Complete integrated development environment (IDE) for application developers

Qt Creator

Qt Creator

  -  364 MB  -  Open Source
  • Latest Version

    Qt Creator 17.0.0 LATEST

  • Review by

    Daniel Leblanc

  • Operating System

    Windows 7 64 / Windows 8 64 / Windows 10 64 / Windows 11

  • User Rating

    Click to vote
  • Author / Product

    The Qt Company / External Link

  • Filename

    qt-creator-opensource-windows-x86_64-17.0.0.exe

For developers working with C++ and Qt, having a robust and feature-rich integrated development environment (IDE) is essential.

Qt Creator is a powerful and versatile IDE for Windows specifically designed for building Qt applications.

It is widely used for desktop, embedded, and mobile application development, offering an intuitive interface and a strong set of features.

Qt Creator is an open-source IDE designed to streamline Qt application development across multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, and Linux.

It provides code editing, debugging, version control, and UI design tools, making it a comprehensive solution for Qt-based software development.

With its CMake, QMake, and Meson support, it caters to developers working on both simple and complex projects.

Main Features

Cross-Platform Support – Develop and deploy applications on Windows, Linux, macOS, and embedded systems.

Advanced Code Editor – Syntax highlighting, auto-completion, refactoring tools, and smart indentation for C++, QML, JavaScript, and Python.

Integrated Debugger – Supports GDB, LLDB, and Microsoft Debugger for seamless debugging of C++ applications.

Graphical UI Designer – Drag-and-drop UI design with Qt Quick Designer and Qt Widgets.

Built-in Version Control – Integration with Git, Subversion, and Perforce.

Project Management – Supports multiple build systems like CMake, QMake, and Meson.

Embedded Development – Debug and deploy applications for embedded platforms like Raspberry Pi and MCUs.

User Interface

Qt Creator features a clean and modern interface designed for efficiency. The IDE includes a split-pane view for working on multiple files simultaneously and provides customizable layouts.

It also features a powerful search and navigation system, making it easy to locate files, classes, and functions.

Installation and Setup
  • Download Qt Creator from the official Qt website.
  • Run the installer and select the required Qt components and dependencies.
  • Configure the build environment (choose CMake, QMake, or another build system).
  • Set up compilers and debuggers (MinGW, MSVC, Clang, etc.).
  • Start coding your Qt-based applications.
How to Use

Create a New Project – Use the project wizard to start a new Qt Widgets or Qt Quick application.

Write Code – Utilize the advanced editor with syntax highlighting and code completion.

Design UI – Use the drag-and-drop UI designer for easy interface building.

Compile & Build – Choose a build configuration and compile your project.

Debug & Test – Use the integrated debugger to troubleshoot issues.

Deploy – Package and deploy your application to the target platform.

FAQ

Is Qt Creator free?
Yes, this program is open-source, but the Qt framework has both free and commercial licensing options.

Can I use Qt Creator for Python development?
Yes, it supports Python with PyQt and PySide, but C++ is its primary language.

Does Qt Creator support CMake?
Yes, it fully supports CMake, making it compatible with modern C++ projects.

Can I use Qt Creator for non-Qt projects?
Yes, you can use Qt Creator as a general C++ IDE even for non-Qt applications.

Is Qt Creator good for beginners?
While Qt Creator is feature-rich, beginners may find it complex compared to simpler IDEs like Eclipse or Visual Studio Code.

Alternatives

Microsoft Visual Studio – A popular C++ IDE with powerful debugging tools.

Eclipse IDE – A versatile, extensible C++ IDE.

Pricing

Open-Source Version – Free for personal and non-commercial use.

Commercial License – Pricing varies depending on Qt Company’s licensing model for professional developers.

System Requirements
  • OS: Windows 10/11 (64-bit)
  • Processor: Intel or AMD (x86_64 architecture)
  • RAM: 4GB (8GB recommended)
  • Disk Space: 2GB minimum
  • Graphics: OpenGL 2.0 support required for Qt Quick applications
PROS
  • Excellent Qt integration for rapid development
  • Cross-platform support for Windows, Linux, and macOS
  • Powerful code editor with auto-completion and debugging tools
  • Great UI design tools for Qt Widgets and Qt Quick
  • Good support for embedded and mobile development
CONS
  • The free version lacks some commercial features
  • Limited third-party plugin ecosystem compared to Visual Studio
  • Can be resource-intensive for large projects
  • Commercial licensing can be expensive for professional use
Conclusion

Qt Creator is a powerful, cross-platform IDE that excels in Qt and C++ development. With an intuitive code editor, robust debugging tools, and excellent UI design capabilities, it is the preferred choice for developers working on Qt applications. While it may have a steeper learning curve for beginners, it provides all the necessary tools to build, test, and deploy high-quality software.

Why is this app published on FileHorse? (More info)
  • Qt Creator 17.0.0 Screenshots

    The images below have been resized. Click on them to view the screenshots in full size.

