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IN THIS CHAPTER

Choosing a compiler and interpreter

Using a virtual machine

Working with editors, debuggers, toolkits, and profilers

Getting a handle on source code

Creating help files

Using installers and disassemblers

The two most important tools a programmer needs are an editor and a compiler. An editor lets you type and save language commands (called the source code) in a plaintext file. (Unlike a word processor file, a plaintext file doesn’t contain any formatting, like italics or fonts.) A compiler converts your source code into machine code and stores those machine code commands in a separate file (often called an executable file). After you store your program in an executable file, you can sell and distribute that executable file to other people.

An editor and a compiler are absolutely necessary to write and distribute programs. However, most programmers also use a variety of other tools to make programming easier. To help them track down bugs (problems) in a program, programmers use a special tool called a debugger. To help them identify which parts of a program may be making the entire program run too slow, programmers can use another tool, called a profiler.

For distributing programs, programmers often use a help file creator and an installer program. The help file creator makes it easy for the programmer to create, organize, and display help that the user can read while using the program. The installer program makes it easy for users to copy all the necessary files on to their computer so the program runs correctly.

Finally, programmers may also use a special tool called a disassembler, which can pry open another program to reveal how it works. Disassemblers are often used by security professionals to analyze how viruses, worms, and spyware programs work. For less honorable uses, programmers can also use a disassembler to dissect a rival program and study how it works.

In many cases, programmers use an integrated development environment (IDE) that combines the features of an editor with a compiler and a debugger. That way, they can just use a single program to write, debug, and compile a program, instead of relying on two or more separate programs.

Programmers often get so attached to their favorite programming tools that they argue the merits of their favorite editor or compiler with all the passion of a religious fanatic. Just as there is no single programming language that’s the best language to use at all times, there is no single programming tool that’s the best tool to use all the time.