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Developer Tools · head to head

Eclipse IDE vs Steampipe

Eclipse IDE logo

Eclipse IDE

Developer Tools

Open-source, extensible IDE historically centered on Java development

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Steampipe logo

Steampipe

Developer Tools

Query cloud APIs, SaaS tools and code with SQL, with no extract or load step

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Eclipse IDE startup time and UI responsiveness lag behind newer editors like VS Code.; Steampipe aGPL-3.0 across all four engines is a procurement blocker at organisations that ban the licence outright, and the network clause reaches any internal portal or service that puts a web interface in front of it.
  • They diverge on capability: Eclipse IDE covers Java Development Tools (JDT), Steampipe covers SQL over live APIs.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Eclipse IDE and Steampipe actually diverge.

Attributes where Eclipse IDE and Steampipe differ
AttributeEclipse IDESteampipe
Pricing modelopen-sourceOpen source, with paid hosting through Turbot Pipes
Platformswindows, mac, linuxmacOS, Linux, Windows, Docker, Web
Founded2001Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Developer Tools).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Eclipse IDE

  • Java Development Tools (JDT)
  • Plugin Architecture
  • Git Integration
  • Refactoring Tools
  • Workspace and Project Management

Only in Steampipe

  • SQL over live APIs
  • Wide plugin set
  • Embedded Postgres
  • Compliance benchmarks
  • Joins across providers
  • Hosted option

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Eclipse IDE

  • Enterprise Java application developmentnot Steampipe
  • Academic and educational programming coursesnot Steampipe
  • Extending the IDE for niche languages via pluginsnot Steampipe
  • Multi-module builds with Maven or Gradlenot Steampipe

Steampipe

  • Security teams answering posture questions against live cloud accounts rather than a nightly exportnot Eclipse IDE
  • Compliance evidence gathering where the answer must reflect the account at the moment it is askednot Eclipse IDE
  • Inventory and drift questions spanning several cloud providers in one querynot Eclipse IDE
  • Engineers who would rather write SQL than learn each provider command line toolnot Eclipse IDE

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Eclipse IDE

  • Startup time and UI responsiveness lag behind newer editors like VS Code.
  • Plugin quality and compatibility can be inconsistent across versions.
  • Modern language support (e.g. for web frameworks) is weaker than dedicated tools.
  • Configuration and workspace setup has a steeper learning curve for newcomers.

Steampipe

  • AGPL-3.0 across all four engines is a procurement blocker at organisations that ban the licence outright, and the network clause reaches any internal portal or service that puts a web interface in front of it.
  • Dashboards, benchmarks and mods were removed from Steampipe entirely at version 1.0 in October 2024 and now live in a separate product, so pre-2024 documentation and tutorials describe commands that no longer exist.
  • Live querying is bound by cloud provider API rate limits and keeps no persistent store by default, which is why a separate DuckDB-backed product exists for log volumes and why large accounts return slowly.
  • The company is fifteen people and bootstrapped, maintaining four command line tools plus a hosted service plus two further products, and the newer tools have thin community traction relative to that surface area.
  • Hosted tiers include only three users regardless of tier, with additional Enterprise users charged separately, so a team of thirty costs an order of magnitude more than the headline figure before compute and storage are counted.

Pricing, plan by plan

Eclipse IDE

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full IDE and plugin ecosystem, no paid tiers

Steampipe

Free
  • Steampipe CLIFree
    • AGPL-3.0
    • All plugins
    • No user or query limits
  • Pipes DeveloperFree
    • One user
    • 400 compute minutes
    • 3GB storage
  • Pipes Team$49/month
    • Three users
    • 2,000 compute minutes
    • 20GB storage
  • Pipes Enterprise$249/month
    • Three users
    • 10,000 compute minutes
    • 100GB storage

Which should you pick?

Choose Eclipse IDE if

  • You need java development tools (jdt).
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on windows, mac, linux.
  • You also want plugin architecture.
Eclipse IDE review

Choose Steampipe if

  • You need sql over live apis.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on macOS, Linux, Windows, Docker, Web.
  • You also want wide plugin set.
Steampipe review

Questions people ask

Is Eclipse IDE or Steampipe better?
Neither clearly leads. Eclipse IDE starts at Free and Steampipe at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Eclipse IDE or Steampipe?
Eclipse IDE starts at Free and Steampipe at Free.
Does Eclipse IDE or Steampipe run on more platforms?
Eclipse IDE runs on windows, mac, linux. Steampipe runs on macOS, Linux, Windows, Docker, Web.
Can I use Eclipse IDE for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Eclipse IDE best used for?
Eclipse IDE is most often used for enterprise java application development, academic and educational programming courses, extending the ide for niche languages via plugins, multi-module builds with maven or gradle. Of those, enterprise java application development and academic and educational programming courses are not what Steampipe is typically brought in for.
What can Eclipse IDE do that Steampipe cannot?
Eclipse IDE covers Java Development Tools (JDT), Plugin Architecture, Git Integration, Refactoring Tools. Steampipe covers SQL over live APIs, Wide plugin set, Embedded Postgres, Compliance benchmarks.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Eclipse IDE: Is Eclipse IDE free to use, including commercially?

Yes, Eclipse is released under the Eclipse Public License 2.0, a free and open-source license that permits commercial use with no purchase required.

Source
Steampipe: When did Steampipe become AGPL?

May 2021, about four months after the project went public. It is a settled licence rather than a recent change, and predates the Business Source Licence wave it is often confused with.

Eclipse IDE: How do I extend Eclipse with plugins?

Extensions are installed from the Eclipse Marketplace, which hosts over 1,300 solutions spanning tools, languages, IoT support, and RCP applications, using drag-and-drop installation via the Marketplace Client.

Source
Steampipe: Where did the dashboards and benchmarks go?

Into Powerpipe. They were deprecated in March 2024 and removed from Steampipe at version 1.0 in October 2024, so the check, dashboard, mod and variable commands are gone.

Eclipse IDE: What license do Eclipse Marketplace plugins use?

Marketplace listings can be filtered by license type, including EPL, GPL, Apache 2.0, and MIT, since individual plugin authors choose their own licensing terms.

Source
Steampipe: Is it fast on a large cloud estate?

Not always. Queries call provider APIs at request time, so rate limits rather than query planning set the pace, and there is no persistent store by default.

Eclipse IDE: Where can I get help with Eclipse?

Support channels include community forums, project office hours, and a contact page maintained by the Eclipse Foundation, in addition to the official Eclipse Platform help documentation.

Source
Steampipe: Does the AGPL affect internal use?

Running it internally for your own analysis is fine. Putting a web interface in front of it that other people use is where the network clause becomes a question for your legal team.

Eclipse IDE: Is Eclipse limited to Java development?

No, while Eclipse's Java Development Tools are its best-known feature, the plugin architecture and marketplace extend it to C/C++, PHP, JavaScript, and many other languages.

Source
Steampipe: Is a bootstrapped vendor a risk?

It cuts both ways. There is no investor pressure toward a licence change or an exit, and there are also fifteen people supporting a large product surface.

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