Summary

This chapter provides an in-depth look at using IDEs to optimize the programming process, particularly focusing on IDEs that deeply integrate with CMake. It offers a comprehensive guide for both beginners and experienced professionals, detailing the benefits of using an IDE and how to select one that best fits individual or organizational needs.

We started with a discussion on the importance of IDEs in enhancing development speed and code quality, and explained what an IDE is and how it simplifies various steps involved in software development by integrating tools like code editors, compilers, and debuggers.

This was followed with a short reminder about toolchains, where we explained the necessity of their installation if they aren’t present in the system, and presented a short list of most common choices.

We then dove into specifics, covering several popular IDEs:

• CLion: A sophisticated, paid cross-platform IDE developed by JetBrains, it stands out for its strong...