JetBrains is extending its non-commercial licensing model to CLion, its IDE for C and C++ development on Linux, OS X and Windows. This means that if you are using CLion for hobby development, open-source project development, or for learning the language  you can now do so for free.

JetBrains introduced a new licensing model last year making some of its IDEs free for non-commercial use with aim of  making its IDEs more accessible to a broader audience. Initially it was only  for RustRover, Rider, and WebStorm and now it also encompasses CLion.

With the new non-commercial license type, the IDE is identical to its paid version. The only difference is in the Code With Me feature. In place of the Premium version it is  Code With Me Community with a free license. 

According to JetBrains:

commercial use means developing products and earning commercial benefits from your activities. However, certain categories are explicitly excluded from this definition. Common examples of non-commercial uses include learning and self-education, open-source contributions without earning commercial benefits, any form of content creation, and hobby development.

If you opt for a free non-commercial license, you cannot opt out of the collection of anonymous usage statistics related to your usage of the product’s features. The rubric states:

This information may include but is not limited to frameworks, file templates used in the product, actions invoked, and other interactions with the product’s features. This information does not contain personal data. 

Gathering this data together with the strategy of getting students hooked on JetBrains IDEs before they move on to paid work makes commercial sense. However JetBrain's explanation for why it is extending the non-commercial licence to CLion also seems reasonable: 

C++ is powerful, but it’s not exactly known for being easy or forgiving. And then there’s C – lean, low-level, and still a core part of many computer science curricula. Whether you’re learning these languages, diving into systems programming, or exploring embedded development on your own, C and C++ often come with a steep learning curve.

We want to support that journey. With CLion now free for non-commercial use, it’s easier for you to experiment, learn, and build – without worrying about the IDE license.

JetBrains also hints that its free non-commercial licence might be further expanded, stating in the blog post:

We’re keeping an eye on how things go and will continue evaluating the impact of this initiative.

More Information

CLion

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