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GNOME Builder VS CLion

Compare GNOME Builder VS CLion and see what are their differences

GNOME Builder logo GNOME Builder

Builder is an IDE for GNOME that is focused on bringing the power of the platform to more...

CLion logo CLion

A cross-platform IDE for C and C++
  • GNOME Builder Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-08-25
  • CLion Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-24

GNOME Builder features and specs

  • Integrated Development Environment
    GNOME Builder offers a comprehensive IDE that supports an integrated suite of tools for development, including text editing, project management, and debugging.
  • GNOME Integration
    Seamlessly integrates with the GNOME desktop environment, providing a consistent look and feel and utilizing GNOME technologies effectively.
  • Language Support
    Supports a variety of programming languages, including C, C++, Python, JavaScript, and Rust, making it versatile for different types of projects.
  • Code Suggestions and Auto-Completion
    Improves coding efficiency with smart code suggestions, auto-completion features, and real-time syntax checking.
  • Debugger Integration
    Features integrated debugging tools that help developers identify and fix issues within their applications.
  • Version Control
    Supports version control systems like Git, allowing users to manage code changes and collaborate with others effectively.
  • Plugin System
    Extendable through plugins, enabling users to add functionality according to their needs.

Possible disadvantages of GNOME Builder

  • Limited Cross-Platform Support
    Primarily designed for Linux, particularly the GNOME environment, which may limit its usability on other operating systems like Windows or macOS.
  • Resource Intensive
    May consume more system resources compared to lightweight editors, which can be a consideration for users on lower-end hardware.
  • Learning Curve
    Although designed to be user-friendly, the abundance of features can be overwhelming for new users or those who are used to simpler text editors.
  • Limited Non-GNOME Integration
    While excellent for GNOME, users of other desktop environments might find the integration less seamless, affecting workflow.
  • Smaller Community
    Compared to more established IDEs, has a smaller user base and community, which might affect the availability of tutorials and third-party plugins.

CLion features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Support
    CLion is available on Windows, macOS, and Linux, allowing developers to work in their preferred operating system.
  • Intelligent Code Assistance
    CLion provides smart code completion, deep code analysis, and reliable refactorings, which can significantly increase productivity.
  • Built-In Debugger
    The built-in debugger supports GDB and LLDB, offering powerful debugging capabilities within the IDE.
  • CMake Support
    CLion natively supports CMake, which is a widely-used build system in C and C++ projects.
  • Integrated Version Control
    CLion integrates with version control systems such as Git, Subversion, Mercurial, Perforce, and more, facilitating seamless code management.
  • JetBrains Ecosystem
    CLion is part of the JetBrains ecosystem, allowing for integration with other tools like PyCharm, IntelliJ IDEA, and ReSharper.
  • Robust Refactoring
    It provides multiple refactoring options such as renaming, extracting methods, and changing function signatures, which help in maintaining cleaner code.
  • Customizability
    The IDE is highly customizable, allowing developers to tailor the environment to their specific needs with plugins and themes.

Possible disadvantages of CLion

  • Steep Learning Curve
    New users might find the plethora of features overwhelming and may need time to become proficient with the IDE.
  • Resource Intensive
    CLion can be quite demanding on system resources, which may lead to slower performance on less powerful machines.
  • Paid License
    While there is a free trial, CLion is a commercial product, and users have to purchase a license for continued use, which could be a barrier for some.
  • Heavyweight
    Compared to some lightweight text editors and IDEs, CLion can feel heavy and slow to start up, which might be inconvenient for quick edits.
  • Limited Native Tooling
    While CMake is well-supported, native support for other build systems (like Makefiles or Bazel) is less robust.
  • Initial Configuration
    Setting up the IDE for the first time, especially for large projects, can take a significant amount of time and effort.

Analysis of CLion

Overall verdict

  • CLion is considered one of the best IDEs available for C and C++ development. With its comprehensive feature set, it is highly beneficial for developers looking for efficiency and productivity.

Why this product is good

  • CLion is developed by JetBrains, a reputable company known for creating robust development environments.
  • It provides excellent support for C and C++ languages, along with features like code analysis, refactoring, and generation.
  • The IDE offers powerful debugging capabilities, including support for GDB and LLDB.
  • CLion integrates well with popular build systems like CMake, Gradle, and Makefile.
  • It has great support for version control systems such as Git, Subversion, and Mercurial.
  • The IDE includes a customizable interface as well as a variety of plugins to enhance functionality.

Recommended for

  • C and C++ developers seeking an integrated development environment with advanced features.
  • Individuals looking for an IDE that supports both small and large projects with ease.
  • Developers who prefer an IDE with robust debugging and code analysis capabilities.
  • Teams that use modern version control systems and need seamless integration.

GNOME Builder videos

Messing around with: GNOME Builder - Part 1

CLion videos

CLion Quick Tour

More videos:

  • Review - C++ Programming - JetBrains CLion First Impressions
  • Review - Introducing CLion

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to GNOME Builder and CLion)
IDE
18 18%
82% 82
Text Editors
19 19%
81% 81
Software Development
20 20%
80% 80
Business Text Messaging
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare GNOME Builder and CLion

GNOME Builder Reviews

  1. Supervik
    ยท None at None ยท
    GNOME Builder is best IDE for Linux development

    GNOME Builder is fast, clean & simple IDE for GTK application development (on Linux), integrated support for Git and easy possibility to publish the application on FlatHub. This is probably the best IDE for developing applications on Linux

    ๐Ÿ Competitors: KDevelop
    ๐Ÿ‘ Pros:    Intuitive|Super simple|Clear|Fast|Integrated support for git|Easy publication of the application on flathub thanks to the automatically generated manifest|Super localization
    ๐Ÿ‘Ž Cons:    Nothing

CLion Reviews

What's The Best C++ IDE? Our Top C++ IDEs & Editors In 2024
For me, one of CLion's standout features is its smart code analysis. This goes beyond simple syntax checking; it delves into your code's structure, ensuring both accuracy and efficiency. The IDE effectively catches errors and suggests relevant fixes even before you run your code, a boon for maintaining code quality.
Source: hackr.io

What are some alternatives?

When comparing GNOME Builder and CLion, you can also consider the following products

Code::Blocks - Code::Blocks is a free C++ IDE built to meet the most demanding needs of its users.

Eclipse - Eclipse is an open source community, whose projects are focused on building an open development platform comprised of extensible frameworks, tools and runtimes for building, deploying and managing software across the lifecycle.

Geany - Lightweight IDE for Linux and Windows

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

Zenity - Zenity is a tool that allows you to display GTK dialog boxes in commandline and shell scripts.

Netbeans - NetBeans IDE 7.0. Develop desktop, mobile and web applications with Java, PHP, C/C++ and more. Runs on Windows, Linux, Mac OS X and Solaris. NetBeans IDE is open-source and free.