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Arduino IDE vs CLion: What are the differences?
IDE Environment: Arduino IDE is a simple and beginner-friendly integrated development environment designed specifically for Arduino microcontrollers, whereas CLion is a powerful cross-platform IDE primarily used for C and C++ development with more advanced features and functionalities.
Language Support: Arduino IDE mainly supports the Arduino programming language, which is based on Wiring, a simplified version of C/C++, while CLion offers full support for C and C++ languages with advanced code editing capabilities, syntax highlighting, and intelligent code completion.
Plugin Ecosystem: Arduino IDE has limited plugin support, making it difficult to extend its features or integrate with other tools, whereas CLion has a rich ecosystem of plugins available through its marketplace, allowing users to customize and enhance their development environment according to their needs.
Debugger Tools: Arduino IDE lacks comprehensive debugging tools, making it challenging to troubleshoot and inspect code execution flow, while CLion provides a robust debugger with features like breakpoints, watch variables, and step-through execution for efficient debugging tasks.
Build Systems: Arduino IDE relies on a simple build process with limited configuration options, suitable for smaller projects and quick prototyping, whereas CLion supports more complex build systems like CMake, providing better control over build configurations, dependencies, and project structure for larger software projects.
Integration with Version Control: Arduino IDE has minimal integration with version control systems like Git, making it cumbersome to manage code versions and collaborate with teams effectively, whereas CLion offers seamless integration with Git, allowing for easier version control, code collaboration, and team workflows directly within the IDE.
In Summary, Arduino IDE is tailored for beginners and simplicity with limited functionality, while CLion is a versatile and feature-rich IDE optimized for advanced C and C++ development.
Pros of Arduino IDE
- Larger community online1
Pros of CLion
- Good editor31
- Easy setup30
- Powerful refactoring, extremely smart IDE24
- Already one of the best C/C++ IDEs, even before launch24
- Cross-platform build21
- Clean, Sleek User Interface19
- Much faster and smarter than Intellisense18
- Vertically/Horizontally split windows13
- Great navigation, error messages and auto completion12
- Vim plugin9
- Not a 20gb installation9
- It is best IDE6
- Like this one because of - not a 20GB installation3
- Free Flowing C++ IDE2
- IDE supports Python with all features of PyCharm CE1
- Very good Git plugin1
- Cheap, just 99 USD for the first year1
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Cons of Arduino IDE
- No debugger1
Cons of CLion
- No good support for Makefiles2
- Not free, unless you are a student2