Code::Blocks vs Eric

Code::Blocks is a free IDE for C, C++ and Fortran on Linux, macOS and Windows. Its editor provides syntax highlighting, code folding, tabs, code completion, a class browser, and smart indent. A custom build system supports parallel builds, multi-target projects, workspaces, and inter-project dependencies. Listed compiler options include GCC, MSVC++, clang, Digital Mars, Borland C++ 5.5, and Open Watcom. The debugger interfaces with GNU GDB and also supports MS CDB, which the site describes as not fully featured. Code::Blocks imports MSVC projects and workspaces, although assembly code is not supported in those imports, and it imports Dev-C++ projects. A plugin framework allows added functionality through installed or written plugins; some are included in official releases and others are maintained externally. The software uses GNU GPL version 3, while its SDK uses GNU LGPL version 3, allowing closed-source plugins to link against it. Documentation is provided through a manual, wiki, and forums.

Eric is a Python editor and IDE based on Qt and Scintilla, intended for quick edits as well as project management. Its current stable version, eric7, is based on PyQt6, Qt6 and Python 3. Editing tools include syntax highlighting, autocompletion, calltips, source folding, brace matching, error highlighting and project-wide search and replace. For development, it includes a Python debugger with multi-thread and multiprocessing support, profiling, code coverage, code checking, task management and unittest support. Core plugins provide interfaces for Mercurial, Subversion and Git repositories, and users can load further extensions from its Plugin Repository. Python tools include pip and virtual environment management and an interactive shell; rope refactoring is available as an optional plugin. Eric also lists chat and a shared editor as cooperation functions. It runs on Linux, macOS and Windows, and can be installed through PyPI or a distribution archive. The maker recommends installation in a Python virtual environment, and directs Windows users to a ZIP archive. It is free, with no price or usage limits stated.