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Top Rated Integrated Development Environment (IDE) Software with Graphical User Interface in 2026

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All user reviews are verified by in-house moderators and provider data by our software research team.  Learn more

Last updated: February 2026

A graphical user interface in an IDE allows developers to navigate and manage code easily, customize their workspace, and access tools quickly. It enhances productivity through intuitive design, visual aids, and various customization options. Our reviewers in integrated development environment (IDE) software rated this feature as highly important.

3 Best Integrated Development Environment (IDE) Software with Graphical User Interface

  • Microsoft Visual Studio
  • IntelliJ IDEA
  • Essential Studio - Highest rated for graphical user interface

See other top Integrated Development Environment (IDE) products with graphical user interface

How we picked the 3 top rated products

We chose the high-performing solutions on this list based on verified user ratings on our site. Depending on available data, qualifying products either had to be among the most user-reviewed or the most searched-for products in the integrated development environment (ide) software category. They also needed to have sufficient reviews about graphical user interface, have a minimum user rating of 3 out of 5 for that feature, and show evidence of U.S. market presence. We then added a distinction for the product with the highest rating for graphical user interface based on our proprietary ratings and reviews. Sponsorship or client status has no influence on the selection of these products, but it may impact the order in which products appear.

Details for the 3 best products

Microsoft Visual Studio logo
4.6
(2.9K)
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User insights about the graphical user interface feature

Reviewers appreciate Microsoft Visual Studio's graphical user interface for its sleek, intuitive, and highly customizable design. They highlight the ease of navigation and the ability to personalize themes, layouts, and shortcuts. Users find the drag-and-drop functionality helpful for developing Windows and web applications. However, some mention that the interface can be overwhelming for beginners due to the numerous tabs and options. Overall, they value the ergonomic design and consistent look and feel.
“The GUI is layed out simply and the customisability is amazing. I can save layouts for single monitor/laptop use or multiple monitors and switch between for maximum flexibility. All the tools are at easy reach, along with the search feature for when you forget it. Customise colour schemes, fonts, shortcuts.... everything.”
Verified reviewer profile picture

Paul L.

Senior Software Developer

“Visual Studio provides a well-designed and intuitive user interface that allows developers to easily navigate through various features and functionalities. It offers customizable layouts and themes, enabling developers to personalize their coding environment according to their preferences.”
DA

Dvock A.

Software Tester

Integrated Development Environment (IDE) key features coverage

Microsoft Visual Studio offers 5 out of the 5 key features for Integrated Development Environment (IDE) software identified by reviewers:

Code Development4.7
Code Editing4.7
Debugging4.5
Deployment Management4.4
Data Modeling4.2

Pros and cons based on 2,999 verified reviews

66% of users rated Microsoft Visual Studio 5 out of 5 stars, while 0% gave it 1 or 2 stars. To determine these pros and cons insights we analyzed 2,999 reviews and identified the topics where users expressed positive and negative sentiment.

Pros:

Comprehensive software development

Versatile IDE features

Comprehensive developer tools

Efficient mobile development

Productive IntelliSense feature

Cons:

Frequent software crashes

High memory consumption

Slow performance speed

Complex installation process

Challenging error handling

See pros and cons details

Pricing

Starting price:$499.92 per user/per month|Free version:Available|Free trial:Available

Prices may vary depending on the number of users and features.

IntelliJ IDEA logo
4.7
(1.2K)
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User insights about the graphical user interface feature

Reviewers appreciate IntelliJ IDEA's graphical user interface for its ease of use and customization options. They highlight the ability to personalize themes, fonts, and layouts, which enhances the coding experience. Users find the interface intuitive and visually appealing, with features like syntax highlighting and code completion aiding productivity. They mention the Darcula theme and various color schemes as valuable aspects. However, some note that the GUI can be complex for beginners but becomes manageable with time.
“I am quite satisfied with IntelliJ IDEA's Graphical User Interface (GUI) features as a user. Working with IntelliJ IDEA is enjoyable thanks to its intuitive, aesthetically pleasing, and highly customizable GUI. My programming work are quick and pleasurable thanks to the thoughtful layout and simple navigation, which make it easy for me to access different features and tools. The IDE offers a variety of useful visual tools that improve my coding experience and enable me to see possible problems as they arise, such as syntax highlighting, code completion, and error highlighting. The option to alter the IDE's look and feel allows me to tailor IntelliJ IDEA to my preferences, which enhances the overall user experience. ”
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Joseph M.

