I'm looking for recommendations on free IDEs for programming in C#. I've tried Visual Studio Code, but it doesn't seem to have all the features I find in Visual Studio 2022 on Windows. Setting up a Windows VM feels counterproductive, especially since I'm using Linux. I know that Rider offers a paid version, but is there a reliable free option? Also, I've heard Rider is free for personal use now, but I'd like feedback on that. What IDEs do you all recommend?
5 Answers
Rider is solid, and it’s free for personal use. I definitely recommend giving it a shot, especially since you've switched already!
You might want to give Visual Studio Community Edition a try. It’s free and has plenty of features for C# development.
Rider is actually free for personal use now, so you can use that if you prefer. It has a lot of useful tools for C# development!
Thanks! I just started using Rider and didn't realize it was free for personal use!
If you're okay with something lightweight, consider VS Code. It's versatile and there are a lot of extensions to help enhance its functionality for C#.
If you're feeling adventurous, you could also look into using Vim. It's not for everyone, but it's pretty powerful once you get the hang of it.
I really appreciate the tips! I thought Rider was paid before, but it turns out I was mistaken.