Qt Creator is an open source full-featured Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for C++, QML, and JavaScript applications. It is an all-inclusive, cross-platform IDE that enables users to scale above the code and create UIs, applications, and connected devices.
For those unfamiliar, Qt is not a programming language on its own. It is a framework written in C++. With Qt, GUIs can be written directly in C++ using its Widgets module.
Qt Creator IDE Features
- Code editor with auto-completion and syntax highlighting
- Forms designer
- Profiling tools
- Integrated GUI layout
- Project management
- Drag and design UI creation
- Visual debugging
- Qt assistant
One of the best aspects of Qt Creator is its cross-platform compatibility. Users can simply create an app in Linux, and move it to Windows or Mac, open it in the local Qt Creator, and it will comply.
Recently, the Qt Company has released the Qt Creator 5.0 development environment, so let’s take a look at what’s new.
What’s New in Qt Creator 5.0
Qt Creator 5.0 comes with experimental support for Clangd as the backend for the C/C++ code model. This feature is optional and turned off by default.
Another experimental feature that is shipped with 5.0 is some support for building and running applications in Docker containers. This feature currently only works on Linux hosts with CMake as the build system for your projects. After you enabled the experimental plugin in Help -> About Plugins, you can create a Docker device in the Device settings and set that as a “Build device” and “Device” in a Kit.
QT Creator 5.0 adds support for MSVC ARM toolchains, and improved the experience when running Intel-builds of Qt Creator on M1 Macs. Android 12 is now properly handled in Qt Creator.
Last but not least, the C++ code model received various fixes. When you rename a symbol, we no longer select files by default that are not directly related to your project, like Qt headers, even if they contain the symbol. Changes to “.ui” and “.scxml” files are now immediately reflected in the code model without re-compilation.
For more information about all changes in QT Creator 5.0, you can refer to the project’s release announcement.
