Yep, its crap... MPLAB X is just terribly slow on my PC. It often gets confused and had non-stopping "parsing project xxxxx" messages, especially if I have several projects open at once.
I have a whole list of gripes but it does come down to being used to something like Visual Studio (there is a Linux version call "Visual Studio Code", I think, I've not used it).
Also because I'm working on PIC32MZ project almost exclusively in C++ (XC32 compiler is actually pretty good/modern thanks to is being gcc, the shipped std library I avoid though, I use ETLCPP
http://www.etlcpp.com) but the C++ support in MPLAB is essentially non-existent. Errors and warning constantly in the code that is actually perfectly fine..
Also don't get me started on Harmony.. Argh.. But that is another gripe altogether
(basically just don't is my advice).
Once I get some time, I'll be reverting to manual Makefiles and XC32 directly I think.
Also I get very little use from the debugger - mostly it can't tell me anything, almost all variables I try to inspect are not found.. totally useless I think in my project. I have to debug using logging/pin toggling/'scope anyway so I'm not loosing anything and I'll be able to use an editor of my choice rather than the stuff in MPLAB X.
My suggestion: get familiar with the makefile flavour of your choice and use command line builds, then use what ever editor you find most comfortable
If you build a bootloader as the first part of your project, you then won't even need a PIC programmer much after that (assuming your device support self programming)...
Ash.