Integrated Development Environment (IDE)

Theory

Writing just one program involves a whole variety of tasks: you write the code, find and fix errors that inevitably arise, then the code has to be compiled, run, and documented. And guess what, all of this has to be done over and over again (well, that's just great). With small programs like Hello World, you can perform these tasks using a simple text editor to write your source code and a set of tools to translate and start the programs. Some text editors can even highlight the syntax, which simplifies the writing process, but this may not suffice for working on something larger and more complex.

As a professional developer, you need a specialized tool to navigate through your multiple-file programs, modify, compile, run, and debug them, display syntax errors, and so on. An Integrated Development Environment (IDE) is precisely that: it offers a single program in which developers can deal with all these common tasks.

§1. Brief historical background

Most modern IDEs are graphical, though the first ones were used back in the era when no one dreamed of graphics. They were built on a text-based interface and could only be operated using function keys and hotkeys to invoke various functions. This was, for example, Turbo Pascal, created by Borland:

The first IDEs were designed to be operated via a console or terminal, which were new in themselves. Indeed, before that, programs were generally created on paper and entered into the machine using pre-prepared paper media such as punched cards or punched tapes.

Here are some specific historical examples. Dartmouth BASIC was the first language designed to run in a console or terminal. This ancient IDE was controlled by commands, not even using menus and hotkeys. However, it did allow you to edit source code, manage files, compile, debug, and run programs in a manner fundamentally similar to modern IDEs.

Then it was time for Maestro I. It was a product from Softlab Munich that was the world's first integrated development environment for software. Can you believe it held a leading position in its niche for almost twenty years? Today, though, Maestro I belong to history.

As you see, humanity did not immediately come to multifunctional IDEs.

§2. What is a modern IDE?

IDEs were created to maximize programmer productivity through tightly coupled components with simple user interfaces. This allows the developer to do fewer steps to switch between different modes, as opposed to discrete development programs. However, modern graphical IDEs are complex software packages. That means one can achieve the necessary acceleration of the work process only after training. Anyway, there are no big difficulties here either: many IDEs are quite interactive, and the interfaces of different manufacturers are often very similar, so it is not too hard to switch from one IDE to another.

There are a lot of IDEs for different programming languages. Some support only a single language, while others support multiple or can be extended with plugins. For instance, IDEs that support multiple languages are IntelliJ IDEA, Eclipse, NetBeans, Android Studio, and Visual Studio Code. IDEs for one specific programming language are Delphi, Dev-C++, IDLE for Python, and PyCharm.

As an example, this is what the IntelliJ IDEA IDE looks like:

All of these environments can be run on Windows, macOS, or GNU/Linux.

§3. IDE components

In general, the development environment includes:

1. A text editor, which is designed to work with text files interactively. It allows you to view the contents of text files and perform various actions like inserting, deleting, and copying text, contextual search, replacement, sorting strings, viewing character codes and converting encodings, printing. They often contain additional functionality, such as syntax highlighting.
2. A translator (compiler and/or interpreter), which translates a text written in a programming language into machine code and does this either immediately before starting the program (compilation) or line by line (interpretation).
3. Build automation tools, which get the code ready and put everything together.
4. A Debugger, which looks for errors in the code and immediately reports them.

By and large, using an IDE makes you a more productive developer because an IDE provides tight-knit components with a similar user interface. It also automates some routine tasks and even gives you advice and feedback. That's all because the purpose of the integrated environment is to combine various utilities into one product. This approach allows developers to focus on solving their core problems, while common and standard operations are taken care of by an IDE.

§4. Conclusion

To sum up,

• an IDE is a specialized tool that navigates through your multiple-file programs, modifies, compiles, runs, debugs them, and also displays syntax errors;
• modern IDEs are graphical and interactive;
• some IDEs support only a single language, while others support multiple languages.

You can also view Lesson on hyperskill.org.

