Recently, while working with some older equipment, I needed a lightweight java IDE to compile some java projects. I really wasn’t looking for something quite as big as eclipse or netbeans, I just wanted a simple, one stop solution that would allow me to build java programs on an older laptop.
So, I rubbed a magic lamp, and out popped Geany!
Well, more specifically, the laptop is running Debian Wheezy, and had openJDK already installed. With that alone, I could have built java programs from the command line, but it can get a little tedious. So, I looked on the repositories for an IDE that wasn’t too large.
Thus enter Geany. I first used Geany a long time ago as a text editor on #! (CrunchBang) Linux, but revisiting the program revealed that I was not using it to it’s full potential. Specifically, you can compile, build, and run various program types from within Geany. Of course, it only outsources the commands for you, so you need a java jdk in order to compile java, or a c++ compiler to compile c++. Geany just does all the command line work for you.
What Geany does accomplish for you, however, is a great user interface with templates and the ability to organize projects or view code with different filters. As you can see in the picture, I was testing out Logic Crazy’s Alpha Beta Chess program.
As well as showing you the code, it can do parenthesis highlighting, colors for different code type, and a class and method tree on the side. It really is a great program if you need a lightweight IDE. I know that I’ll be putting it to good use.
Linux – keep it simple.