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Eclipse vs Microsoft Edge

Eclipse logo

Eclipse

Technology

The Eclipse Foundation - home to a global community

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Microsoft Edge logo

Microsoft Edge

Technology

Microsoft's Chromium-based browser, distinguished by IE mode for legacy applications and by its integration with Microsoft 365 management.

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Eclipse high memory consumption and CPU usage, especially with multiple plugins installed; Microsoft Edge outside the European Economic Area, Edge cannot be uninstalled from Windows, and Windows components such as Widgets, help links and taskbar search results open in it whatever the default browser is set to, so an organisation standardising on Chrome still has to manage and patch Edge.
  • They diverge on capability: Eclipse covers Java development environment, Microsoft Edge covers Internet Explorer mode.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Eclipse and Microsoft Edge actually diverge.

Attributes where Eclipse and Microsoft Edge differ
AttributeEclipseMicrosoft Edge
Pricing modelUnknownfree
PlatformsWindows, macOS, LinuxWeb
Founded2001Unknown

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

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

  • Java development environment
  • Extensible plugin architecture
  • Integrated debugger
  • Code refactoring
  • Version control integration
  • Build automation
  • Multi-language support
  • Rich client platform

Only in Microsoft Edge

  • Internet Explorer mode
  • Enterprise Mode Site List
  • Entra ID integration
  • Purview DLP for browsing
  • Intune and Group Policy
  • Vertical tabs and Workspaces
  • Sleeping tabs
  • Chrome extension compatibility

What people use each for

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

Eclipse

  • Java application developmentnot Microsoft Edge
  • Enterprise software developmentnot Microsoft Edge
  • Web application developmentnot Microsoft Edge
  • Plugin developmentnot Microsoft Edge
  • Educational programmingnot Microsoft Edge

Microsoft Edge

  • A Windows estate with intranet applications that still require Internet Explorer, where IE mode buys years before a rewritenot Eclipse
  • Microsoft 365 organisations that want browser sessions covered by Purview DLP and conditional access without a separate secure browser productnot Eclipse
  • Fleets managed through Intune that need one browser configured by the same console as the rest of the desktopnot Eclipse
  • Users who work with many tabs at once and want vertical tabs and automatic tab suspension without installing extensionsnot Eclipse

Where each one falls short

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

Eclipse

  • High memory consumption and CPU usage, especially with multiple plugins installed
  • Slow startup times and performance degradation with large projects or many open editors
  • Requires configuration of eclipse.ini file to optimize heap sizes for adequate performance
  • User interface considered outdated compared to modern IDE alternatives
  • User base fell from 39% of Java developers in 2024 to 28% in 2025, indicating market decline

Microsoft Edge

  • Outside the European Economic Area, Edge cannot be uninstalled from Windows, and Windows components such as Widgets, help links and taskbar search results open in it whatever the default browser is set to, so an organisation standardising on Chrome still has to manage and patch Edge.
  • It is Chromium downstream, so Manifest V3 applies exactly as it does in Chrome; full-strength blocking extensions cannot run, and Microsoft's add-ons store adds a second review process rather than a workaround.
  • Almost all of its advantage is conditional on Microsoft 365 and Entra ID; a Google Workspace or AWS-centred organisation gets Chromium plus Microsoft's promotional surfaces and none of the Purview, Intune or conditional access value.
  • Consumer-facing features including Copilot, the Discover pane, shopping notifications and sidebar apps default to on and reappear after feature updates, so suppressing them requires a maintained policy set rather than a one-off configuration.
  • IE mode is a bridge with a maintenance owner attached: the Enterprise Mode Site List must be curated by somebody, and MSHTML receives security fixes but no new capability, so an application parked there gains nothing and its eventual rewrite is only deferred.
  • By default browsing data feeds Microsoft services for Copilot, Discover and shopping features, which in a regulated environment turns the deployment into a policy exercise before it can be approved.

Pricing, plan by plan

Eclipse

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Eclipse review.

Microsoft Edge

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Microsoft Edge review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Eclipse if

  • You need java development environment.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Windows, macOS, Linux.
  • You also want extensible plugin architecture.
Eclipse review

Choose Microsoft Edge if

  • You need internet explorer mode.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want enterprise mode site list.
Microsoft Edge review

Questions people ask

Is Eclipse or Microsoft Edge better?
Neither clearly leads. Eclipse starts at Free and Microsoft Edge at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Eclipse or Microsoft Edge?
Eclipse starts at Free and Microsoft Edge at Free.
Does Eclipse or Microsoft Edge run on more platforms?
Eclipse runs on Windows, macOS, Linux. Microsoft Edge runs on Web.
Can I use Eclipse for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Eclipse best used for?
Eclipse is most often used for java application development, enterprise software development, web application development, plugin development. Of those, java application development and enterprise software development are not what Microsoft Edge is typically brought in for.
What can Eclipse do that Microsoft Edge cannot?
Eclipse covers Java development environment, Extensible plugin architecture, Integrated debugger, Code refactoring. Microsoft Edge covers Internet Explorer mode, Enterprise Mode Site List, Entra ID integration, Purview DLP for browsing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Eclipse: How much does Eclipse IDE cost?

Eclipse IDE is completely free and open-source, released under the Eclipse Public License 2.0.

Source
Microsoft Edge: Can I uninstall Edge from Windows?

In the European Economic Area, yes, because the Digital Markets Act requires it. Elsewhere you cannot, and several Windows components will continue to open it regardless of your default browser.

Microsoft Edge: How long will Internet Explorer mode be supported?

Microsoft has committed to supporting IE mode in Edge through at least 2029. It is a migration window rather than a permanent home, since the underlying MSHTML engine gets security fixes but no new capability.

Microsoft Edge: Do Chrome extensions work?

Yes. Edge installs extensions from the Chrome Web Store as well as its own store. Manifest V3 restrictions apply identically, so extensions that Chrome no longer supports do not work here either.

Microsoft Edge: Is it worth deploying if we are not a Microsoft 365 organisation?

Usually not for the management features, which depend on Entra ID, Intune and Purview. Without that stack it is Chromium with a different interface and additional Microsoft promotion.

Microsoft Edge: Does it run on Linux?

Yes, there are official Linux builds. Some Windows-specific features, including IE mode, are not available there.

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