Practical tasks and answers

Tasks and answer options are given. The correct option is highlighted in blue color.

№1. Properties

Question: Select one incorrect statement about the typical properties of an IDE.

Select one option from the list:

• An IDE helps you find errors.
• An IDE automates some routine tasks.
• An IDE provides a set of components under the same interface.
• An IDE supports only Java. ✔

Explanation. An IDE supports only Java is an incorrect statement about the typical properties of an IDE. An IDE can support multiple programming languages depending on the tool and its configuration.

№2. Finding code errors

Question: What IDE component should you use to find code errors?

Select one option from the list:

• translator
• text editor
• search
• debugger ✔

Explanation. The answer is debugger. A debugger is a tool that helps you find and fix errors in your code. It allows you to step through your code line by line, inspect variables, and see how your code is executing. This can be very helpful for finding errors that are difficult to track down. The other options are not as useful for finding code errors. A translator converts code from one language to another. A text editor is a tool for editing text, but it does not have any special features for debugging code. A search tool can help you find specific text in your code, but it cannot help you find errors.

№3. Fixing code errors

Question: Where can you fix your code error when working in an IDE?

Select one option from the list:

• translator
• text editor ✔
• compiler
• debugger

Explanation. The answer is text editor. A text editor is a tool for editing text, and it is the primary place where you will fix your code errors when working in an IDE. The other options are not as useful for fixing code errors. A translator converts code from one language to another. A compiler converts code from a high-level language to a low-level language. A debugger can help you find code errors, but it is not used for fixing them.

№4. What tasks to do?

Question: What do programmers mainly use modern IDEs for?

Select one option from the list:

• debugging code
• compiling programs
• writing programs, solving code problems ✔
• drinking tea

Explanation. The answer is writing programs, solving code problems. Modern IDEs provide a wide range of features that can help programmers write and debug code more effectively. These features include:

• Code editors: Modern IDEs have powerful code editors that provide features such as syntax highlighting, autocompletion, and linting.
• Debuggers: Modern IDEs have powerful debuggers that can help programmers step through their code line by line, inspect variables, and set breakpoints.
• Integrated version control: Modern IDEs often integrate with version control systems such as Git and Mercurial, making it easy for programmers to track changes to their code.
• Code analysis tools: Modern IDEs often include code analysis tools that can help programmers find potential errors in their code.
• Other productivity features: Modern IDEs often include other productivity features such as code folding, code snippets, and project templates.

These features can help programmers write code more quickly and accurately, and they can also help programmers find and fix errors more easily. As a result, modern IDEs are an essential tool for any programmer.

The other options are not as commonly used by programmers in modern IDEs. Compiling programs can be done using a compiler, and drinking tea is not typically done in an IDE.

№5. IDEs

Question: Which of these are IDEs?

Select one or more options from the list:

• IntelliJ IDEA ✔
• Android Studio ✔
• PyCharm ✔
• Chrome

Explanation. The IDEs in the list are IntelliJ IDEA, Android Studio, and PyCharm. Chrome is not an IDE. An IDE, or integrated development environment, is a software application that provides comprehensive facilities for software development. IDEs normally consist of at least a source-code editor, build automation tools, and a debugger.

IntelliJ IDEA is an IDE for Java, Kotlin, Python, JavaScript, and other programming languages. It is developed by JetBrains. Android Studio is an IDE for Android development. It is developed by Google. PyCharm is an IDE for Python development. It is developed by JetBrains. Chrome is a web browser developed by Google. It is not an IDE.

Here are some other popular IDEs:

• Eclipse: An IDE for Java, JavaScript, PHP, and other programming languages.
• Visual Studio: An IDE for Windows development.
• Xcode: An IDE for macOS development.
• NetBeans: An IDE for Java development.

IDEs can be a valuable tool for programmers of all levels of experience. They can help programmers write code more quickly and accurately, and they can also help programmers find and fix errors more easily.