    Qt Creator 17.0.0 Screenshot 1
  • Qt Creator 17.0.0 Screenshot 2

What's new in this version:

General:
- Made the "2024" theme variants the default in `Preferences > Environment > Interface` ([QTCREATORBUG-32400](https://bugreports.qt.io/browse/QTCREATORBUG-32400))
- Updated icons
- Improved support for extracting archives ([QTAIASSIST-169](https://bugreports.qt.io/browse/QTAIASSIST-169))
- Added a `Courses` tab to `Welcome` mode
- Added tab completion to the locator

Extensions:
- Moved the default extension registry to
- Added the option to configure multiple extension registries in `Preferences > Extensions > Browser`
- Added the dependencies and supported platforms of extensions that are not installed to their details
- Added version selectors for extensions that are not installed
- Added support for dropping extension archives onto `Extensions` mode

Editing:
- Enabled smooth per pixel scrolling
- Fixed the selection behavior in `Open Documents`

C++:
- Updated prebuilt binaries to LLVM 20.1.3
- Added refactoring actions for adding string literal operators to literals
- Fixed the indentation for function-like built-ins
- Fixed issues with function-like macros

Built-in:
- Fixed the highlighting after 2D array initialization

QML:
- Integrated `qmlformat` more tightly
- Added a button for opening `.ui.qml` files in Qt Design Studio to the editor tool bar and a setting for the location of Qt Design Studio when `QmlDesigner` is not enabled
- Fixed the highlighting of `of` in `for`-loops
- Fixed an issue with `Move Component into Separate File`
- Fixed the handling of tabs versus spaces when formatting

Language Server Protocol:
- Fixed that the `detail` field of `Document Symbols` was ignored

SCXML:
- Improved adaptation to Qt Creator theme

Projects:
- Removed the explicit Haskell project support (use a Workspace project instead)
- Changed run configurations to be configured per build configuration
- Changed the project configuration page to only select `Debug` configurations by default
- Improved the behavior of `Next Item` and `Previous Item` in the `Issues` view
- Added `Clone into This` for copying the data of a different run configuration into the current run configuration
- Added the `Add Project Dependency` refactoring action for missing included Qt files to add the missing package dependency to the project file
- Added the `Add #include and Project Dependency` refactoring action for unknown Qt classes to include the corresponding header and add the missing package dependency to the project file
- Added the option to use custom output parsers for all build or run configurations by default in `Preferences > Build & Run > Custom Output Parsers`
- Added the option to select `qtpaths` instead of `qmake` when registering Qt versions
- Fixed `Open Terminal Here` in run settings
- Fixed that cloning a build configuration did not re-apply the build directory template
- Fixed removing devices with `sdktool`

CMake:
- Added the option to install missing Qt components with the Qt Online Installer when the CMake configuration fails with missing Qt packages
- Added the `QTC_RUN` environment variable when parsing presets
- Improved the performance for projects with many QML modules
- Fixed that the project name in the `Projects` tree was only available after parsing

Presets:
- Fixed the run device type for non-desktop targets

Vcpkg:
- Fixed that project local `vcpkg` installations were not prioritized

qmake:
- Fixed that `QMAKE_PROJECT_NAME` was not used for run configuration names

Python:
- Added support for `pyproject.toml` projects and adapted the wizards

Debugging:
C++:
CDB:
- Fixed a crash when debugging coroutines

LLDB:
- Fixed the pretty printer for `QMap` on ARM Macs
- Fixed the pretty printer for `QImage`

### QML:
- Fixed QML debugging with `Run in Terminal` enabled

Analyzer:
Axivion:
Added settings for:
- `Axivion Suite path`,
- `Save all open files before starting an analysis`,
- `BAUHAUS_PYTHON`, and
- `JAVA_HOME`
- Added tool buttons for `Local Build` and `Local Dashboard` to the `Issues`view in the `Debug > Axivion` mode

Coco:
- Fixed that the highlighting via CoverageBrowser was not started automatically

Terminal:
- Added the option to reflow the text when resizing the terminal window in `Preferences > Terminal > Enable live reflow (Experimental)`

Version Control Systems:
- Added `Log Directory` to directories in the `File System` view

Git:
- Added the `%{Git:Config:<key>}` Qt Creator variable for Git configuration values
- Added actions for staged changes
- Added `Revert` to the actions in the `Instant Blame` tooltip
- Added the option to create annotated tags to the `Add Tag` dialog
- Added a `Diff & Cancel` option to the `Uncommitted Changes Found` dialog
- Added a `.gitignore` file when creating a repository in an existing directory
- Fixed that numbers in file names were interpreted as commit IDs

Test Integration:
- Added wizards for Qt 6 only CMake projects
- Fixed test output parsing if that does not end in a newline

Qt Test:
- Fixed issues with parsing localized output

Platforms:

Windows:
- Re-enabled all functionality of the debugger that calls functions on the debugged items when using GDB from MinGW
- Fixed that `qmlls` could keep a lock on files