Versions 4.0 to 12.8 are based on the Eclipse open source IDE, which can be easily extended to include support for OS level application debug (Linux, Android, Windows Embedded) and open source compiler suites such as GCC.

Starting with Version 20 in December 2024, CCS is based on the Eclipse Theia platform and IDE.

TI developed a new IDE based on the open-source Eclipse, named Code Composer Essentials (CCE), that was designed for the MSP430 line of microcontrollers.

Historically CCS supported only JTAG debug probes from TI - also called XDS emulators.

With the integration of MSP430 and Stellaris microcontrollers, support was added for their respective JTAG debug probes: MSP-FET430 (both parallel and USB versions) and ICDI.

[18] Release 7.x saw the integration of J-Link JTAG debug probes from Segger[18] directly in the CCS installer.