Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Qt Creator VS KDevelop

Compare Qt Creator VS KDevelop and see what are their differences

Qt Creator logo Qt Creator

Qt Creator is a cross-platform C++, JavaScript and QML integrated development environment. It is the fastest, easiest and most fun experience a C++ developer could wish for.

KDevelop logo KDevelop

KDevelop is a free, open source IDE (Integrated Development Environment) for Linux, Solaris, FreeBSD, Mac OS X and other Unix flavors.
  • Qt Creator Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-21
  • KDevelop Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-04-21

Qt Creator features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Development
    Qt Creator allows developers to write code once and deploy it across multiple platforms including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, saving time and resources.
  • Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
    It provides a comprehensive IDE with features like code completion, syntax highlighting, and integrated debugging that streamline the development process.
  • Rich Library of Widgets
    Qt Creator includes a wide range of widgets for UI development, making it easier to build complex user interfaces.
  • Strong Community and Documentation
    The tool is backed by a robust community and extensive documentation, providing valuable support and resources for developers.
  • Native Performance
    Applications built with Qt Creator often exhibit near-native performance due to its effective use of C++ and platform-specific optimizations.
  • Designer Tool
    Qt Creator features a visual designer that helps developers create and modify UI components through drag-and-drop functionality.

Possible disadvantages of Qt Creator

  • Steep Learning Curve
    New users might find Qt Creator challenging to learn due to its comprehensive set of features and the intricacies of C++ programming.
  • License Cost
    While Qt is free and open-source under the LGPL, for commercial use or access to additional features, the licensing fees can be quite high.
  • Heavy Resource Usage
    The IDE can be resource-intensive, potentially slowing down development on less powerful machines.
  • Limited Non-C++ Language Support
    Qt Creator is primarily designed for C++ development, and although it supports other languages, the support is not as robust.
  • Deployment Complexity
    Deploying applications across multiple platforms can sometimes be complex and require significant configuration.
  • Large Binary Size
    Applications built with Qt often have a larger binary size compared to those built with some other frameworks, which might be a concern for resource-constrained environments.

KDevelop features and specs

  • Comprehensive IDE
    KDevelop offers a full-featured integrated development environment with support for multiple languages such as C, C++, Python, and PHP. It includes advanced code editing features, debugging tools, and project management capabilities.
  • Free and Open Source
    KDevelop is free to use and is released under the GNU General Public License (GPL), making it open to community contributions and suitable for developers who prefer open-source software.
  • Customizability
    Users can customize the IDE extensively to fit their workflow. This includes configuring key bindings, interface layouts, and adding plugins to extend functionality.
  • Powerful Code Analysis
    KDevelop provides powerful code analysis tools, such as static code analysis, to help identify potential issues in your code early in the development process.
  • Cross-Platform Support
    KDevelop runs on various operating systems, including Linux, macOS, and Windows, providing flexibility for developers working in different environments.

Possible disadvantages of KDevelop

  • Learning Curve
    Due to its comprehensive feature set and extensive customizability, new users might find KDevelop overwhelming at first and require time to get fully accustomed to the IDE.
  • Resource Intensive
    Being a full-featured IDE, KDevelop can be resource-intensive, especially on older or less powerful hardware, potentially leading to slower performance.
  • Limited Community Support
    While KDevelop has an active set of developers, its user community is smaller compared to more widely-used IDEs like Visual Studio Code or IntelliJ IDEA, which can make finding solutions to specific issues more challenging.
  • Lacks Some Popular Features
    Compared to other popular IDEs, KDevelop might lack certain trendy features and integrations, particularly those related to web development toolchains, which are present in more modern editors.
  • Dependency on KDE
    KDevelop is tightly integrated with the KDE ecosystem. While it can run outside of KDE, certain features and aesthetic elements might not function as well on other desktop environments.

Analysis of Qt Creator

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Qt Creator is considered a good choice for developers who are working within the Qt framework. It combines functionality with a user-friendly interface, making it suitable for both beginners and experienced developers. While it excels in Qt-focused development, it might not provide the same level of convenience for projects outside of this framework.

