When it comes to a compiler on Linux, the lingua franca is GCC, the GNU Compiler Collection. gcc, g++, and gFortran are part of this compiler collection. You use GCC to make your C/C++ code work on the largest number of systems possible.
The Intel Development Suite is a highly optimized compiler for Intel hardware. Performance increases of 10% and higher over GNU Compilers are standard with it. Several projects I have worked on have seen nearly 50% performance increases. However, end users may find it cost prohibitive.