rpm-guide rpm-guide-development-tools-en.xml,NONE,1.1

[Stuart Ellis (elliss)]

Author: elliss

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<chapter id="ch-development-tools">
<title>Linux Text Editors and Development Tools</title>

  <para>
    Copyright (c) 2005 by Eric Foster-Johnson. This material may be
    distributed only subject to the terms and conditions set forth in
    the Open Publication License, v1.0 or later (the latest version is
    presently available at http://www.opencontent.org/openpub/).
  </para>

  <para/>

  <para>
    In This Appendix
  </para>

  <para>
    *General text editors
  </para>

  <para>
    *C-specific tools and integrated development environments
  </para>

  <para>
    *Python-specific development tools
  </para>

  <para>
    Linux includes a number of text editors and integrated development
    environments (IDEs), going from plain old text editors all the way
    up to sophisticated tools. These tools are suitable for shell
    scripting, C, Python, and Perl programming, along with a plethora of
    other uses. Linux makes extensive use of text files, especially for
    configuration data, so Linux has always included a number of text
    editors.
  </para>

  <para>
    This appendix lists a number of tools for those who have not yet set
    up an RPM development environment on Linux. Note that choosing an
    editor or IDE is mostly a matter of personal taste. Programmers will
    often engage in raging battles over the superiority of text editors
    and other programming tools. Before searching around too far, try
    out what you have installed on your system and see if that works for
    you.
  </para>

  <para>
    Note that Internet sites may change or disappear, so you may have to
    search to find these tools.
  </para>

  <sect1>
    <title>General Text Editors</title>
    <para>
      Linux distributions include a number of text editors with varying
      sets of features. The two most common editors are vi and emacs,
      which come with virtually all Linux distributions. These editors
      are good for UNIX- or Linux-savvy developers, but generally have a
      steep learning curve for developers used only to Windows.
    </para>
    <para>
      If you come from Windows, try gedit, kedit, or kate. These text
      editors open a graphical window on your desktop, making them
      appear more or less like the Windows Notepad.exe. All three offer
      more features than Notepad.exe, however.
    </para>
    <para>
      You may not have installed any of these editors, but all are
      available as part of Red Hat Linux. You can install vi, emacs,
      gedit, kedit, or kate from the packages that come with your Linux
      distribution.
    </para>
    <para>
      To start one of the editors, enter a command like the following:
    </para>
    <para>
      $ gedit listrpmpkgs &
    </para>
    <para>
      The ampersand, &, launches the program in the background.
      Replace gedit with the editor you choose.
    </para>
  </sect1>

  <sect1>
    <title>Programming Text Editors</title>
    <para>
      In addition to general-purpose text editors, Linux sports a large
      number of text editors with special features for programming, such
      as syntax highlighting. The extended version of vi, called vim,
      includes a number of add-ons that can help you with C programming
      tasks. Emacs also includes a wide array of features to help
      programming. Both of these editors can act as development
      environments with a bit of configuration. As mentioned previously,
      both come with most Linux distributions.
    </para>
    <para>
      I also like an editor called nedit and another one called jedit.
      The jedit editor is written in Java, so that it runs the same on
      Windows and Linux, a big win if you must work on multiple
      platforms. (Emacs and vim have versions that work on Windows, too,
      along with Linux.) If you use jedit, you must have a Java runtime
      environment installed.
    </para>
    <para>
      Cross Reference
    </para>
    <para>
      Download nedit from www.nedit.org. Download jedit from
      www.jedit.org. Download Java runtime environments from Sun at
      http://java.sun.com/j2se/downloads.html or IBM at
      www.ibm.com/java/jdk/ and select the IBM Developer Kit for Linux.
    </para>
  </sect1>

  <sect1>
    <title>Integrated Development Environments for C Programming</title>
    <para>
      If you want more of a graphical environment, Red Hat Linux ships
      with KDevelop, an IDE for C and C++ programming.
    </para>
    <para>
      Anjuta provides a GTK/GNOME-based IDE, an alternative to the
      KDE-based KDevelop. KDevelop, however, supports KDE, GNOME, Qt,
      and text-mode C and C++ applications.
    </para>
    <para>
      Cross Reference
    </para>
    <para>
      Download Anjuta from www.anjuta.org.
    </para>
    <para>
      The Eclipse IDE, while mostly used for Java development, has a C
      and C++ mode called CDT, for C/C++ Development Tools. Eclipse is
      important because Red Hat provides an RPM-building plug-in to
      Eclipse.
    </para>
    <para>
      Cross Reference
    </para>
    <para>
      Download Anjuta from www.anjuta.org. Download Eclipse from
      www.eclipse.org and the Eclipse CDT from
      www.eclipse.org/tools/downloads.html.
    </para>
  </sect1>

  <sect1>
    <title>Integrated Development Environments for Python Programming</title>
    <para>
      As with C programs, Python scripts are made up of text files
      holding Python commands, so you need a text editor or some sort of
      development environment for creating Python programs. Any of the
      tools listed so far will work fine for developing Python
      applications. The key requirement is the ability to control tabs
      and indenting, since this is crucial to Python syntax.
    </para>
    <para>
      IDLE, a graphical console and editor, supports creating Python
      applications. This is considered part of Python. IDLE requires the
      Python-tools package.
    </para>
    <para>
      In addition, you can choose from Python-focused tools such as
      Bicycle Repair Man, a refactoring tool, or Boa Constructor and
      Black Adder, two Python IDEs.
    </para>
    <para>
      Cross Reference
    </para>
    <para>
      Boa Constructor is available from
      http://boa-constructor.sourceforge.net. Black Adder is a
      commercial tool available at www.thekompany.com.
    </para>
    <para>
      The Eclipse IDE, mentioned previously, supports a number of Python
      add-ons. Combined with the C and C++ tools, and plug-ins for
      building RPMs, Eclipse brings together most everything you need
      for Python development on Linux.
    </para>
    <para>
      Cross Reference
    </para>
    <para>
      Eclipse is available at www.eclipse.org, and Python add-ons at
      http://sourceforge.net/projects/pyeclipse,
      http://sourceforge.net/projects/pe4eclipse, or
      http://www.kalab.com/freeware/pythoneclipse/pythoneclipse.htm.
    </para>
    <para>
      This is really just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to Python
      tools. You can find many more available on the Internet.
    </para>
    <para>
      Cross Reference
    </para>
    <para>
      A large listing of Python editing tools appears at
      http://www.python.org/cgi-bin/moinmoin/PythonEditors.
    </para>
  </sect1>
</chapter>
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