October 30, 2025
Containers, nostalgia, and C++ hot takes
Qt Creator 18 Released
Qt Creator 18 lands: old fans cheer, C++ diehards roar, and the qmake hot take ignites debate
TLDR: Qt Creator 18 launches with experimental “dev containers,” a cleaner home screen, and friendlier C++ and project tools. Commenters gush with nostalgia, defend it as the best C++ editor, spark a spicy qmake debate, and ask if it’s truly great for non-Qt, CMake-and-Conan projects.
Qt Creator 18 just dropped and the crowd went full nostalgia mode. Long-timers flooded the comments with “it’s still alive?!” joy, praising how this coding app was the fast, lightweight refuge when other tools felt like dragging a piano up stairs. The new release brings an experimental “dev container” feature—think: a ready-to-go coding sandbox—plus a friendlier home screen, optional tabbed editors, and smoother remote device setup. There’s also smarter C++ help, and a nod to test runners and build tools for folks using CMake, a popular project setup system.
But the comments stole the show. One brave soul called qmake (Qt’s older build tool) “one of the nicer” options—cue gasps and side-eyes. Meanwhile, hardcore fans claimed Qt Creator is the only C++ editor they’ll touch, while others begged for deeper support for non-C++ languages like D. A curious newcomer asked if it’s good for non-Qt, CMake-and-Conan setups, sparking a practical thread: is this just for Qt, or a legit all-around C++ base? The vibe: mostly love, a sprinkle of “tabs in 2025, finally,” and gentle shade at heavier rivals like VS Code and Eclipse.
If you want lightweight speed with fresh toys, the community says this is worth a spin—just remember the container magic is still labeled “experimental.” More details on the official site for the brave and the curious.
Key Points
- •Qt Creator 18 introduces experimental Development Containers support, detecting devcontainer.json and provisioning Docker containers with kit and command bridge customizations.
- •UI updates include a new Welcome Overview tab and redesigned notifications, with options for tabbed editors and existing navigation tools emphasized.
- •C++ support updates include Clangd/LLVM 21.1, improved code model for newer features, and new quick fixes; QML gains independent QML Language Server downloads.
- •Projects enhancements move .user files to .qtcreator/, add kit filtering, split Run into Deploy and Run Settings, enable run config sync, and expand CMake support (Test Presets, CTest Locator).
- •Remote device workflows add configurable/auto-detectable tools on Linux, optional auto-connect on startup, and a fix enabling rsync deployment in fully remote build/target setups.