Linux.com: Getting Started with Programming for Linux using GNU Tools

“Some people say there is nothing but the GNU way to
develop software. While there is a wide set of tools a typical
Linux/UNIX software developer uses in his everyday work, the GNU
development tools are a complete framework. It’s absolutely free
and powerful. There is no problem to see their source code. And
it’s not worse than any other commercial “killer-apps” widely used
on other platforms. Newbie Linux programmers may be scared of new
kinds of development process, but the GNU tools are your friends.

I use the modelling tool every time I cannot imagine the
complete architecture of a system or a separate module after a
quick look at the task description. I run it, sit back and start
finding the best way to implement the task ahead. I drag and drop
use-case units, draw diagrams, database tables, relations,
sequences of actions, packages structure and other stuff. Though I
prefer Rational Rose myself there is a good and free program named
Dia distributed under the terms of the GNU Public License that does
much the same thing. It enables you to unleash all of your brain
power and explain everything you think about future system’s
internals using the Unified Modelling Language. It’s just a simple
and incredibly powerful tool. Having all the diagrams you can
easily remember what, when and why the system does what it does.
You can even easily pass your task to a person who doesn’t speak
your language, but is familiar with the magic solution – UML.

After the modelling step is done I can get to coding. Here in
the GNU world we can find a wide variety of different programs for
text editing. You can find text editors that differ not only in
their feature sets but even by the user interface concept. You can
use visual editors such as mcedit and joe, text-command oriented
editors like vi and vim. There are even script-driven ones like
emacs that is very extensible with scripts in lisp. People who have
only recently gotten involved in Linux and UNIX programming prefer
visual editors rather than command-based. The only thing you should
notice is that you can choose any kind of editor for your
programming and documentation writing. You can even write poems
using any of those great pieces of software in any way you
like.”

Complete
Story