Tutorials : Next-Gen Coding is Here: What’s New in Qt Creator 20

By Mihai Cornel


 Next-Gen Coding is Here: What’s New in Qt Creator 20

If you are a cross-platform developer, it’s time to head over to your Qt Online Installer. The Qt Company has officially released Qt Creator 20, and it is packed with features designed to modernize your workflow, cut out distractions, and bring artificial intelligence directly into your codebase.

From smart AI coding agents to minimalist workspace modes, let's look at the major upgrades hitting your favorite IDE.

1. AI Coding Agents Take the Stage (ACP & MCP)

The biggest headline in Qt Creator 20 is the introduction of the ACP Client extension. This opens up a brand-new chat panel inside the IDE populated by AI coding agents that don’t just offer autocomplete—they actually understand your entire codebase.

Because it is built on the standard Agent Client Protocol (ACP), you can seamlessly connect it to popular external AI models via the public ACP Registry. This includes templates for:

  • Anthropic's Claude Code

  • OpenAI's Codex

  • Google's Gemini CLI

  • GitHub Copilot

Additionally, Qt Creator 20 features an MCP Server (Model Context Protocol) extension. This gives your AI assistants a real-time understanding of what your IDE is doing, allowing them to write code, execute specific tasks, trigger builds, and analyze errors contextually.

2. Code in Peace with "Zen Mode"

We’ve all had those days where the sidebar clutter gets overwhelming. Qt Creator 20 addresses this by introducing a built-in Zen Mode.

Once enabled via the Extensions menu, you can toggle a distraction-free environment with a single click in the main window’s status bar (or via Tools > Zen Mode). Everything recedes into the background except for the line of code you are working on, helping you lock into a deep flow state.

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3. Boosted Build Systems: GN & CMake

For developers managing large-scale infrastructure, Qt Creator 20 brings support for the GN (Generate Ninja) build system. By enabling the new GN extension, you can now natively open and manage GN projects directly inside the IDE.

CMake users also get major quality-of-life updates:

  • The IDE now actively watches CMake Presets for changes.

  • New vendor presets (qt and compiler) have been added.

  • Kits created via CMake Presets are now smartly treated as temporary, project-specific environments so your global setup stays clean.

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4. Advanced Language & Editing Refinements

The core editing environment is faster and more powerful, thanks to an upgrade to Clangd (LLVM 22.1.2) for the C++ code model. For the first time, prebuilt binaries ship with PGO (profile-guided optimization), resulting in faster code completion and indexing on all major platforms.

You can also now fold:

  • Preprocessor branches (#if, #ifdef, #ifndef)

  • C++ style comment blocks

  • #pragma regions

For UI developers, QML now defaults to semantic highlighting provided by qmlls, complete with built-in refactoring actions.

5. Smoother Mobile & Remote Device Workflows

Developing for external targets is noticeably smoother in version 20:

  • Android: The Android Manifest editor has been beautifully split into clean, separate tabs for managing icons, splash screens, and user permissions independently.

  • iOS: The File System view and Locator tool can now access specific sandbox areas on iOS devices, making it easier to pull crash logs and developer app directories.

  • Remote Linux: The IDE will now automatically connect to remote Linux platforms before initiating a deploy-and-run sequence. You can also mount host directories to let remote hardware securely build from your local source code.

How to Get the Free Upgrade

If you are already utilizing the Qt Online Installer, you can update to version 20 immediately. It is completely free for both commercial and open-source license holders. For offline environments, individual packages are available through the Qt Account Portal and open-source download pages.

To get the latest version (Qt Creator 20), the official and most reliable method is using the Qt Online Installer. Linux distributions often carry older versions in their native repositories, so the installer ensures you get the brand-new AI and Zen Mode features.

Here is how to set it up on your PC, focusing on Linux/Ubuntu systems.

Step 1: Install the Necessary Build Prerequisites

Before running the installer, your system needs basic C++ development tools and OpenGL libraries installed. Open your terminal and execute:

Bash
sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get upgrade
sudo apt-get install build-essential libgl1-mesa-dev

Step 2: Download the Qt Online Installer

  1. Head over to the official Qt Download Page or download it directly from the Qt Official Archive.

  2. Grab the Linux 64-bit installer script: qt-online-installer-linux-x64-online.run.

Step 3: Make the Installer Executable & Run It

Navigate to your ~/Downloads directory (or wherever you saved the file), change its permissions to allow execution, and launch it:

Bash
cd ~/Downloads
chmod +x qt-online-installer-linux-x64-online.run
./qt-online-installer-linux-x64-online.run

Step 4: Complete the Installation Wizard

A graphical setup window will open. Follow these quick settings:

  • Qt Account: Log in with your existing account or create a new one (it’s free for open-source and individual developers).

  • Components Selection:

    • Make sure Qt Creator (and under it, version 20) is selected.

    • Select at least one Qt Framework version (like Qt 6.x for desktop development) so you have a kit ready to compile code right away.

  • Finish: Click through the installation and let it download the components.

Once done, you can launch Qt Creator 20 straight from your applications menu or desktop environment!

Alternative: Native Package Manager (Quick Setup)

If you prefer managing software strictly through your system package manager and don't mind if your distribution hasn't updated to version 20 yet, you can install the repository version using:

Bash
sudo apt install qtcreator cmake g++

(Note: Native repository versions are lightweight and manage dependencies automatically, but they rarely have the absolute latest release on day one.)

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Have you tried out the new AI coding agents or Zen Mode yet? Let us know what you think of this massive upgrade in the comments below!


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