OpenBeans

Launched as a small student project somewhere in 1996, NetBeans has steadily become a staple name in the IDE world thanks to its amazing and versatile kit which includes various debugging tools, a GUI builder, and a full-fledged code generator among others.

Initially developed mainly for Java, it has grown to embrace a lot of other programming languages, including C++, PHP, HTML, and JavaScript. All of the above, coupled with the fact that it’s open-source and highly extensible, make it one of the best IDEs out there for a lot of desktop, mobile, and even web developers.

That said, developers looking for something with more “native flair and more tooling support for C/C++ development” (as the developer maintaining the project states), then they’re welcome to check out OpenBeans, formerly known as CoolBeans.

In short, OpenBeans is an open-source IDE distribution based on the aforementioned, popular NetBeans. It packs the best features and tools that the IDE it’s based on has, all while offering its users a lot more versatility when it comes to C/C++ development, as well as an all-round better, more polished user experience.

The IDE is cross-platform and comes with bespoke installers for both Windows and macOS. Interested parties can check out the project’s official webpage and GitHub repo, read more about it on the blog section, and help support future development by making a donation.

Please note that both the macOS and Windows installers include a JDK.