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Developing with Linux

The Linux operating system is a developers dream. There are so many programs that have their source wide open for perusal it is almost like being in a happy house. Any one of those programs can be used as a basis for a new project or just for ideas on how something is done.

Not just programs either. There are so many languages to choose from it will make your head spin. Linux is like everyone from the Tower of Babel getting together for a geek conference. Any language supported by linux can be easily programmed and compiled in several ways.

Your programming interface can be as simple as nano ranging up through vi or emacs to full blown IDE's like kdevelop. Kdevelop is a fantastic (in my humble opinion) full function IDE which supports the major programming languages from the venerable C to the latest Ruby on Rails fashion. It has more features than even a Swiss Army knife and plenty of prebuilt templates so even the most green programmers can get wet behind the ears. It even supports those scripting languages that get snorts of derision from seasoned programmers and script kiddies salivating.

Class navigation is a breeze, documentation for any class is a single right click away and all class relationships can be easily viewed as a graph. Step by step debugging is a joy to use and memory leaks are easier to find than a owning a two week old puppy.

Once your program is ready for the outside world kdevelop can easily package it up into an easy digestable package for the linux compiler. It also supports version control so your projects can be easily released as official versions and you can continue working.

If I sound like a zealot when talking about kdevelop I guess it is because I am so excited about this full package, no holding back programmers dream of an IDE.



Visiting Borgs

Read 5 comments


We have to remember that many of the things that we use with Linux are not really part of Linux. When we talk about Linux, we are really talking about the Linux kernel, right?

I think this is why many people refer to Linux as "GNU/Linux" nowadays, because many of the utilities that are part of Linux distributions actually came from GNU. KDE and Gnome and other windowing environments are not part of GNU or Linux, so I wonder if "GNU/Linux" is not really adequate to describe this thing we call "Linux". I think Ubuntu's approach is a good one, with "kubuntu", "xubuntu", "edubuntu" and "ubuntu".

If someone asks me which OS I like, I usually say "Freespire Linux" or "kubuntu Linux". Most people have heard of Linux but don't know what Freespire or kubuntu are.

You are quite right Pollywog. Linux is just the kernel and as there are other programs that aren't GNU it technically can't be called a GNU/Linux system. Purists would even say that "Freespire Linux" or "kubuntu Linux" is not correct.

Personally as I am a lazy person and am not into typing as much as, say, George :) I just say Linux and hope that everyone understands what I am trying to say.
Actually George is even more lazy than Locutus. He uses speech recognition software most of the time (don't ask how he manages to still make horrible typos).
I will have to check this one out. It would be nice to have a cross platform IDE. Thanks for the tip.
Hi cbertram68,

Kdevelop is not a cross platform IDE in that it works under windows (at least until kde4 comes out). It is a multi-language IDE however. It is a native KDE application so wherever KDE works so does kdevelop.

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Archive Category: Advice
Keyword Tags:  kdevelop   linux   develop   program   C   Ruby

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