How to setting a best environment for java programming under linux

**huasen** · 12-10-2010, 04:52 AM

Im a newbie of java programming. I use Debian Linux.
I have installed jre,jdk and eclipse on my system.
I know how to build and run a program within eclipse. But, i am a c programmer before, and i used to use make tools to build my c programs.
Now, I know how to build my java program using a sample makefile.
But, if i use eclipse, i only run the class using eclipse run command.
So, I want to see, the best way to build a java program, or library, and how about a large java project?

Thanks

**pbrockway2** · 12-10-2010, 05:05 AM

I have used Ant from apache.org and found it very good.

Compiling and running simple programs from the command line is not difficult either: details at the javac and java man pages. It is perhaps best to start at the command line so you know what all the options are when working with a build system like Ant.

**huasen** · 12-10-2010, 08:14 AM

Thanks for your help. Its my first glance at ant, a cool make-like tool for java.

However, there is no man page for java classes and APIs, so, where could i find a help file for immediately references searching?(not online help)
and btw, do you only use ant for developing?

**Tshegofatsom** · 12-10-2010, 10:35 AM

Hi, If I understand you correctly you are looking for the documentation. Its called javadoc and it is normally released/shipped with the JDK. It is in a form of web pages. You can download one for your specific JDK version at Javadoc FAQ

**pbrockway2** · 12-10-2010, 08:03 PM

Ant has been all I ever needed for my modest needs - and I've found that it's simple to set up and use.

**huasen** · 12-12-2010, 03:03 AM

Originally Posted by Tshegofatsom

Hi, If I understand you correctly you are looking for the documentation. Its called javadoc and it is normally released/shipped with the JDK. It is in a form of web pages. You can download one for your specific JDK version at Javadoc FAQ

Yes, its what i need. Thanks.

Originally Posted by pbrockway2

Ant has been all I ever needed for my modest needs - and I've found that it's simple to set up and use.

its really a cool tool like make. Its simple and flexible. I will learn it with jdk.

You are all so kind, thank you.

**huasen** · 12-12-2010, 03:30 AM

Sorry, pbrockway2, if i do so, how could i debug a program? for c, gdb is available.
And for Eclipse, it has internal debugger, i think.

**pbrockway2** · 12-12-2010, 03:46 AM

Sorry - I don't know any stand alone debuggers. Others here might.

Is there some reason you don't want to use Eclipse and its debugger?

**huasen** · 12-12-2010, 06:15 AM

no. If I use Eclipse, why not only use it as a project manager, code editor?
In another words, is there any task Eclipse can't?

**pbrockway2** · 12-12-2010, 06:31 AM

I think you can actually set the Ant script that Eclipse uses to build etc. (But I don't have Eclipse on this computer to actually check that). But it means that Eclipse can be made to any task that Ant can do ... because its using Ant.

**huasen** · 12-12-2010, 07:24 AM

Thanks pbrockway2, thank to you, i know ant, eclipse use ant. Now, I can code simple java code and use ant to compile, pack and run it, further more, i also can debug a java program with debug information using jdb, a tool like gdb.
This my first lesson to learning Java. I will learn it deeper and deeper in future.