tailor the editor to their specific needs.
  • Supports Multiple Languages
    Geany provides support for several programming languages out of the box, making it a versatile choice for developers working in different languages.
  • Fast Load Time
    Due to its minimalist design, Geany has a very fast load time compared to more complex IDEs, which can enhance productivity.
  • Integrated Build System
    Geany includes a basic integrated build system, which allows you to compile and run code directly from the editor.

Possible disadvantages of Geany

  • Limited Features Compared to Full-Fledged IDEs
    While Geany is lightweight and fast, it may lack some of the advanced features offered by more comprehensive IDEs like IntelliJ IDEA or Visual Studio.
  • Basic Debugging Tools
    Geany's built-in debugging tools are quite rudimentary, which might not meet the needs of developers working on complex projects that require advanced debugging features.
  • User Interface
    The user interface of Geany, while functional, can feel outdated compared to more modern editors and might not have the same level of polish or aesthetic appeal.
  • Plugin Ecosystem
    Geany has fewer plugins available compared to more popular IDEs like Visual Studio Code, which can limit its extendability and customization options.
  • Community and Support
    Being a smaller project, Geany may not have as large a community or as comprehensive support resources as larger IDEs, which can be a disadvantage for troubleshooting and learning.

Xcode features and specs

  • Integrated Development Environment
    Xcode offers a fully integrated development environment for macOS, iOS, watchOS, and tvOS. This integration includes code editing, project management, compilers, and debugging tools all in one application.
  • Interface Builder
    Interface Builder is a graphical tool included with Xcode that allows developers to design user interfaces visually. This can speed up the development process and allow for easier customization of user interfaces.
  • Swift and Objective-C Support
    Xcode provides robust support for both the Swift and Objective-C programming languages, which are essential for Apple's ecosystem.
  • Simulator
    Xcode includes simulators for all Apple devices, allowing for rapid testing and debugging of applications without the need for physical hardware.
  • In-depth Debugging Tools
    Xcode provides a comprehensive suite of debugging tools like breakpoints, stack trace analysis, and memory management tools, helping developers identify and resolve issues efficiently.
  • Performance and Profiling Tools
    Xcode includes Instruments, a powerful performance analysis and profiling toolset. This helps developers optimize the performance and memory usage of their applications.
  • Documentation and Resources
    Xcode has built-in access to extensive Apple Developer Documentation and resources, making it easier to find information and solutions related to Apple's APIs and frameworks.

Possible disadvantages of Xcode

  • macOS Exclusive
    Xcode is only available for macOS, meaning that developers must use an Apple computer to build applications for Apple's platforms.
  • Resource Intensive
    Xcode can be demanding on system resources, particularly RAM and CPU, which can affect performance on older or less powerful machines.
  • Steep Learning Curve
    For new developers, Xcode can be overwhelming due to its complexity and the vast array of features and options available.
  • Update Frequency
    Frequent updates to Xcode can sometimes introduce new bugs or require developers to update their project settings and code to maintain compatibility.
  • Limited Cross-Platform Capabilities
    Xcode is designed specifically for Apple's ecosystems and provides limited support for cross-platform development, restricting its use for developers targeting multiple platforms.
  • Build Times
    Build times for larger projects can become lengthy, potentially slowing down the development cycle and time to market.

Geany videos

Geany 1.32 Lightweight IDE - Linux Mint Installation, Features, Plugins and Themes

More videos:

  • Review - Geany for C and Python Programming
  • Review - LinuxDays 2015 - Geany - a lightwight IDE - Frank Lanitz

Xcode videos

Getting Started: An Overview of Xcode

More videos:

  • Review - Xcode 15 - What's New

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Geany and Xcode)
Text Editors
32 32%
68% 68
IDE
26 26%
74% 74
Software Development
43 43%
57% 57
Developer Tools
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Geany and Xcode

Geany Reviews

10 Best Notepad++ Alternatives in 2020
Geany is a text editor which uses GTK+ toolkit. It also has certain basic features of an integrated development environment. The tool supports many filetypes and has some nice features.
Source: www.guru99.com
10 Best Sublime Text Alternatives in 2019
Geany is a text editor which uses GTK+ toolkit. It also has certain basic features of an integrated development environment. The tool supports many filetypes and has some nice features.
Source: www.guru99.com

