Whether you are making the transition from a standard code editor to an IDE, or perhaps considering using a new one, it is worthwhile to explore your options. Some developers strictly choose one over the other, whereas others will keep both prepped and ready for whichever best fits the next project. Both are mature IDEs that have passed the test of time and your choice of which to use much depends on what it is that you want to do.
The two we look at here are Eclipse, by The Eclipse Foundation, and Visual Studio by Microsoft. C++ developers have a variety of Integrated Developer Environment options available, each with advantages and disadvantages.
