Eclipse IDEvs
JetBrains Rider
JetBrains Rider: Rider targets .NET development with a more modern, integrated toolchain than Eclipse's Java-centric plugin model.
Eclipse IDE
Open-source, extensible IDE historically centered on Java development
As of 29 August 2026, Eclipse IDE is free to use. Eclipse IDE is a free, open-source integrated development environment best known for Java, extensible via plugins. Softwr lists it under Developer Tools. Eclipse IDE is made by Eclipse Foundation, launched in 2001, available on Windows, macOS, Linux.
Overview
What Eclipse IDE does
Eclipse IDE is a free, open-source integrated development environment originally released by IBM in 2001 and now governed by the Eclipse Foundation. It is best known for Java development but supports many languages through plugins, including C/C++, PHP and JavaScript. Eclipse ships quarterly releases, offers a marketplace of extensions, and underlies other tools such as Eclipse Theia. It remains widely used in enterprise and academic settings.
What people use it 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
Related searches
The honest half
Where it falls short
Concrete and checkable, so you can decide whether any of them matter to you. This is the half of a review a vendor will not write about 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.
Cross-shopped
What people choose instead of Eclipse IDE
Each pairing was judged by two reviewers asking whether a buyer would genuinely weigh the two against each other. The ones that failed were deleted rather than published.
- Eclipse IDEvsDataGrip
DataGrip: DataGrip focuses on database work rather than general-purpose Java IDE functionality.
- Eclipse IDEvsGGNU Emacs
GNU Emacs: Emacs is a lighter-weight, Lisp-extensible editor compared to Eclipse's heavier Java-centric IDE and plugin system.
Pricing
What Eclipse IDE costs
Taken from the vendor's own pricing page. Prices move, so check before you buy.
Free
Free
- Full IDE and plugin ecosystem, no paid tiers
Capabilities
Features
Java Development Tools (JDT)
Full-featured Java editing, refactoring, and debugging support.
Plugin Architecture
Extend the IDE with plugins from the Eclipse Marketplace for other languages and tools.
Git Integration
Built-in support for Git repositories via EGit.
Refactoring Tools
Automated refactoring such as converting classes to records.
Workspace and Project Management
Organizes code into projects and workspaces with build tooling integration like Maven and Gradle.
Answered, with sources
Questions people ask
Each answer names the page it came from, so you can check it rather than take our word for it.
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.
SourceHow 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.
SourceWhat 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.
SourceWhere 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.
SourceIs 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.
SourceBehind it
Who makes Eclipse IDE
- Company
- Eclipse Foundation
- Based in
- Brussels, Belgium
Timeline
Eclipse IDE over time
- Milestone2026-06-01T00:00:00.000Z
Eclipse IDE 2026-06 released with Java 26 support
Source
Keep looking
Where to go from Eclipse IDE
- Eclipse IDE alternativesEvery product people weigh against it
- Eclipse IDE pricingPlans, floors and what the tiers exclude
- Eclipse IDE badgesWhich rules it meets, and the figure behind each
- All Developer Tools softwareThe full category
- Best Developer Tools softwareThe shortlist, and how it was cut
Best Developer Tools software for
Compare Eclipse IDE with
- GNU Emacs
- JetBrains Rider
- Visual Studio Code
- Pants Build
- Penpot
- Bazel
- Swagger UI
- Ansible
- Helix
- Atlantis
- Jitsu
- Notepad++
- Frappe
- Git
- GoLand
- Hookdeck
- JFrog Artifactory
- Namespace
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Softwr does not host reviews and shows no star rating for Eclipse IDE, because a rating we did not collect is not ours to publish. What is here is the pricing and platform detail from the vendor’s own pages, limitations we could state concretely, and alternatives a reviewer confirmed people weigh against it. Tell us if any of it is wrong.
More on Eclipse IDE
Eclipse IDE alternatives
What people switch to, and what they give up
Eclipse IDE pricing
Every tier, and where the cost actually lands
Compare Eclipse IDE
Put it head to head with anything we hold
Eclipse IDE badge
Its rating, and an embed for your own site
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