MPLAB X IDE vs STM32CubeIDE
MPLAB X IDE
microchip.comSTM32CubeIDE
st.comSide by side
| Figure | MPLAB X IDE | STM32CubeIDE |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | Yes | Yes |
| macOS | Yes | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · IoT Development Tools | 7.8 (#7) | 7.4 (#9) |
| Spec score · Embedded Development IDEs | 7.6 (#13) | 7.3 (#19) |
| Spec score · Embedded Systems Toolchains | 7.8 (#14) | 7.4 (#23) |
| Spec score · IDE Software | 7.8 (#27) | 7.4 (#37) |
| Spec score · C++ IDEs | 7.6 (#19) | 7.3 (#21) |
| Debugging | Its features include I/O View for viewing and manipulating target device registers during debugging. | Listed debug features include breakpoints, CPU core registers, memory view, live data, SFR registers, RTOS debugging, and fault analysis. |
| Purpose | MPLAB X IDE provides tools to discover, configure, develop, debug and qualify embedded designs for most Microchip microcontrollers and digital signal controllers. | STM32CubeIDE is a C/C++ development environment for editing, compiling, and debugging STM32 code. |
Plans
In their own words
MPLAB X IDE
MPLAB X IDE is a free desktop environment for discovering, configuring, developing, debugging, and qualifying embedded designs for most Microchip microcontrollers and digital signal controllers. It runs on Windows, Linux, and macOS, supporting 64-bit Intel or AMD computers and Arm-based Apple silicon. During debugging, I/O View can display and manipulate target registers. A single action can build a project, connect to a hardware tool, program the target, and begin debugging or execution. Data Visualizer displays real-time streaming data, and MPLAB Integrated Programming Environment supports production-level programming. The IDE supports open-source AVR and SAM MCU GCC and can work with MPLAB XC compilers. Projects and tools such as Code Configurator and Data Visualizer are also supported in Microsoft Visual Studio Code. Source control configuration options and a plug-in manager, including support for NetBeans plugins, extend the environment. The listed 6.35 release supports Windows, Linux, and macOS. Version 6.20 was the last release supporting PICkit 3, MPLAB ICD 3, and MPLAB REAL ICE. Supported targets include PIC, dsPIC, AVR, SAM, PIC32, and other Microchip MCU, DSC, and MPU families.
STM32CubeIDE
STM32CubeIDE is a C/C++ environment for editing, compiling, and debugging code for STM32 devices. ST offers an Eclipse-based IDE and a Visual Studio Code variant, and identifies the VS Code version as its primary IDE focus. The Eclipse version supports all STM32 microcontrollers and microprocessors; the VS Code version supports all STM32 microcontrollers. Both are listed for 64-bit Windows, Linux, and macOS.
The IDE includes a C/C++ editor and supports GCC and Clang toolchains. Debugging features include breakpoints, CPU core registers, memory and live-data views, SFR registers, RTOS debugging, and fault analysis. Supported probes include ST-LINK and SEGGER J-Link. ST says the IDE is commonly used with STM32CubeMX and is compatible with TouchGFX Designer, STM32Cube AI Studio, and motor control workbench. The VS Code variant uses CMake and Ninja. Telemetry is optional and can be disabled in Visual Studio Code settings. It is free to download and use, though the ST application is proprietary.