Developer

“The intuitive and customizable interface of IntelliJ IDEA simplifies navigation, making it easier to manage complex projects and enhancing the overall user experience.”
AU

Ali U.

Technical Executive

Integrated Development Environment (IDE) key features coverage

IntelliJ IDEA offers 5 out of the 5 key features for Integrated Development Environment (IDE) software identified by reviewers:

Code Development4.8
Code Editing4.7
Debugging4.6
Deployment Management4.4
Data Modeling3.9

Pros and cons based on 1,254 verified reviews

75% of users rated IntelliJ IDEA 5 out of 5 stars, while 0% gave it 1 or 2 stars. To determine these pros and cons insights we analyzed 1,254 reviews and identified the topics where users expressed positive and negative sentiment.

Pros:

Intelligent code suggestions

Efficient code autocompletion

Boosted productivity

Powerful code refactoring tools

Enhanced code development experience

Cons:

High resource consumption

Heavy memory usage

Slow performance speed

High cost concerns

Inconsistent error handling

See pros and cons details

Pricing

Starting price:$19.90 per user/per month|Free version:Available|Free trial:Available

Prices may vary depending on the number of users and features.

Essential Studio logo
4.5
(878)
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User insights about the graphical user interface feature

Users find Essential Studio's graphical user interface clean, intuitive, and professional-looking. They appreciate the wide range of UI components available for data visualization, input, and reporting, which speeds up development tasks. Reviewers highlight the flexibility and ease of use of the graphical controls, particularly for Windows Forms and Blazor. They also mention the adherence to common styling patterns like Bootstrap, which enhances the overall user experience.
“Plenty of UI components to aid visualisation, data input, charting, reporting and dashboard generation.”
JC

James C.

Software Developer

“The UI components are primarily what I use, so the GUI is critical to Essential Studio in my view.”
DT

Dave T.

R and D Engineer

Integrated Development Environment (IDE) key features coverage

Essential Studio offers 4 out of the 5 key features for Integrated Development Environment (IDE) software identified by reviewers:

Code Development
Code Editing4.4
Debugging4.1
Deployment Management4.5
Data Modeling4.0

Pros and cons based on 878 verified reviews

63% of users rated Essential Studio 5 out of 5 stars, while 2% gave it 1 or 2 stars. To determine these pros and cons insights we analyzed 878 reviews and identified the topics where users expressed positive and negative sentiment.

Pros:

Seamless integration process

High-quality components

Comprehensive developer tools

Cons:

Frequent bug issues

Inadequate documentation

See pros and cons details

Pricing

Free version:Available|Free trial:Available

Prices may vary depending on the number of users and features.

Other Top Rated Integrated Development Environment (IDE) Software with Graphical User Interface in 2026

Microsoft Visual Studio logo
Category Leaders

Software shipping and building

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Microsoft Visual Studio Online is a web based collaboration and project management application designed for software shipping and building. The Online platform enables you to create software projects as well as track and manage programming processes to help identify bugs, new features and more.

Read more about Microsoft Visual Studio

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IntelliJ IDEA logo
Category Leaders

The IDE for Professional Development in Java and Kotlin

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IntelliJ IDEA is the JetBrains IDE for pro development in Java and Kotlin. Built for your comfort, it unlocks productivity, ensures quality code, supports cutting-edge tech, and protects your privacy.

