Programming tool

A programming tool or software development tool is a computer program that is used to develop another computer program, usually by helping the developer manage computer files. For example, a programmer may use a tool called a source code editor to edit source code files, and then a compiler to convert the source code into machine code files. They may also use build tools that automatically package executable program and data files into shareable packages or install kits.

A set of tools that are run one after another, with each tool feeding its output to the next one, is called a toolchain. An integrated development environment (IDE) integrates the function of several tools into a single program. Usually, an IDE provides a source code editor as well as other built-in or plug-in tools that help with compiling, debugging, and testing.

Whether a program is considered a "development tool" can be subjective. Some tools, such as the GNU Compiler Collection, are used exclusively for software development. Others, like the text editor Windows Notepad, are not meant specifically for development but are nevertheless often used by programmers.

Major functions of development tools

Translation

A translator is used to translate code from one computer language to another. For example, a compiler can translate source code from its original programming language to lower-level language, such as machine code. Other tools, namely assemblers (another type of translator) and linkers, are used alongside compilers to package the code into its final, usable form.

Some programming languages, such as Python and Java, are usually compiled into a special kind of machine code called bytecode. The bytecode may be further compiled to machine code as the program is running, a process called just-in-time compilation, or it may be fed to another type of tool called an interpreter, which executes bytecode or source code directly. Some interpreters provide on-demand translation to machine code or an intermediate form.

Debugging

A debugger allows a programmer to view information about the state of a program while it is executing. For example, a developer can use a debugger to pause the program at a breakpoint inserted at a particular line of code, and then directly check the value of a variable. This information is useful in resolving bugs and testing.

Categories of development tools

Bug databases
Build tools
Call graphs
Code review software
Online code repositories like SourceForge or GitHub
Compilers and assemblers
Debuggers
Disassemblers and decompilers, used mainly for reverse-engineering.
Documentation generators
Graphical user interface builders
Interface generators like SWIG
Linkers, which convert the output of compilers and assemblers into executable files and libraries
Memory debuggers such as Valgrind, often used in languages like C and C++ that allow manual memory management and thus the possibility of memory leaks and other problems
Parser generators, also called "compiler compilers"
Performance analysis tools
Search tools like Unix's grep
Source code editors and other text editors
Source code formatters, including pretty-printers and minifiers
Source code generators
Static source code analyzers such as lint
Unit testing frameworks, used to automatically test software
Version control systems like Git or RCS

References

Software Development Tools for Petascale Computing Workshop 2007
Kernighan, Brian W.; Plauger, P. J. (1976), Software Tools, Addison-Wesley, pp. 352, ISBN 0-201-03669-X

External links

Media related to Programming tools at Wikimedia Commons