IDE, functions and list

An Integrated Development Environment is a tool to assist the programmer in building applications or writing scripts.

NetBeans IDE

An IDE includes at least:

• A graphical user interface.
  It allows you to select files, set options, launch tasks.
• A source code editor.
• A compiler.
• A link editor.
• An integrated make tool. He sends commands to the compiler and link editor with the source or object files as parameters.
• A debugging tool.

The IDE can be dedicated to a programming language or be multi-languages. In the second case the editor adapts the syntax highlighting to the language, depending on the file extension or user choice.

The NetBeans IDE is like a simple code editor with the source file list on the left and the editing window on the right, but it is actually more sophisticated. It has a built-in syntax checker for  supported languages ​​that detects errors, can hide the body of a function to reduce the display, can interface to a database to run the code under test.
And of course has the classic development tools...

IDE Tools

To automate again the production of applications, other tools may be incorporated into an IDE:

• Panel for tree of classes and their members. It provides easy access to elements of a program.
• Visual designer. By choosing components in panels,you create an interface by drag and drop.
• Context-sensitive help. Provides the meaning of each pointed out item and how to use it.
• Version manager. Maintains versions of the source code.
• Profiler. Helps to optimize the code and to improve its performance.

The editor itself may also have extended features such as auto-completion, syntax checking.

List of free IDEs

Cross-languages IDEs. See at the langages for specialized tools.

• NetBeans. Java, PHP, C++ applications. Multi-plateforms.
• Eclipse. Multi-plateforms, written in Java.
• Kdevelop. An IDE dedicated to C++ applications for the KDE environment. Linux.
• Visual Studio Express. C++, C#, Basic. Windows.
• Aptana. For Web Applications. (Windows/Mac/Linux).
• XCode. For MacOS.