Ceci est une ancienne révision du document !
Website: https://codelite.org/
Price: Free!
Blurb: “CodeLite is an open source, free, cross platform IDE, specialized in C, C++, PHP and JavaScript (mainly for backend developers using Node.js) programming languages which runs best on all major Platforms (OSX, Windows and Linux)“
At the time of writing, we are on version 14.0.2.
Why had I never heard of CodeLite before?
I had to see why this awesome IDE was not a lot more popular… Maybe because it says it is mainly for back-end developers using Node.js? Searching the term “codellite issue” brought up quite a few issues. This is NOT a BAD THING (they all have issues). It shows that there are people using it.
I fired it up and a helpful wizard helped me configure the basics. I created a new Workspace and ran through the five questions that you need to get your project off the ground. Just like Code::Blocks, it created a nice ‘hello world’ console app that I could use as a base. Just to test, I changed the default gnome-terminal to the built-in terminal. It required a restart, but nothing was lost. Building and running the project was a breeze. The “built-in terminal” is actually another floating terminal, so nothing lost or gained there. The only plus I could see was that the theming integrated well with the CodeLite terminal, but if you have configured your OS terminal the way you like it, I see no reason to switch. I would have liked it to be part of the bottom bar, but I can also see how this is useful.
Let me get this out of the way from the start, I am in no way an IDE power user or coding guru, but even for someone with my meagre skills, this IDE was not only handy, but easy to use and easy on my eyes at night (it is also very light on resources!).
CodeLite is arranged in a standard, familiar, maybe boring, three-pane layout, with a menu bar along the top. You also have the option to close any of the panes you do not use and have one large programming pane only! For distraction-free programming, ctrl+F11 will maximize the screen real estate and hide the menus. All the menu items are standard – or seem standard – until you reach the ‘plugin’ menu. This not only lets you manage your plugins, but also each plugin’s settings. The settings menu proudly displays the colors and fonts menu item in the drop-down, so there is no faffing in the tools and settings when you need to switch from night to day. In that same menu, you will find the keyboard shortcuts, all the handy things in one place.
The code window is unremarkable, the way I like it - and small things, like folding functions, are easy to spot. Places where the mouse would be in the way, the mouse direction swops! They say the devil is in the details, and this IDE sure pays attention to the details. (I would like to show it to you, but for some reason, if I add “include pointer” in the screenshot tool, it flips the pointer back.) Right-clicking anywhere in the application, will bring up that specific part’s right-click menu. There is no ‘global’ right-click menu, so just be aware of that. Clicking in different bands and sections is recommended, so you can get familiar with what-is-what. Notifications appear under your code, and do not interfere with what you are doing.
The ‘Output View’ contains a myriad of tabs I do not use, but I am sure they are important as you see those same tabs in other editors, like Code::Blocks. At my level, “build” and “output” are the only two I use (the same with the tabs in the workspace view).
Some things that may trip up novices (I include these here as the negative reviews about this fantastic little IDE usually include these): • When you have multiple projects, using the compile-and-run will compile and run the last project you worked on. You need to double-click the new project name until it highlights, before it is the ‘active’ project. • Installing on Ubuntu? Remember to install build-essential first. • Workspaces are important and can be shared. That’s right, more than one person can work in a workspace! • Just opening random C-code will not compile – see our first tip. • Plugins that do not work – use the help → check for updates. • If you use it on screens with shoddy resolutions, ctrl +0 will reset the zoom level. • An easy way to back up your project is to simply duplicate the tab and save it somewhere else.
On to what I did not like: I could not see an easy way to clear my recent files list. This is important when you work on files on other mediums, as the projects on my flash drive now eclipse my projects on my local drive. For some reason, the ctrl+shift+up/down did not work for me to move a line up or down (but - that may be due to the way I have my OS shortcut keys defined.)
Overall, I cannot complain about anything in this free and open source IDE. I just wish I knew about it before I ran headlong into eclipse, which is so busy, it makes me tired just looking at it. I suspect the biggest issue with the application is that it does not have a ‘shoutbox’, hype or community blow up. Countless websites and FOSS pages sing praise to Atom code editor that is an electron application, but none praise this brave little IDE that “just works” and does not carry oodles of bloat around. According to HTOP, Codelite used less CPU and memory than my music player while I was using it. Only Sublime text and notepadqq were lighter on resources. Given, I write only small CLI programs on it, but it compiles pretty fast and I never feel like I am waiting for it.
This is a solid FOSS project I can recommend with a smile. What are you waiting for, give it a try!
As usual, if you think I was unfair or made a mistake, feel free to email us on: misc@fullcirclemagazine.org