Why this product is good

  • Qt Creator is a well-regarded integrated development environment (IDE) primarily used for developing cross-platform applications with the Qt framework. It offers a robust set of features including a powerful code editor, GUI design tools, integrated debugging and profiling, and excellent support for C++ and QML languages. The IDE supports version control systems such as Git and offers various plugins and extensions, enhancing its capabilities. Its cross-platform nature allows developers to compile applications for multiple operating systems with relative ease, making it a versatile tool for application development.

Recommended for

  • Developers working with the Qt framework.
  • C++ programmers looking for an integrated design and development environment.
  • Teams developing cross-platform applications.
  • Those seeking an all-in-one IDE capable of handling both development and design aspects of software creation.
  • Individuals interested in developing applications with a graphical user interface using QML.

Analysis of KDevelop

Overall verdict

  • KDevelop is generally considered a robust and feature-rich IDE that can compete with other popular development environments. Its comprehensive toolset and open-source nature make it a strong choice for developers, particularly those working within the KDE or Qt ecosystems.

Why this product is good

  • KDevelop is an integrated development environment (IDE) well-regarded for its versatility and its ability to support a wide range of programming languages, including C++, Python, PHP, and many others. It offers features such as syntax highlighting, code completion, and project management tools. Its integration with KDE technologies makes it a particularly good choice for KDE or Qt development. KDevelop is also open-source and has a supportive community, providing the ability to customize and extend the IDE according to user needs.

Recommended for

  • Developers working with C++, Python, or PHP
  • Users involved in KDE or Qt projects
  • Those looking for an open-source and customizable IDE
  • Developers who appreciate a strong plugin architecture and community support

Qt Creator videos

Introduction to Qt - Qt Creator IDE Overview and Examples {tutorial}

KDevelop videos

Hello World KDevelop

More videos:

  • Tutorial - KDevelop Tutorial #1 - Creating CMake-based C/C++ Project from Template

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Qt Creator and KDevelop)
IDE
81 81%
19% 19
Text Editors
83 83%
17% 17
Software Development
79 79%
21% 21
Developer Tools
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 Qt Creator and KDevelop

Qt Creator Reviews

Top 10 Android Studio Alternatives For App Development
Qt Creator is an IDE for programmers that is used to create multiple applications and eases GUI application modifications or designs. It is the best tool for creating Qt applications.
9 Of The Best Android Studio Alternatives To Try Out
Qt Creator is a QMl, javaScript, and C++ integrated development environment for the Qt framework. It comes equipped with a visual debugger and forms designer and also has a GUI layout.
What's The Best C++ IDE? Our Top C++ IDEs & Editors In 2024
Another standout feature of Qt Creator is its design tools. This C++ IDE offers an intuitive and powerful drag-and-drop interface for designing user interfaces. This level of integration between UI design and code development can streamline your workflow, making it easier to transform your visual designs into functional code.
Source: hackr.io
10 Best Android Studio Alternatives For App Development
QT Creator is another SDK for QT Framework. It is a cross-platform development application with integration to C++, QML, and Javascript. It comes with an integrated GUI platform that lays a perfect environment for Android app development.
Source: techdator.net

KDevelop Reviews

We have no reviews of KDevelop yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, KDevelop seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 2 times since March 2021. 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.

Qt Creator mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Qt Creator yet. Tracking of Qt Creator recommendations started around Mar 2021.

KDevelop mentions (2)

  • Is there no good free c++ ide for linux? 🤔
    Never tried it: https://kdevelop.org/. Source: about 2 years ago
  • How to start learning C++? What tools will I need?
    Since you want to become a KDE developer I suggest you use KDevelop as your IDE. Source: about 2 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Qt Creator and KDevelop, you can also consider the following products

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

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.

IntelliJ IDEA - Capable and Ergonomic IDE for JVM

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.

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.

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