JetBrains’ CLion — A Powerful Tool for Modern C and C++ Development

3 min readJun 15, 2023

Introduction

C and C++ remain some of the most utilized languages for building high-performance applications. JetBrains, the company renowned for creating intelligent integrated development environments (IDEs), offers CLion, a cross-platform IDE specifically designed for these languages. In this article, we’ll take a look into this strong development tool and see how it aids modern C and C++ development.

Introduction to JetBrains’ CLion

CLion is a comprehensive, sophisticated IDE designed for C and C++ developers. It provides tools and features that streamline the programming process, making it easier to write, test, debug, and maintain your code. With the JetBrains hallmark intelligence, CLion supports the developer throughout the coding process, from code completion and generation to refactoring, debugging, and testing.

CLion is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux platforms, which makes it an excellent choice for cross-platform development. Furthermore, it is capable of handling a variety of project types and sizes, from single-file programs to large-scale projects.

CLion’s Salient Features

Smart Editor: CLion offers context-sensitive code completion, which suggests the most relevant options based on the current context. It also provides code generation capabilities. For instance, by typing the name of a class, then pressing Alt + Enter, you can automatically generate getters and setters for that class. Here is a simple example:

class SampleClass {
private:
    int attribute;
public:
    // Place the cursor here, press `Alt + Enter` to generate getters and setters
};

Refactoring Tools: CLion has strong refactoring capabilities. You can safely rename symbols, move members up/down the hierarchy, adjust function signatures, and perform many other refactorings.
Built-in Terminal: It provides a built-in terminal with the capability to choose between cmd, powershell, or a cygwin-derived shell.
Advanced Debugging: It includes a visual debugger that allows you to set breakpoints, step through the code, and inspect variables and data structures. With CLion, you can also debug multi-process or multi-threaded code.
VCS Integration: CLion offers seamless integration with popular Version Control Systems (VCS) like Git, GitHub, Mercurial, Perforce, and many others.
Integrated Unit Testing: CLion has support for major testing frameworks such as Boost.Test, Google Test, and Catch. It also provides a graphical UI to view test results.
Language Standards Support: CLion supports C++11, C++14, C++17, C++20, and many C standards.
Database Tools: It provides tools for working with databases and SQL inside the IDE.

Getting Started with JetBrains’ CLion

Setting up a project in CLion is straightforward. After launching CLion, click on “Create New Project”, choose the type (C or C++), and select the language standard you want to use. Next, provide the project’s name and location, and click on “Create”.

Let’s create a simple C++ program to demonstrate some features of CLion:

#include<iostream>

int main() {
    std::cout << "Hello, JetBrains' CLion!" << std::endl;
    return 0;
}

With the code written, you can simply press Shift + F10 to compile and run the program. The output will be displayed in the built-in console at the bottom of the IDE.

One of the brilliant features of CLion is its code analysis and error detection. If there was an error in our code, CLion would highlight it, and we could hover over the issue to get more information. This feature allows developers to catch and correct errors as they write code, greatly improving productivity.

Conclusion

JetBrains’ CLion is a comprehensive IDE for C and C++ development, offering a host of features that make writing, testing, and debugging code more manageable. Its smart editor, powerful debugging capabilities, and seamless VCS integration are just a few reasons why CLion is a leading choice among developers.

Regardless of your project size or complexity, CLion’s capabilities can help improve your productivity and streamline your development process. If you are a C or C++ developer looking for a strong, intelligent, and user-friendly IDE, CLion is certainly worth considering.