C and C++ Projects

NetBeans IDE includes project types for C and C++ and appropriate project templates. You can work with and create C/C++ applications with dynamic and static libraries, and you can also create C/C++ projects from existing code. C/C++ projects also support Fortran files. The Makefile wizard lets you define and manage build targets and configurations.

C and C++ Editor

The C/C++ editor comes with syntactic and semantic highlighting, automatic indentation and formatting (including a choice of formatting styles), bracket matching, code folding, and templates.

Terminal 

Choose Windows > Output > Terminal from the menu to open a new a window that allows you to access local and remote terminals.

Unit Testing 

You can create and run C/C++ tests right from the IDE. Test results are displayed in a clear and user-friendly way.

Profiler Integration

The Run Monitor displays information about the application runtime such as CPU, memory, and thread usage. On Solaris and OpenSolaris you can now track Thread Microstates with Thread Details, and I/O usage. These new features take advantage of the Solaris Dynamic Tracing (DTrace) facility. No set-up required!

Select a time interval to filter profiling results and resize the viewport for inspecting details. Get details about potential Hot Spots, Memory Leaks, and Sync problems. and benefit from Metrics annotations when you go to the sources in the editor window.

C/C++ Profiling

Packaging

You can configure your project to have it automatically package your compiled applications as either TAR files, ZIP files, SVR4 packages, RPMs, or Debian packages.

GNU Debugger Integration

The C and C++ editor is well integrated with the multi-session GNU gdb debugger. You can set line and function breakpoints and view them in the Breakpoints window. Inspect the call stack and local variables, create watches, and view threads. You can evaluate a selected expression by moving the cursor over it and viewing the tooltip. The Disassembler window displays the assembly instructions for the current source file.

The memory window displays the contents of memory addresses that are currently used by the project that is being debugged. The new Auto view shows only necessary variables. You can also debug core files, inspect macros in Watch view and tooltips, and see function arguments in the Call Stack view. The debugger also stops when signals are received and you can decide how to proceed.

Code Assistance

Benefit from faster code completion and refactoring for C/C++ and Qt files, including code completion and navigation for preprocessor directives and preprocessor blocks. Refactorings are available in the Editor, Class View and Navigator. Use them to change method parameters and to generate basic field encapsulation code (Alt+Insert).

Navigation 

Use the new Overrides/Is Overriden annotations to navigate between parent and descendant classes. You can inspect the class inheritance hierarchy, a header's include hierarchy, the type hierarchy, and more. Use the Classes window to navigate class hierarchies: See all classes in your project, and also members and fields for each class. The Call Graph window shows all callers/callees of the selected function. You can choose between a direct call graph and a reverse call graph.

Remote Development 

Use the Development Host Manager in the C/C++ Options windows to define remote hosts. You can then use development tools on those hosts to build, run, and even debug projects from your client system. You also benefit from faster synchronization with the remote host.

Qt Toolkit Support

Use the Qt application development framework to create Qt files, such as GUI forms, resources, and translations. Standard Qt editing tools such as the Qt Designer for form files and Qt Linguist for translations are launched automatically as needed. Qt-specific project properties allow you to fine-tune the generated qmake project file.

File Navigation

Inspect the hierarchy of source and header files in the Include Hierarchy window. Inspect all supertypes and subtypes of a class in the Type Hierarchy window. Hyperlinks allow you to switch between corresponding source and header files with a single click.

The Usages window shows where a class (structure), function, variable, macro, #include directive, or file is used in your project's source code.

Compiler Configurations

The NetBeans IDE supports a variety of leading compilers, such as the GNU compilers, Cygwin, and MinGW. You can specify your compiler, pre-processor definitions, compile-time options, and much more.

Configuration Manager

Use the Configurations Manager in the Project Properties to save different sets of settings, for instance for debugging or for the release. Supply command line arguments, run directory path, console and terminal type. You can override the project compiler settings and other properties on a per file basis, and also exclude files from a build in a specific configuration.

 C and C++ Learning Trail