I remember when I was a kid it was easy to make standalone .exe files with Turbo Pascal for example but somehow I don't see this is the case anymore. Like people just share the Python .py file for example. Is there a modern IDE to make simple standalone .exe files? (maybe GUI too)
There are several options you could explore. My personal favorites are:
- RAD Studio[0] (which includes the possibility to use C++ with C++Builder or Object Pascal with Delphi, a language by the venerable Anders Hejslberg, creator of C# .NET). Dev-C++ comes as part of this[1]. The executables can be made portable entirely, not needing to distribute these with any DLL or whatsoever.
- Sciter[2], which is not an IDE, but a multiplatform GUI Framework. You can use HTML, CSS and JS to create the UI, and then back-end with any language you like (C++, C#, Python, among others).
- Lazarus IDE[3], which is highly recommended as the free alternative to Delphi, but Delphi indeed has a Community version and I just use that because I'm used to.
- Visual Studio[4], If you want to go "traditional" you can use Visual Studio, the official suite from Microsoft for such a purpose. Please keep in mind that you'll require a framework installed on the other end (on your customer's PC) if you want these executables to run, most Windows installations do come with it, but some older ones don't. This is not a requirement with RAD Studio/C++Builder/Delphi which is why I naturally lean towards them.
I personally think it doesn't have to be open source to be successful. I know it makes it more appealing, but you can sypport the creator as well by purchasing the licenses.
Plus, the technology gives you a clear technical advantage over something like... let's say: Electron.
- RAD Studio[0] (which includes the possibility to use C++ with C++Builder or Object Pascal with Delphi, a language by the venerable Anders Hejslberg, creator of C# .NET). Dev-C++ comes as part of this[1]. The executables can be made portable entirely, not needing to distribute these with any DLL or whatsoever.
- Sciter[2], which is not an IDE, but a multiplatform GUI Framework. You can use HTML, CSS and JS to create the UI, and then back-end with any language you like (C++, C#, Python, among others).
- Lazarus IDE[3], which is highly recommended as the free alternative to Delphi, but Delphi indeed has a Community version and I just use that because I'm used to.
- Visual Studio[4], If you want to go "traditional" you can use Visual Studio, the official suite from Microsoft for such a purpose. Please keep in mind that you'll require a framework installed on the other end (on your customer's PC) if you want these executables to run, most Windows installations do come with it, but some older ones don't. This is not a requirement with RAD Studio/C++Builder/Delphi which is why I naturally lean towards them.
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[0]: https://www.embarcadero.com/products/rad-studio
[1]: https://www.embarcadero.com/free-tools/dev-cpp
[2]: https://sciter.com/
[3]: https://www.lazarus-ide.org/
[4]: https://visualstudio.microsoft.com/