Reputation: 52799

clang-based cross-platform C++ IDE?

The clang C++ compiler claims to be built for, among other things, better IDE integration by providing an API for the IDE to use for tasks such as parsing the code.

So, are there are any good C++ IDE's that use clang to provide features such as semantic highlighting, refactoring, and finding and showing semantic errors in real-time?

I've been using Eclipse CDT, but its C++ parser is full of imperfections that cause the IDE to report a lot of annoying false positive errors in the code. I would like to have an IDE that reports an error if and only if the compiler would report the same error, hence my interest in an IDE that's built on a compiler's internals.

I'm primarily interested in cross-platform IDE's, although I wouldn't mind knowing about single-platform ones for Windows or Linux (so not Xcode), as long as they are FOSS (another reason why not Xcode).

Upvotes: 44

Answers (8)

rubenvb

Reputation: 76720

Qt Creator is basing their next-gen code parsing and associated functionality on Clang:

https://www.qt.io/blog/2011/10/19/qt-creator-and-clang

Looks very, very promising!

Upvotes: 17

Ciro Santilli OurBigBook.com

Reputation: 383816

jucipp

~900 stars on GitHub in 2019Q2: https://github.com/cppit/jucipp

Now moved to GitLab: https://gitlab.com/cppit/jucipp

Clearly advertises libclang backend as a main feature.

Upvotes: 0

JeremiahB

Reputation: 916

KDevelop now has clang based c and c++ support, including semantic analysis and autocomplete. It is primarily for linux but (as of October 2016) has a beta release out for windows and mac as well.

For emacs there are irony-mode and rtags that provide features such as auto-complete, on fly error checking and jump to symbol. When combined with cmake-ide they are very powerful tools and one well versed in emacs can be highly productive in this environment.

Upvotes: 3

HighCommander4

Reputation: 52799

A relevant new development in this area in the Language Server Protocol (LSP) project, which aims to be a language-agnostic API that allows editors / IDEs to be decoupled from backends that provide code intelligence / analysis.

There is ongoing work to create a clang-based C++ backend called Clangd.

There is also ongoing work on several editors / IDEs to support the LSP as a client.

Once the backend implementation matures, all editors supporting the LSP will, in principle, be able to leverage clang's capabilities as exposed through Clangd.

Upvotes: 3

HighCommander4

Reputation: 52799

gedit isn't really an IDE, but there is a plugin for it that provides code assistance using clang

Upvotes: 4

mrec

Reputation: 768

Not FOSS, but JetBrains (of IDEA and ReSharper fame) are building out their AppCode product into a full C++ IDE supporting Win/Linux/Mac and using clang.

Yes, really.

Upvotes: 0