№6. OS support

Question: On which systems can you run IDEs?

Select one or more options from the list:

• macOS ✔
• Linux ✔
• Windows ✔

Explanation. You can run IDEs on macOS, Linux, and Windows.

Here are some popular IDEs and the systems they support:

• IntelliJ IDEA, PyCharm, WebStorm, PHPStorm, etc.: Supports macOS, Linux, and Windows.
• Android Studio: Supports macOS, Linux, and Windows.
• Eclipse: Supports macOS, Linux, and Windows.
• Visual Studio: Supports Windows.
• Xcode: Supports macOS.
• NetBeans: Supports macOS, Linux, and Windows.

Some IDEs are only available for specific systems. For example, Xcode is only available for macOS, and Visual Studio is only available for Windows.

When choosing an IDE, it is important to consider the system that you will be using it on. If you are not sure which system you will be using, it is best to choose an IDE that supports all three systems.

№7. What components does an IDE have?

Question: Choose all the basic components of an IDE:

Select one or more options from the list:

• debugger ✔
• text editor ✔
• translator (compiler and/or interpreter) ✔
• build automation tools ✔

Explanation. The basic components of an IDE are:

• Text editor: This is where you will write your code. The text editor should have features such as syntax highlighting, autocompletion, and linting.
• Debugger: This is a tool that helps you find and fix errors in your code. The debugger should allow you to step through your code line by line, inspect variables, and set breakpoints.
• Build automation tools: These tools help you automate the process of building your code. This can save you time and help you avoid errors.

The translator (compiler and/or interpreter) is not always included in an IDE. It is a separate tool that converts your code from a high-level language to a low-level language that the computer can understand.

Here are some other components that may be included in an IDE:

• Version control integration: This allows you to track changes to your code and collaborate with other developers.
• Integrated documentation: This provides access to documentation for the programming language and libraries that you are using.
• Code analysis tools: These tools can help you find potential errors in your code.
• Other productivity features: These features can help you write code more quickly and accurately, such as code folding, code snippets, and project templates.

The specific components that are included in an IDE vary depending on the IDE and the programming language that it is designed for.

№8. What about text editor?

Question: Choose two situations where you would rather use a text editor than an IDE

Select one or more options from the list:

• You are writing a massive application
• You want to make a tiny change to the file ✔
• You need to debug a lot
• You need to write your code on an ancient computer ✔
• You are designing a program with a graphical user interface

Explanation. Here are two situations where you might rather use a text editor than an IDE:

• You want to make a tiny change to the file. IDEs can be great for large projects, but they can be overkilled for small changes. A text editor is often a better choice for making quick edits.
• You need to write your code on a really ancient computer. IDEs can be resource-intensive, so they might not run well on older computers. A text editor is a lightweight alternative that can still be used to write high-quality code.

Here are two other situations where you might choose to use a text editor:

• You are comfortable using a text editor. If you are already familiar with a text editor, you might prefer to use it instead of an IDE. This is especially true if you are working on a project that does not require all of the features of an IDE.
• You want a simpler development environment. IDEs can be complex and overwhelming, especially for beginners. If you are looking for a simpler development environment, a text editor is a good option.

Ultimately, the best choice of editor depends on your specific needs and preferences. If you are not sure which type of editor to use, recommend trying both a text editor and an IDE to see which one you prefer.

№9. What does IDE stand for?

Question: What does the IDE abbreviation stand for?

Select one option from the list:

• Interlanguage Development Environment
• Ideal Development Environment
• Intellectual Development Environment
• Integrated Development Environment ✔

Explanation. The IDE abbreviation stands for Integrated Development Environment.

№10. What can we do in IDE

Question: Usually, an IDE allows us to:

Select one or more options from the list:

• write machine code in binary
• build programs ✔
• run programs ✔
• view the structure of the project ✔

Explanation. An IDE usually allows us to: Build programs, Run programs, View the structure of the project.