# Eclipse IDE Reviews 2026. Verified Reviews, Pros & Cons | Capterra

> Is Eclipse IDE the right Integrated Development Environment (IDE) solution for you? Explore 204 verified user reviews from people in industries like yours to make a confident choice.

Source: https://www.capterra.com/p/205298/Eclipse-IDE/reviews

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Eclipse IDE

4.3 (204)

[View alternatives](https://www.capterra.com/p/205298/Eclipse-IDE/alternatives/)

Provider data verified by our Software Research team, and reviews moderated by our Reviews Verification team. [Learn more](https://www.capterra.com/our-story/)

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Last updated April 14th, 2026

# Reviews of Eclipse IDE

Ease of use

4.1

Customer Service

3.8

## Pros and Cons in Reviews

Extensive plugin and tool integration

91% positive reviews out of 58

Most reviewers find integrations highly valuable, enabling seamless plugin use, third-party tool support, and workflow flexibility.

Quashawn H

Computer Science student, 201 - 500 employees.

"A rich ecosystem of plugins, allowing you to customize and extend its functionality to suit your needs."

Resource-heavy and slow performance

75% negative reviews out of 60

Most reviewers indicate performance and speed are problematic, with high memory usage, slow startup, and lag on large projects.

Jacob M

Front end developer, 51 - 200 employees.

"Users have reported slow startup times, occasional freezes, or delays in tasks like indexing or code analysis."

Customizable java development workspace

95% positive reviews out of 55

Most reviewers indicate development environment offers extensive customization, robust Java support, and easy onboarding for all experience levels.

Alex M

System Developer, 11 - 50 employees.

"This allows one to create a coding environment that feels comfortable and efficient for a developer."

Frequent stability and reliability problems

91% negative reviews out of 22

Most reviewers report bugs and issues, including crashes, plugin incompatibilities, and instability disrupting development tasks.

Comprehensive feature set for developers

93% positive reviews out of 30

Most reviewers describe features as broad, including powerful code tools, extensibility, and strong Java-specific capabilities.

Ozone B

Jr. Full Stack Developer, 11 - 50 employees.

"Eclipse is a free of cost IDE with plenty of features and support for all your Java needs."

## Showing most helpful reviews

Showing 1-25 of 204 Reviews

Sort by:

Most Helpful

Rating

Company Size

Reviewer's Role

Length of Use

Frequency of Use

Surajit C.  
R&D Development Engineer  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Best IDE and lightweight for JAVA development"

January 10, 2023

4.0

Pros

Eclipse is one of the best IDE and also it is open source. It is very easy to operate. It supports multiple programming languages ( such as c, c++, and java). Keyboard shortcut is very effective in operation. Debugging is faster than other IDE. Moreover, it executes almost all operating systems. Besides that you can change the layout , also it supports Maven.

Cons

It is not very stable, it crashes so many times. Also, shortcuts do not work properly all the time . For using the shortcuts you have to remember it otherwise you cannot use it. It needs to improve its memory utilization. Running time is very slow. For java users Eclipse is easy but for others, it is not so easy. Also, opening and closing time is more than normal time. Compared with VS Code Eclipse does not have a very clear interface. As it has so many options to change the settings so sometimes it is very difficult to change and also unnecessary some options are given.

Alternatives considered

[Visual Studio Code](https://www.capterra.com/p/186634/Visual-Studio-Code/)

Reason for choosing Eclipse IDE

I needed to switch from NetBeans, as it was very slow. The debugging time was too slow.NetBeans is getting old and so there are comparatively fewer software updates.

Review Source

LL

Luca L.  
IT Analyst and Developer  
Packaging and Containers  
Used the software for: 6-12 months

### "Free. Powerful. Pretty much essential for PHP development."

April 29, 2025

4.0

Pros

For work, I have to develop and maintain a website written in PHP. The site has been developed over the years, so it includes both static and dynamic pages that retrieve data from a PostgreSQL database. As it has grown over time, it has become quite complex, and a basic text editor is sometimes insufficient. That's why I switched to Eclipse for PHP Developers. It's helpful that it offers code completion for functions and variables, and that it's possible to jump directly to the relevant function. With a basic editor, you'd have to scroll through the entire file. I also find the Compare feature very useful, as it allows you to compare the file you're editing with the current version on the server. It does have a few drawbacks, but considering it's free, I'd say it does its job quite well.

Cons

The only downsides I've found are its heavy resource usage (an editor like Notepad++ is much lighter) and a somewhat outdated user interface. Also, the sheer number of options can sometimes be overwhelming and may actually work against productivity.