Read more about IntelliJ IDEA

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Bitbucket logo

Bitbucket is the Git solution for professional teams

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Bitbucket is a Git solution for teams, which allows users to collaborate on code with inline comments and code review, and manage and share Git repositories to build and ship software, as a team. Built-in continuous integration, testing and delivery enable automation of deployment workflows, with additional support for third-party CI/CD integrations.

Read more about Bitbucket

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Essential Studio logo
Category Leaders

UI development suite for .NET, Xamarin, Javascript, Angular

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Syncfusion Essential Studio® is a UI development suite that offers 1,800+ software components and frameworks for developing web, mobile, and desktop applications. Essential Studio® supports ASP.NET, Javascript, Angular, React, jQuery, Xamarin, Flutter, WinForms, WPF, and more.

Read more about Essential Studio

Users also considered
PyCharm logo
Category Leaders

On-premise Python IDE for professional developers

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PyCharm is an on-premise Python integrated development environment (IDE) designed to help professional developers write code, create a virtual environment, and maintain quality control using PEP8 checks, refactoring, and testing assistance. Its code editor supports Python, JavaScript, CoffeeScript, TypeScript, Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), and other languages.

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The complete platform for SOA, SaaS integration & APIs

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MuleSoft Anypoint Platform is a hybrid enterprise integration platform for integration of systems, data, and APIs. It provides tools for integration, APIs, and automation, enabling users to build, deploy, secure, and manage integrations across on-premises and cloud environments. Features include Integration Code Builder, Exchange Connectors, API management, RPA, AI-enabled data extraction, and pre-built solutions, helping enterprises accelerate IT delivery and automate security.

Read more about MuleSoft Anypoint Platform

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Codenvy logo

On-Demand Developer Workspaces with a built in cloud IDE.

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Codenvy on-demand developer workspaces accelerate application delivery by letting anyone contribute to a development project without installing software.

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Salesforce Platform logo

Develop enterprise & customer-facing apps

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Salesforce App Cloud is a platform for developing enterprise & customer-facing apps to store data, connect to any system, automate processes, and create reports. App Cloud is a single, unified ecosystem of tools and services including Force, Heroku Enterprise, and Lightning.

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PhpStorm logo
Category Leaders

PHP integrated development environment (IDE) editor

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PhpStorm is a hypertext preprocessor (PHP) integrated development environment editor designed to help developers manage code programming testing, and debugging on a unified interface. It supports development processes across Laravel, Symfony, Zend Framework, Drupal, WordPress, Magento, CakePHP, Joomla!, Yii, and more.

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RStudio Desktop logo
Category Leaders

IDE for R & Python

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RStudio is a data science program that enables users to develop, collaborate, manage, and share data in R and Python.

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Apache NetBeans logo
Category Leaders

Open-source IDE that provides smart code editors & templates

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Apache NetBeans is an open-source IDE that provides code editors, wizards, and templates. It can help developers create apps in Java, PHP, and other languages. Apache NetBeans can be installed on Windows, Mac OSX, Linux, and BSD operating systems.

Read more about Apache NetBeans

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Claris FileMaker logo

Custom application development

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Claris FileMaker is a custom application development platform that allows businesses to create unique applications that can be deployed in the cloud or on-premise. It provides features such as scripts, triggers, and graphical design tools to help tailor applications to business needs.

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GeneXus logo
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GeneXus: the best Low-Code Platform that you don't know yet

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GeneXus is the best Low-Code Platform that you don't know yet. It's a Software Development Platform that simplifies and automates the tasks of creating and evolving enterprise applications and multi-channel user-experiences.

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Eclipse IDE logo
Category Leaders

Leading open-source IDE

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Eclipse IDE is an open-source integrated development environment (IDE) that supports the development of Java-based applications. Eclipse IDE supports Java 16 and as well as Mac AArch64 (Arm64).

