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Programming Tools You've Used?

Posted by Cliff on from the tales-from-the-front-lines dept.

crazy_speeder asks: "I'm looking for programming tools for the whole development cycle, including documentation. The project I'm working on will use C++ and Java. What has been your experience using tools like C++ Builder, Netbeans, Eclipse, JBuilder, Doxygen, ClearQuest, Rational Rose, g++, and any compiler, debugger, or IDE that you may have used. I need tools that will handle auto documentation, unit testing, design, file editing, and the like. As far as platform goes, Linux is the target OS while Linux or Solaris will be the host OS."

4 of 179 comments (clear)

  1. Don't write C++ without boost! by slamb · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Don't even think about writing C++ code without using boost. In particular, everyone should be using their smart pointers. IIRC, they've been proposed for inclusion in the C++ standard and it's likely to happen.

    boost also has a nice unit testing library. I use it for all my C++ code.

  2. Netbeans by Mr.+Competence · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Use Netbeans. It has recently leapfrogged Eclipse in many areas (not to say that won't change) and the guys I work with say it is faster than Eclipse now in addition to the Refactoring, Swing Builder, etc. that it has.
    The new 4.0 and 4.1 releases use ANT build files for all of their project information. They build and run JUnit tests as part of the project and the build process, and they come with a sweet profiler that even allows you to profile remotely. One of the neat things about the ANT based projects is anything that can use an ANT build script can build your project -- whether it be ANT itself, CruiseControl, Maven, Eclipse, etc.
    The latest beta of 4.1 will even import Eclipse projects.
    Also recently voted Developer.com Product of the Year 2005

    --
    Those who open their minds too far often let their brains fall out.
  3. KISS applies here. by pi_rules · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Keep the project simple and bare bones. I wouldn't try and lock any of your developers into specific tools. CVS, Ant (because you're doing Java too), JavaDoc/Doxygen, any IDE should be able to integrate with these.

    The project I'm on does not require any specific IDE at all. We've got guys running Emacs, I'm a vim user, another uses NetBeans, a few more Eclipse, and somebody has their personally licensed copy of JBuilder out here too.

    The only issue have is when developers sometimes setup their IDEs to use different tabs sizes (we say they're 2 spaces, but people forget sometimes) and when some IDEs reformat a whole class on you, which makes the CVS diffs difficult to apply to different branches for fast-tracked bug fixes.

  4. EMACS! by PaulBu · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Yeah, eat this, all you VI fans! ;-)

    Seriously, while newer-generation IDEs might be better for Java/C/C++, the cool thing about Emacs is that it has modes for all languages known to man, and then some. So if you just code in Java/C/C++ -- pick up an IDE, but if you do not know what life will send your way tomorrow -- start customizng your Emacs.

    And of course good luck editing LaTeX docs in Eclipse! ;-)

    Paul B.