Compare Eclipse IDE vs. MPLAB Harmony v3 vs. Qt Creator

Eclipse IDE stands as the premier open platform tailored for professional developers engaged in computer programming, and it has never been better. This IDE provides essential tools to drive rapid innovation with a simplified configuration process, including the Eclipse IDE Installer 2020-09, which now incorporates a Java Runtime Environment (JRE) in several of its packages. The enhancements also extend to theming and styling, featuring an improved dark theme for Windows and a refined light theme for GTK. Additionally, Eclipse IDE has transitioned to require Java 11 as its minimum operating version while maintaining the ability to compile older versions as desired. Among its new experimental features is support for aarch64, along with robust Linux support that has been integrated into this version. Furthermore, Node.js is now embedded within all LSP-based tools, facilitating seamless functionality from the start. Eclipse IDE remains free and open source, distributed under the Eclipse Public License 2.0, underscoring its commitment to community-driven development. The platform thrives on an extensive ecosystem of plugins, bolstered by an active and engaged community of contributors. This collaborative environment ensures that Eclipse IDE continues to evolve and meet the diverse needs of developers worldwide.

MPLAB® Harmony v3 is a comprehensive framework designed for embedded software development, offering a range of flexible and interoperable software modules that aim to streamline the creation of enhanced features while expediting product launches. This framework is core-agnostic, providing support for both MIPS® and Arm® Cortex® core architectures, thereby ensuring code portability through consistent APIs applicable across various device families. The MPLAB Harmony Configurator’s (MHC’s) Graphical User Interface (GUI) allows for straightforward configuration, making it user-friendly. It has been validated for compatibility with 32-bit PIC® (MIPS-based) and SAM (Arm Cortex-based) MCU and MPU device families, ensuring robust performance. Additionally, it seamlessly integrates with third-party solutions such as FreeRTOS and Micrium®, and it can import projects developed in IAR Embedded Workbench. The latest version introduces support for SAM families of Arm Cortex-M based devices, complemented by a free software development environment. Furthermore, the graphical configuration features offered by MHC’s GUI facilitate easy setup of devices and libraries, enhancing the overall development experience. This combination of features makes MPLAB Harmony v3 a powerful tool for developers aiming to maximize efficiency and minimize time-to-market for their products.

Qt Creator's sophisticated code editor supports a variety of programming languages such as C++, QML, JavaScript, and Python. It boasts features like code completion, syntax highlighting, and refactoring, while providing easy access to built-in documentation. This powerful tool seamlessly integrates with popular version control systems, including Git, Subversion, Perforce, and Mercurial. With integrated visual editors, you can create C++ widget-based applications or dynamic UIs using Qt Quick, complete with pre-built controls. Whether you're importing an existing project or starting from scratch, Qt Creator takes care of generating all necessary files for you. It also includes support for CMake and facilitates cross-compiling with qmake. You can build and execute your software on various platforms, including desktop, mobile, and embedded operating systems. The build configurations are user-friendly, allowing you to easily switch between different targets. Furthermore, you can thoroughly test and debug your applications under conditions that closely mimic those of your intended devices, ensuring a smoother development process. This versatility makes Qt Creator an invaluable tool for developers seeking efficiency and ease of use in their projects.