Gideon Development Update

Two months ago, we announced the birth of Gideon, codename for the next generation version of KDevelop that was most notable for its modularity and extensibility. Since then, Gideon has made enormous strides -- not the least of which includes Java, Perl, Python, PHP and Fortran support, full Python scripting, and an editor framework that will allow one to plug in a favourite editor. Furthermore, thanks to the remarkable efforts of hacker Richard Dale, KDevelop plugins can now be developed in Java. Read on for the full update from Bernd Gehrmann including screenshots and download link.

Bernd Gehrmann writes:

It's been two months since KDevelop's HEAD branch has had a story on the dot. In this time, a lot of functionality has been added, so I thought I'd provide a little update. :-)

• Java support. Java programs can now be maintained with automake-based project management. Classes are displayed in the class view and class browser. The application wizard includes a template for Java programs based on the Qt/KDE API and using Richard Dale's Koala framework. Furthermore, even KDevelop plugins can now be written in Java. (sic!) This may, for example, be used in the future for a debugger based on the Java Platform Debugger Architecture.
  
  Screenshot: Debugging the Qt scribble example program in Java.
  
  
• Perl, Python and PHP support. Functions and classes are parsed and available in the class view. The documentation TOCs are integrated into the documentation tree with the documentation index being (partially) searchable. Python docstrings can be browsed dynamically through an ioslave based on pydoc. Work is underway to allow the configuration of php.ini and the usage of the PHP debugger.
  
  Screenshot: Editing the Sketch program.
  
  
• Fortran support. This includes a frontend for ftnchek and compiler options, dialogs for g77 and the Portland Group compilers.
  
  Screenshot of Fortran support.
  
  
• A new and flexible editor framework, not yet fully implemented. This will allow one to plug in other editors, even when they have a different feature set than KWrite or use different UI paradigms.
  
  Screenshot: Editing KDevelop.
  
  
• A port of the gdb debugger frontend from the current KDevelop.
  
  
• Full scripting through Python. The scripting framework needs almost no maintenance. The interfaces of all DCOP classes in KDevelop are automatically available in Python.
  
  
• An integrated Konsole part.
  
  Screenshot showing the konsole part and some scripting examples.
  
  
• An integration of Artistic Style for indenting source files and configuring the indentation style.
  
  
• A frontend for ctags for "turbo-grepping" through all identifiers in a project.
  
  Screenshot showing ctags and Artistic style integration.
  
  
• A new view that allows one to view files grouped by their file type. Groups are configurable by the user.
  
  
• An improved application wizard. Apart from the usual KDE and Hello World stuff, this includes templates for kicker applets, KControl modules, KIO slaves, and even GNOME applications.

That's about the main points I recall off the top of my "HEAD". ;-) Of course, many many details have been improved or newly implemented, such as, for example, a Tools menu, an overhauled and much more user-friendly project management interface, automatic loading of the previous project at startup, an improved compiler frontend, etc.

A source snapshot is available here.

There are still many areas where we could use more developers, whether to add features, complete existing ones, or to polish the user interfaces. Please don't hesitate to get involved!