Xcode Reviews

Explore 9 Top Eclipse Alternatives for 2024
While Xcode is primarily free, a subscription to the Apple Developer Program is required for iOS app development at $99 per year.
Source: aircada.com
What's The Best C++ IDE? Our Top C++ IDEs & Editors In 2024
Occupying the sixth spot on my list is Xcode, Apple's flagship IDE. And yes, it's probably most well-known for macOS, iOS, watchOS, and tvOS development, but Xcode is also an excellent choice for C++ developers working on the macOS platform.
Source: hackr.io
Android Studio Alternative
Apple’s integrated development environment (IDE) for macOS is Xcode, which can be used to create software for macOS, iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, and tvOS. In addition, it provides Command Line Tools (CLT), which enable UNIX-style development via the Terminal app in macOS. Xcode also has built-in support for source code management via the Git version control system and protocol,...
Source: www.educba.com
Top 10 Visual Studio Alternatives
The XCode cloud is a constant integration and a type of delivery service. It is a type of cloud that is ideally designed for apple users. It is only made for MAC OS X; hence, you need to try other ways if you have a Windows PC. The main goal of Xcode is to develop the software system for various IOS systems.
Best Eclipse Alternatives to Use
Xcode includes a code editor supporting syntax highlighting, intelligent code completion, and code snippets, as well as an interface builder, which is designed for developing graphical user interfaces. Xcode supports the entire lifecycle of an application, including code editing, compilation, debugging, testing, and deployment.
Source: eclipsewin.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Xcode seems to be a lot more popular than Geany. While we know about 145 links to Xcode, we've tracked only 6 mentions of Geany. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Geany mentions (6)

  • Zed on Linux Is Here
    If you want a fast C++ editor with no spurious network connectivity and a conventional desktop UI, check out Geany: https://geany.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 10 months ago
  • Finding the Last Editor
    > One that isn't tied to a specific platform, or preferably even a specific company, and that I trust will still be around until I'm done programming. That is Geany[0]: no opinions, no company affiliations, no editor wars. It has been around forever, works on everything, and is open-source. [0] https://geany.org/. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Best lua ide?
    I just use Geany for everything, it has a long history and has proven itself to be reliable. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Geany is a fantastic, fast, powerful GUI text editor for many purposes & has a low barrier to entry
    After trying a bunch of GUI text editors in Linux and on the Mac I gotta say that to me, Geany is the best. Source: about 3 years ago
  • I know, not exactly Linux.
    Have you tried Geany? It's based on Scintilla, just like Notepad++ is (although that's an implementation detail that you don't really need to know to use either of them), which helps it to feel very similar. Source: about 3 years ago
View more

Xcode mentions (145)

  • An Animated Introduction to Programming in C++ [Full Course]
    There are practice problems in each section so that you can practice while learning from the content. These are in the 'Hands-On Practice' section in each section. Integrated Development Environments (IDEs) are tools that allow you to write your own programs. There are some great, free C++ IDEs out there like Visual Studio, Xcode, and CLion. The simplest way to get started is to use a web-based IDE. Replit works... - Source: dev.to / about 2 months ago
  • Which App Debugging Tools are the Best?
    2. Xcode Debugger Xcode remains the standard iOS app debugging tool. Its debugger is exceptional at identifying memory leaks, helping to discover thread races, and even focusing on the cause of crashes. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Must-Use Mobile Accessibility Testing Tools in 2025
    XCode inspector offers VoiceOver Simulation to read out app elements for identifying if descriptions mentioned for the UI are meaningful and informative. It helps to make your app accessible to users with disabilities. Apart from that the Accessibility Inspector offers a complete audit of the app’s UI elements. Also as you make changes to your app the tool offers immediate feedback on accessibility issues. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • From React to React Native – A Beginner-Friendly Guide🚀
    Set Up Android Studio and Xcode: To develop for Android, you need Android Studio installed. For iOS development, Xcode is required (macOS only). - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
  • How To Build a TikTok Clone With SwiftUI
    To follow along with this tutorial, you will need an Xcode installation. It is recommended to download Xcode 15 or a later version. Also, to provide access to the user's camera feed in this app, we will use the Stream Video SDK. The Video SDK allows developers to build FaceTime-style video calling](https://getstream.io/blog/facetime-clone/), Twitch-like content... - Source: dev.to / 11 months ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Geany and Xcode, you can also consider the following products

VS Code - Build and debug modern web and cloud applications, by Microsoft

Microsoft Visual Studio - Microsoft Visual Studio is an integrated development environment (IDE) from Microsoft.

Sublime Text - Sublime Text is a sophisticated text editor for code, html and prose - any kind of text file. You'll love the slick user interface and extraordinary features. Fully customizable with macros, and syntax highlighting for most major languages.

IntelliJ IDEA - Capable and Ergonomic IDE for JVM

Notepad++ - A free source code editor which supports several programming languages running under the MS Windows environment.

Android Studio - Android development environment based on IntelliJ IDEA