Another important factor for designers today is the ability to reuse code and easily adopt the microcontroller performance level that best suits the needs of each project. This has always been a strength of Microchip, and MPLAB XC continues this tradition by facilitating code transfer from any other existing Microchip compiler. Furthermore, MPLAB XC completes Microchip's suite of compatible and capable compilers and debuggers/programmers that work seamlessly within the universal, cross-platform, open-source MPLAB® X integrated development environment, reducing learning curves and tool investments. MPLAB XC compilers are also backward compatible with previous versions of MPLAB IDE.
Many designers need a C compiler, and Microchip's free 8-, 16-, and 32-bit MPLAB XC compiler editions offer numerous optimizations, are fully functional, and have no licensing restrictions for commercial use. For those who want to test their code with the Pro optimization levels, which are approximately 50% better than the Free editions, Microchip also offers 60-day Pro optimization evaluation editions that revert to Free-level compilers after the evaluation period. Like the Free editions, the evaluation editions are fully functional and have no licensing restrictions for commercial use.
Microchip now offers the option to purchase single-user licenses, and organizations with many engineers can purchase a floating network license in which the compiler is installed on the company intranet to facilitate access for all its designers.