Alternatives considered

[PhpStorm](https://www.capterra.com/p/186624/PhpStorm/)

Reason for choosing Eclipse IDE

PhpStorm is a paid program, so i firstly want to test with a free application

Switched from

[Notepad++](https://www.capterra.com/p/185965/Notepad/)

The site i'm developing has grown over time, it has become quite complex, and a basic text editor is sometimes insufficient. That's why I switched to Eclipse for PHP Developers. It's helpful that it offers code completion for functions and variables, and that it's possible to jump directly to the relevant function.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Software Engineer  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "A powerful IDE that feels heavy but gets the job done"

May 4, 2026

3.0

Overall, Eclipse IDE feels like a very capable development tool, especially for larger or more complex projects. It has a lot of features that support coding, debugging, and project management, which makes it useful once everything is set up properly. There is definitely a learning curve at the beginning, and it can feel a bit heavy compared to simpler editors. The interface also takes some time to get used to, but after working with it for a while, it becomes more comfortable to navigate. Despite some performance issues and occasional glitches, it is still a reliable IDE for serious development work. The flexibility and wide range of features make it a solid choice, especially when working in environments that require customization and extensibility.

Pros

What stands out most about Eclipse IDE is how powerful it is for development work. It supports a wide range of programming needs, and the features are solid once you get familiar with it. It is very flexible when it comes to customization. The ability to add plugins and adjust the environment to fit different workflows is a big advantage, especially for developers working on different types of projects. In terms of code development, it handles large projects well and provides useful tools like code suggestions, debugging, and navigation between files, which helps speed up the work. The learning curve is there, but after some time it becomes easier to use. Once the basics are understood, daily tasks feel more efficient. Overall, it is a feature rich IDE that works well for serious development, especially when flexibility and extensibility are important.

Cons

What I liked least about Eclipse IDE is that it can feel heavy and slow, especially when working on larger projects. It sometimes takes a while to start up or respond compared to lighter IDEs. The interface also feels a bit outdated and not always very intuitive. Finding certain settings or features can take time, especially for someone new to it. Plugin management can be another pain point. While there are many plugins available, setting them up or dealing with compatibility issues is not always smooth. Occasionally, it also runs into bugs or freezes, which can interrupt workflow and be frustrating during development.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Sr. SDET  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Feature-Rich IDE for Efficient Development"

March 30, 2026

4.0

Overall, my experience with Eclipse IDE has been positive. It is a reliable and powerful development tool, especially for Java projects, with strong debugging capabilities and extensive plugin support. While it can sometimes feel slow and less modern compared to newer IDEs, its flexibility and robust features make it a dependable choice for development.

Pros

Eclipse IDE offers a highly customizable and extensible environment with strong support for Java development. Its wide range of plugins, built-in debugging tools, and seamless integration with version control systems make development efficient and organized.

Cons

Eclipse IDE can feel heavy and slow, especially when working on large projects. The user interface is somewhat outdated, and frequent plugin updates or compatibility issues can sometimes disrupt the development experience.

Review Source

MR

Mathieu R.  
Programmeur Jouabilité  
Gambling & Casinos  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "Versatile IDE with Powerful Customization"

December 7, 2025

4.0

Pros

Eclipse remains a versatile environment, especially for Java projects or internal tools. I’ve appreciated the flexibility of plugins and the ability to customize the workspace depending on the task or prototype I was working on.

Cons

The interface can feel cluttered and a bit outdated compared to more modern IDEs. The initial learning curve also requires some patience.

Review Source

MS

Marvin S.  
Lead Developer  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "Jack of all Trades but master of none"

June 6, 2026

3.0

This was the IDE I learned Coding in back in school, and while it was a good experience back then, by now I feel like it didnt manage to keep up with the industry leaders.

Pros

It was pretty easy to learn and it does have a huge library of plugins and extensions making it very customizable.

Cons

Unfortunately the integrated featureset is too lean for my liking and while extending it works the performance is already a struggle with the base set. So it has a bit of both worlds the full fledged "heavy" ides as well as the light weight but very extendable ones. Unfortunately it doesnt really manage to compete in either

Review Source

SP

Srinivasa P.  
Quality Assurance Lead  
Capital Markets  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "A free all in one Java development IDE"

December 11, 2024

4.0

Its a great tool for non commercial and commercial java development. But I will inclined to use it more for learning projects and / or non commercial projects. Mainly due to the stability issues it had when I was using it.

Pros

A free all in one Java development IDE. Great effort went in to the development of the tool by eclipse community.

Cons

Stability of the tool. Crashed on me at very crucial times.

