10 Free and Useful IDE for Programmers and Developers

April 17th, 2010 | 60 Comments

An Integrated Development Environment (IDE) also known as Integrated Design Environment is a software applications that provides coding, editing and debugging tool for creating desktop applications, web application, java based application and more. In this post, we have gathered some useful and must have free IDEs for programmers and web developer .

Do not confuse Integrated Drive Electronics- IDE with Integrated Development Environment, which is also known as IDE. They are two different things. The basic features of an IDE includes :

A text/ source code editor – To edit different scripting and programming language such as PHP, Phyton.
A compiler and/or an interpreter – To transform source code into computer language.
Build automation tools – For automating to task that developers uses on a regular basis.
A debugger – To check for errors and mistakes.

Some of the IDE’s that are targeted towards web development also includes FTP.

Why Would You Want to Use an IDE?

If you are wondering how an IDE would benefit you, here is an example. Let’s say you are creating a web app using Java or PHP. You would have to go back and forth between Firebug, text editor and FTP, Firebox. You lose time in switching between different applications. An IDE fills in this gap by keeping you focused on your work rather than switching between different applications. You get features of four or five different applications in one. If you want to get into hardcore coding IDE is a must. So here we have complied a list of free IDE that you can try and use. We will also include some paid IDE software at the bottom of the post.

WebScripter (Mac)

WebScripter is an IDE for web programmers with a nice and clean interface that includes code editor , FTP, debugger and more features.

Aptana Studio (Windows/Mac/Linux)

Aptana is well known IDE among the programmer and developer. Beside the usual features you can also add plugins , which makes Aptana a must have tools for developers.

Qt Creator (Windows/Mac/Linux)

Qt Creator is mainly used C++. It has an advanced code editor , visual debugger and many more features.

Code::Blocks (Windows/Mac/Linux)

Code::Blocks supports multiple compilers, including Microsoft Visual C++, Borland C++, Watcom , the Intel C++ compiler and many more.

Syntori (Mac)

Mainly focused for Java developers who enjoys the mac interface. Includes lots of features for debugging.

NetBeans IDE (Windows/Mac/Linux)

NetBeans is a cross platform, opensource IDE that supports many languages such as Ajax,C/C++, JavaScript, Ruby, PHP, Python and more. Pick your scripting or programming language and get to work. You can create desktop, mobile, web applications using NetBeans.

Eclipse (Windows/Mac/Linux)

Eclipse is a multi-language software development environment. You can download the PHP, C++ or Java IDE from here

PSPad (Windows)

A code editor that support many different language such as C++,CSS, HTML, XHTML,Java, JavaScript, Perl, PHP, Python, SQL, TCL/TK, Unix ShellScript, VBScript, Visual Basic and more. Some features to mention: FTP Client, Macro Recorder, File Search/Replace, Code Explorer and more.

Microsoft Visual Studio Express (Winodws)

IDE from Microsoft that includes a code editor supporting IntelliSense as well as code refactoring. Built-in languages include C/C++ (via Visual C++), VB.NET and C# and also supports other languages such as, Python, and Ruby, XML/XSLT, HTML/XHTML, JavaScript and CSS.

Edit: Visual Studio Express is free not the Visual Studio in General (as a reader pointed out).

Ulzard (Web Based- Windows/Mac/Linux)

If you need an IDE on the go, Ulzard is an useful on browser IDE. Mainly focused on web applications, that relay on JavaScript frame works.

Not Free, But Worth Checking Out

Which IDE is your favorite? Is there any we missed here? Share with everyone in the comment.

P.S. : Wikipedia and the Applications websites used on the research.

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Posted Under: Round Up, Tools

Tagged: developers, IDE, programming, web programmer

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http://www.designschrein.de alsa

Whats with Notepad++ ?
Hermitbiker

…. a great collection of Integrated Development Environment (IDE) also known as Integrated Design Environment for serious programmers and developers !! Thanks Desizntech !!
ming

PSPad is IDE?
http://www.profeval.com Derrick

Very nice list! Although, AJAX isn’t a language.
http://veechand.wordpress.com Veerabahu

What’s the best IDE for scala..Eclipse really kills there
Sreejith

Where is IntelliJ on the list..Intellij is the best IDE ever for JAVA,None of them in the list can beat it.It has got a free community edition as well http://www.jetbrains.com/idea/free_java_ide.html
http://www.loxal.org Alexander Orlov

In fact you’ve forgot one of most widely spreaded professional IDEs: IntelliJ IDEA (http://www.jetbrains.com/idea/). The Community Edition is not only free but OSS and is still much better than Eclipse (I’ve used both IDEs EXTENSIVELY). And the Ultimate Edition is worth its money.
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Sara

Great collection, Thanks!

I think you should mention intellij idea as well, it is great as well. check it out here http://www.jetbrains.com/idea/
http://dezineidea.com michelle

nice collection! thanks for the share!
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http://www.demogeek.com DemoGeek

Coda is a great editor, no doubt about that. I would have been a die-hard fan if they must have code folding and the quirky tab issue taken care of. Especially without code folding it’s annoying to debug certain lengthy code base. I wish they take care of this soon for my $99.
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Sverri

I use the E Text Editor. I have lost count of how many text-editors I have used over the years, but one thing is certain: it is the best one I have used yet. It is not free but if you live in your text-editor then it is more than well worth it.

Another great text-editor is PSPad. I find it slightly lacking in certain areas, compared to “e”, but it is solid.

SciTE is also quite nice. Because it is so simple and light-weight it is perfect for keeping on your USB drive, or for downloading, just in case you do not have a good text-editor handy.
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Chris

Got a spelling error, “Dreamweaver fro Adobe”

Also, I much prefer Textmate. I love how fast and responsive it is, and I love the dark backgrounds you can put on it. I also love how I can just drop a folder on it, and have it open up with all the files I need, no need to set up “sites” or “projects” like IDE’s

http://desizntech.info Kawsar Ali

Fixed, Thanks for noticing it.

rizza

Here too “Microsoft Visual Studio Express (Winodws)”

http://www.lifeinharmonywithnature.com Serguei

Thanks for the great collection, but I guess you forgot to mention Komodo Edit http://www.activestate.com/komodo_edit/
I discovered it probably a year ago, tried it and switched to it from Aptana.
It’s a great IDE! I’m using it for all web stuff – javascript, css, html, and for ruby server scripting (RoR to be precise).

http://desizntech.info Kawsar Ali

I wanted to include Komodo, I used it but since it does not have all the features of an IDE did not include it in the post. Nevertheless, it is a great application.

http://www.jordanwalker.net Jordan Walker

All of those are very effective IDE’s pick one and master it.
http://jacobrask.net Jacob Rask

Ajax is not a language.
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http://www.mykungfuisstrong.com Neil

I love E Text Editor on Windows and TextMate on OS X. They are not free, but excellent. After a second thought, maybe they would not be considered an IDE so much as a text editor. Though they have many of the same features.
http://cssah.blogspot.com/2010/04/css3-generators.html cssah

IDES make me more productive
Aptana studio is my primary IDE for javascript
http://www.emforma.rs Mladen

I find coda the best. Tried almost everything from the list, but only coda feels right to me.
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http://bit.ly/jaal_webdev pthesis

You should point out that only Visual Studio Express is free, not “Visual Studio” in general.

http://desizntech.info Kawsar Ali

Thank you for pointing it out. Updated links and name.Cheers

http://www.designfollow.com designfollow

great collection …

thank you.