software development environment - Tools

• Editor


  Allows a programmer to enter, format and edit source code.
• Compiler


  Converts source code into executable machine code. Once compiled, a program can be run at any time.
• Interpreter


  Converts each line of source code into machine code, and executes it as each line of code is run. The conversion process is performed each time the program needs to be run.
• Linker


  A program which allows previously compiled code, from software libraries, to be linked together.
• Loader


  A program which loads previously compiled code into memory.
• Debugger


  A program which helps locate, identify and rectify errors in a program
• Trace


  A facility which displays the order in which the lines of a program are executed, and possibly the values of variables as the program is being run.
• Break point 


  Interrupts a program on a specific line of code, allowing the programmer to compare the values of variables against expected values. The program code can then usually be executed one line at a time. This is called single-stepping
• Variable watch 


  A facility that displays the current value of any variable. The value can be 'watched' as the program code is single-stepped to see the effects of the code on the variable. Alternatively a variable watch may be set, which will interrupt the program flow if the watched variable reaches a specified value.
• Memory inspector


  A facility which will display the contents of a section of memory.
• Error diagnostics


  Used when a program fails to compile or to run. Error messages are displayed to help the programmer diagnose what has gone wrong.