Microchip unveils open-source IDE for developers

CHANDLER, USA: Microchip Technology Inc., provider of microcontroller, analog and Flash-IP solutions has announced its next-generation, open-source integrated development environment, the MPLAB X IDE with cross-platform support for Linux, Mac OS and Windows operating systems.

The company claims that the new IDE can manage multiple projects and tools with simultaneous debugging, an advanced editor, visual call graphs and code completion and support for an entire portfolio of 8, 16 and 32-bit microcontrollers.

“By combining the feature-rich MPLAB X IDE with the high-performance and migration-friendly PIC MCU portfolio, Microchip is taking its industry-leading development support to the next level,” said Derek Carlson, Microchip’s vice president of Development Systems.

He added, “Now more than ever, Microchip provides embedded designers with the world’s most universal, flexible and easy to use microcontroller development platform.”

Additional features of the new MPLAB X IDE include:

* Import utility for quick and easy migration of projects from old MPLAB IDE platform

* Code completion and context menus via advanced editor
* Configurable watch window
* Supports multiple compiler versions, simultaneously
* Team collaboration tools for bug tracking and source-code control

MPLAB X is based on the Oracle Sponsored open-source NetBeans platform, which has an active user community that can contribute a wide range of enhancements and third-party plug-ins.

“Microchip has built upon the flexible and open-source NetBeans platform to significantly advance their MPLAB X IDE,” said Duncan Mills, senior director Product Management, Oracle.

“MPLAB X maintains the core benefits of NetBeans, enabling developers to quickly and easily deploy optimized embedded applications,” concluded Mills.