Uncovering the Best SharpDevelop Alternatives for .NET Development
SharpDevelop (also known as #develop) has long served as a popular free and open-source IDE for C#, VB.NET, and Boo projects on Microsoft's .NET platform. While it's a capable tool, developers often seek alternatives due to evolving needs, specific platform requirements, or the desire for more advanced features. Whether you're looking for commercial power, cross-platform compatibility, or a different open-source approach, there are numerous excellent SharpDevelop alternative options available.
Top SharpDevelop Alternatives
If you're ready to explore beyond SharpDevelop, this curated list highlights some of the best integrated development environments and rapid application development tools that can meet and even exceed your expectations for .NET and general software development.
Microsoft Visual Studio
Microsoft Visual Studio is a premier integrated development environment from Microsoft, offering extensive support for Microsoft Windows, web, and .NET Framework development. As a leading SharpDevelop alternative, it provides features like code completion, an embedded debugger, Intellisense, .NET support, C# and VB.NET support, a compiler, and powerful form designers. It's available as Free Personal, and also for Mac, Windows, and Web platforms, making it a robust choice for serious .NET developers.
MonoDevelop
MonoDevelop is a fantastic free and open-source SharpDevelop alternative that enables developers to write desktop and web applications on Linux, Windows, and Mac OS X. It's built on the .NET Framework and is often associated with Xamarin Studio, offering features like code completion, Intellisense, Unity Integration, and NuGet support, making it excellent for cross-platform .NET development.
Delphi
Embarcadero Delphi is a powerful commercial software development environment for Microsoft Windows applications, a strong contender as a SharpDevelop alternative for those focused on Windows. It excels in rapid application development (RAD) and offers excellent database access capabilities, supporting multiple programming languages.
JetBrains Rider
JetBrains Rider is a commercial .NET IDE based on the robust IntelliJ platform and ReSharper, making it a premium SharpDevelop alternative. It offers extensive support for C#, ASP.NET, ASP.NET MVC, .NET Core, Unity, and Xamarin, with cross-platform availability on Mac, Windows, and Linux. Its features include excellent syntax highlighting and automatic content formatting.
CodeTyphon
CodeTyphon is a free and open-source fork/distribution of Lazarus, offering thousands of Lazarus/Free Pascal components. This IDE is a suitable SharpDevelop alternative for those seeking a cross-platform solution (Windows, Linux, BSD) with RAD capabilities, visual programming, and the ability to compile to native assembly code.
Cevelop
Cevelop is a free C++ IDE for professional developers, available on Mac, Windows, and Linux. While primarily for C++, its strong refactoring and unit testing features make it a robust development environment that could serve as an alternative for developers working across multiple languages.
Ultimate++
Ultimate++, also known as U++, is a free and open-source C++ cross-platform rapid application development framework. Focused on programmer productivity, it offers a GUI builder and a comprehensive IDE, making it a viable SharpDevelop alternative for C++ projects on Windows, Linux, and BSD.
RAD Studio
Embarcadero RAD Studio is a powerful commercial rapid application development suite for visually building GUI-intensive, data-driven applications. Primarily for Windows, it's an excellent SharpDevelop alternative for developers who prioritize visual design and fast development cycles.
React Studio
React Studio is a freemium tool for Mac users to create app flows and components, visually expressing properties and data linkage. While geared towards React and web development, its RAD capabilities and focus on visual design make it an interesting alternative for front-end-focused developers.
B4X
B4X offers commercial cross-platform development tools for native iOS, Android, desktop, and server applications. It's a Rapid Application Development (RAD) tool that serves as a powerful SharpDevelop alternative for creating real-world apps with features like code completion and multi-platform native Java libraries, available on Windows, Android, and iOS.
The landscape of IDEs and development tools is rich and diverse. Each SharpDevelop alternative listed here offers unique strengths, from robust commercial offerings to powerful open-source solutions. We encourage you to explore these options, weighing their features, platforms, and community support against your specific project requirements to find the best fit for your development workflow.