Rider is JetBrains' cross-platform .NET/C# IDE — a lighter, faster alternative to full Visual Studio that also runs natively on Mac and Linux, not just Windows. It sits around #17 in real-world usage (roughly 7.1%, tied with Eclipse), popular with C# developers and Unity game teams who don't want to be locked to Windows.
📌 Quick facts
Type: Full IDE
Made by: JetBrains
License: Paid (free trial; free for students and open-source maintainers)
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux
Primary use case: C#/.NET and Unity game development
Key features
- Full cross-platform support — the same real IDE on Windows, Mac, and Linux
- Deep C#/.NET refactoring and code analysis, on par with JetBrains' other IDEs
- Strong Unity integration, including debugging Unity's own C# scripts directly
- Built-in database tools, HTTP client, and Docker/Kubernetes support
- Faster startup and lower memory use than full Visual Studio for many projects
- Shares JetBrains' plugin ecosystem with IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, and WebStorm
Getting started
Rider is distributed via JetBrains Toolbox or direct download, with a free trial and a free license for students:
# Via JetBrains Toolbox (recommended, handles updates)
# download from jetbrains.com/toolbox-app then install Rider from it
# macOS (Homebrew)
brew install --cask rider
🎯 Best for: C#/.NET and Unity development on Mac or Linux, or anywhere full Visual Studio feels too heavy.