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DHTMLX logo

Powerful JavaScript UI library for project management apps

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Highly customizable JavaScript UI components for building modern web applications. Integrate full-featured Gantt chart, Scheduler, Kanban, Diagrams, Spreadsheet, and 20+ other DHTMLX widgets into your web app. Benefit from a 30-day free trial version to kick-start your project.

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WebStorm logo
Category Leaders

The JavaScript and TypeScript IDE, by JetBrains.

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WebStorm – JavaScript and TypeScript IDE.

With out-of-the-box support for JavaScript, TypeScript, and related technologies, as well as a variety of integrated developer tools, WebStorm lets you get straight to coding and saves you time spent on routine tasks.

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Wing Python IDE logo

Integrated development environment for Python developers.

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Wing Python IDE is an on-premise Python development environment designed to help developers increase their productivity. The platform provides a wide range of features such as an editor, debugger, unit testing, error checking, and code refactoring tools. Additionally, it supports many popular frameworks and provides seamless integration with Git, Mercurial, Subversion, or CVS.

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Arduino IDE logo

An integrated cross-platform development program in Java

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Arduino IDE is a flexible cross-platform development software program written in Java. It enables users to program in C and C++ and upload programs to compatible boards. It also offers a checking mechanism that identifies errors in the typed code.

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Oracle JDeveloper logo

IDE for Java-based applications

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Oracle JDeveloper is an integrated development environment that simplifies the development of Java-based applications addressing every step of the application lifecycle. JDeveloper offers complete end-to-end development for Oracle's platform and Oracle's applications.

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Velneo logo

Build any kind of business applications.

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Build any business management application with Low-Code, you have the power to create your application alone or together with us, all in one place.

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WaveMaker logo

Low Code Application Development Platform

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WaveMaker is a cloud-based rapid application development platform which enables users to build web and mobile apps and deploy these across multiple devices

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Xcode 12 logo
Category Leaders

Integrated development environment and app-building software

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Xcode is an app-building software that helps businesses initiate, review, merge, and comment on pull requests and manage collaboration processes via integration with GitHub, GitLab, and BitBucket. The platform enables staff members to utilize the built-in code completion, editing, compilation, linking, and debugging tools.

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DataGrip logo

Integrated Development Environment

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JetBrains DataGrip is an integrated development environment for working with databases and SQL.

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Code::Blocks logo
Category Leaders

Integrated development environment for C, C++, and Fortran

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Code::Blocks is an open-source integrated development environment (IDE), which helps developers design, launch, and manage coding for C, C++, and Fortran languages. The multi-platform capabilities allow users to create, compile, and debug source codes on Linux, Mac, and Windows operating systems.

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Flowfinity logo

Create, automate and integrate custom business process apps.

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No-code application configuration toolset that empowers business analysts to deliver solutions in rapid dev cycles. Our intuitive platform combines a web-based app editor, SQL database, interactive dashboards, advanced mobile data collection, process automations and simple, reliable integrations.

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Key features for Integrated Development Environment (IDE) software

Based on GetApp's analysis of verified user reviews collected between July 2021 and August 2024.

  • Code Development: Reviewers highlight diverse language support, auto-completion, code generation, debugging, and productivity enhancements through project templates and plugins. 97% of reviewers rated this feature as important or highly important.
  • Code Editing: Users appreciate intelligent code completion, syntax highlighting, refactoring tools, and multi-cursor editing for efficient and accurate code updates. 97% of reviewers rated this feature as important or highly important.
  • Debugging: Users value robust debugging tools with breakpoints, variable inspection, step-through execution, and real-time error detection for easier troubleshooting. 93% of reviewers rated this feature as important or highly important.
  • Deployment Management: Users note seamless integration with CI/CD services, easy deployment configurations, and support for multiple deployment environments, improving automation and efficiency. 84% of reviewers rated this feature as important or highly important.
  • Data Modeling: Reviewers mention the ease of creating and visualizing database schemas, integrating with data sources, and generating ORM models for effective data handling. 79% of reviewers rated this feature as important or highly important.