Review Source

mL

marc L.  
Software e  
Automotive  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "Software engineer "

May 8, 2025

5.0

Pros

Good ide for java. Widely used in the industry

Cons

The tool is bloated to compare to other ide

Review Source

EC

Eric C.  
Engineering Manager  
Education Management  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Solid Java development IDE"

March 16, 2025

4.0

Overall a positive experience, but we have since transitioned away from it.

Pros

Does the job for Java development and you can't beat the price!

Cons

Did have performance issues as the project got larger. Has been largely superceded by IDEA/IntelliJ for Java development.

Review Source

RL

Richard L.  
Senior Developer  
Education Management  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Good IDE for multiple languages"

June 19, 2025

5.0

I had a pretty good experience using Eclipse IDE, when I had issues, I found a vast amount of knowledge and a great community for it.

Pros

free version of the software available. allow to work with multiple languages. has been supported for many years, great community

Cons

The software is a bit resources hungry, we cannot run on older machine. Not all plugins exists for it.

Review Source

JA

Jeffrey A.  
Software Developer Senior  
Higher Education  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Eclipse is a great free dev environment"

April 7, 2025

4.0

I use it for a free dev environment for learning new languages.

Pros

Free and open source. Just about any language can have a development environment created for it.

Cons

Sometimes a bit slow due to the Java code-base.

Review Source

DO

Dan O.  
Software Engineer  
Automotive  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "High customizability but difficult to use and outdated interface"

April 5, 2025

2.0

Pros

There are a lot of ways to customize the layout of the IDE to suit your workflow and preferences.

Cons

It is very difficult to use. The icons are small and unintuitive. Overall the interface is confusing and it doesn't look sleek.

Review Source

Gabriel B.  
BTP Developer  
Financial Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Eclipse, an industry standard"

July 12, 2023

5.0

Pros

Eclipse continues to be one of the best Java IDEs available. My specific use case is not with Java, but particularly ABAP via the extension ABAP development tools. It is a great leap ahead of the traditional development via SE80 in the SAP client. Eclipse is very extensible and has existed for a long time, which allows to have a great set of add-ons available to enhance your development. Also, SAP has focused all its new features on Eclipse. Now tools and frameworks such as CDS, RAP, AMDP are only available on Eclipse.

Cons

It has a steep learning curve. When you open it for the first time, it can be overwhelming to look at so many options, menus. You also have to understand views and perspectives to make full use of it.It can also look outdated, especially when you compare it to IDEs with modern UIs such as Visual Studio Code which is one of the most popular ones.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Principal Software Engineer  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "A No Brainer choice to start Development with"

September 14, 2022

5.0

I had been in teams which use Eclipse IDE for backend development of the projects, integrating with Git, pushing the code, triggering pipelines and for debugging issues. It has been a great experience to load projects, create sub projects even with modern frameworks but as the world evolves, flavours like spring toolsuite have taken over for framework specific projects

Pros

For any mid-large tier company / individuals who start their development journey, eclipse is the best fit out there to help them onboard, pamper and make them learn. From basics to advanced users, eclipse is definitely a right choice for backend development . Also the responses, notifications eclipse gives are very contextual and always developer focussed. For test automation framework projects as well, eclipse does a great job

Cons

Lack of innovation since 2 releases - almost every feature being rolled out is just minor enhancement and that is one of the reason for many to adpot IntelliJ as the choice for IDE. Also eclipse start up time, loading projects from cache has not been improved since many years and it is definitely a concern for the modern systems

Review Source

BL

Blong L.  
QA Automation II  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "Perfect for backend web testing in Java"

February 8, 2023

5.0

8/10! Great for beginners learning to test and easy to use. Perfect intergration with Jenkins. Love that it has cucumber implemented and I can just shorten my test to make it readable for others to read. Maven built in is so useful.

Pros

This is where I learned Java and practiced my first intern job of backend testing for my company's website. Great for beginner and easy to learn, has a nice organized structure on the left panel that you can customized with accordingly to whatever project you're doing.

Cons

It gets buggy with syncing and sometimes JARs don't work properly you have to move them around or either manually/auto through maven repository to work well. Also it can crash if running too many test, so I use multiple computer instead. So much error (red text) while testing, always have to figure out how to fix them. Wish they just create a template or a way to fix these issues without having to figure it out, such as logj4 errors and compatibility errors. Wish I can have a in-app browser instead of having to switch screen and back to Eclipse over and over when testing browser.

Reason for choosing Eclipse IDE

Aqua Ide is better with the browser added inside the application itself, which is amazing because it requires less switching between screens, especially when on laptop. But I like Eclipse because I got accustom to using it as my first and learning when I first started as an automator in testing my company's website.

Review Source

NR

Nitheen R.  
Software developer  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Developer’s best buddy"

May 28, 2024

5.0

Pros

Eclipse is really good as it has integration with multiple build tools like maven, ant. Several debugging and run profiles can be created. Eclipse has constant new versions getting introduced and all are stable versions.

Cons

User interface is great but can be improved

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Senior Test Engineer  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Eclipse IDE - Multi language supported IDE for developers and testers "

October 6, 2022

5.0

Pros

The most i like about this software is its light weight installation and setup.

Cons

The least is its slowness in compilation, interpretation and deployment.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Senior Software Test Automation Engineer  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "A long standing coding companion which is actually Free!!"

January 15, 2023

4.0

Pros

Simple UI, Free of Cost, supports and integrates with many CICD tools, Supports more plugins. Assist in compilation and debugging of code. Helps in formatting code. Doesn't take much CPU unlike other IDEs

Cons

Basic UI, Execution is slower, Lack of themes, Slow to start and Support of languages other than Java is not so great

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Founder  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "The IDE that made Standards"

March 3, 2021

5.0

Apart from the reduce the performance due to the plugin handler(might be on my machine only) the overall experience is fantastic i get to know eclipse IDE when most of the famous code editors were paid and eclipse opened a wide variety of selections for me specially with their android development suite(i know google made that but it was still running on eclipse) times went by and new laguages dropped in but the dev community were able to pull everything to maintain Eclipse as the Modern IDE for most Open Source fans and followers.

Pros

I am amazed how i forgot to review Eclipse as i am using the same since 2014 or should i say when the time android studio was based on it. If i were to say myself the wide selection of plugins and ofcourse countless devs working on Eclipse IDE to modernize or make it better for new generation to come is simply extra-ordinary. I love the way how it adapts the code formatting and refracting as it's best just define the project language and you are ready to go, simple yet amazing.

Cons

There are few things here and there ofcourse only in my personal opinion the thing i would love to have changed is it's plugin handler, i love how many plugins are available for it but the plugin handler sometimes just encrease the load time for some projects that aren't even using that many plugins. That's all nothing else.

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
Chief Architect  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Eclipse is highly recommended"

February 24, 2023

5.0

I have developed many Java app with Eclipse, its the easiest to use IDE compared to others

Pros

Its free to use, you can easily design simple app to highly complex Java EE app, with various plugins and support

Cons

Sometimes the user interface can get disoriented

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
QA Engineer  
Information Technology and Services  
Used the software for: 1-2 years

### "Eclipse: Experience-Based Review"

January 6, 2022

5.0

Pros

1\. I've used Eclipse as a developer and automation engineer, and this IDE really adapts to what I need. I mainly use Eclipse for Java programming language as well as Python, and the coding experience stays the same. 2. IntelliSense feature is helpful. 3. Deployment is seamless since it can be integrated into CI/CD tools

Cons

1\. If you have experience with other newer IDE now in the market, you may realize that Eclipse tends to be more "too techy" based on the interface. But if you prefer it oversimplified IDE (like PyCharm), this is for you.

Review Source

Mohammad W.  
Embedded Software Engineer  
Automotive  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "The All in one IDE"

April 26, 2022

5.0

Pros

Very simple and easy to use with a lot of options and customizations that lets you pick whatever is most suitable for you. Support for all types of coding via an internal market that has all the needed extensions. Big community of users that help fixing bugs.

Cons

Sometimes setting up eclipse for specific jobs might be a bit frustrating.

Review Source

Priyanka J.  
software developer  
Computer Software  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Best and easy to use IDE for java related applications development."

September 7, 2022

5.0

Pros

"Its an easy to use IDE for java development. Im using it for 3+ years to automate web application with selenium. Its interface i like the most ,easy to add plugins and support available for it on google makes it best."

Cons

Sometimes in older version if eclipse it becomes hard to find suitable plugin supported by it, we have to spend good amount of time for trial and error.

Review Source

LY

Lsb Y.  
Software QA Engineer  
Health, Wellness and Fitness  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "IDE for automation"

November 13, 2023

5.0

Pros

Great variety of plugins and variety of frameworks available Integration is easy

Cons

Memory issues with low RAM computers Many options to understand at times

Review Source

VR

Verified Reviewer  
QA Manager  
Financial Services  
Used the software for: 2+ years

### "Great IDE for automation testers"

November 15, 2022

5.0

Pros

I am using this IDE from the past 4 years to write and maintain my selenium code base. it is very easy and provides good maintainability

Cons

UI and color coding can be a bit better other than that no issues

Review Source

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