Portable Programming IDE

Question

Frequently I'm brainstormed with programming ideas that I would like to directly code. More or less like "Wow, that algorithm will rock! I need to write it now!".

For this kind of "impulse" to write, I use http://www.jarte.com/ that is a cool portable text editor. If I'm near a cybecafe or a friend computer, I just plug the usb pen drive and start to write...

So, I would like: 1) a portable minimalist IDE 2) with minimal OS requirement (ie.: I want run from XP, Vista, etc...) 3) any modern language (I can learn a new language if needed. I just want write/test the algoritm) 4) Syntax Highlight/intellisense is good, but not required 5) Free

Is there something like this?

Solution 1

alt text http://sts.bkukr.de/l-davoss/blog/Lists/Blog/Attachments/21/SharpdevelopPortable.jpg

Sharp Develop Portable:

Dave blogged all you need to know to get you started!

C# support on the run, and much, much more.

Solution 2

Eclipse isn't "minimalist", but it does work installation-less. So as long as your USB key, or whatever, is large enough, you can put Eclipse in there and be ready to go.

Solution 3

Please have a look at ideone.com - supports 40+ langugages

Solution 4

Well, IDEs are often better suited depending on the programming language you want to use. I'm not really sure if you're looking for a text editor or an IDE, but:

As far as I'm concerned, I'd use:

Java: Eclipse (though not very minimalist)

C/C++: vim and g++, Code::Blocks

Ruby/Python/Perl: vim + interpreter

TextMate (best editor ever) on Mac OS X ($39.99) and e editor (Windows' TextMate equivalent) I also find NotePad++ to be a decent text editor, very minimalist.

Some people are crazy in love with emacs, you might want to check it out.

Solution 5

I'm late to the game, but a something worth mentioning is Squeak Smalltalk, or one of its derivatives like Pharo or Croquet. No changes to the registry or OS, no installers, no Services, no Admin rights needed, and only a few files needed- a full install in half a dozen files.

1) binary and source portable code; nice IDE, but with a minimalist disk footprint (5-50 MB)

2) Runs on almost any OS- one cross-platform binary image and a small virtual machine executable for each platform- one for 95/98/ME/XP/2k/XP/Vista/7/2003/2008; one for WinCE, one for OS X, one for Linux x86, etc.; (0.5-2 MB) for each platform. You can even boot onto bare metal, if you're hardcore.

3) It's Smalltalk. Birthplace of most buzz-worthy Ruby features...

4) Syntax Highlight and some level of intellisense is good built-in.

5) Free as in speech and beer.

Smalltalk isn't for everyone, but it's my personal fave. The fact that I can use the same binary image on my XP desktop, Linux server, iPhone and WinCE PDA without recompilation is a great bonus.

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Comments

[Frank]

Unlike Eclipse, you can't just put Emacs on an USB drive and expect it just runs on any system. I don't think my Mac Emacs version will run on my Windows machine?

[Samantha Branham]

I would say that is a pretty common problem with any IDE. Even Eclipse relies on a JVM being present. If I were doing this, I would just load up an emacs for each system I expect to come into contact with and come up with some manageable way of handling configuration.

[VonC]

Interesting, I will check that out (plus I have to find one good post from you to upvote ;) 7 down, 8 to go: stackoverflow.com/questions/359727#486543 ).

[Brian Postow]

I was going to suggest emacs. But then I noticed that he said "small" how many emaces can you fit on the head of a pin? B-)

[Don Kirkby]

Looks like CodeIDE isn't around anymore.

[Nelson Miranda]

@Kirby, at that time (2009) was still alive. But there are others, you can visit www.coderun.com. and ideone.com

[Anderson Green]

The link in this answer is broken - do you have a better link?

[Anderson Green]

Will it work on all platforms (Mac, Linux Windows) from a single USB key?

[Anderson Green]

It doesn't appear to have code autocompletion, or other features of most desktop IDEs, but it's a good way to test code online.

[Anderson Green]

I'm using Eclipse Portable, which (apparently) only works on Windows. I hope it would be possible to create a cross-platform portable version.

[Carcamano]

Eclipse itself isn't portable, as its GUI toolkit isn't Swing, but SWT.

[relascope]

Portable in the Sense of a portable App, means it can be run from an usb Drive, wo Settings in Registry Or sw Else Other than on the same drive as app is installed.

[relascope]

cannot be an answer. test the code: run -> compile! do you really get .net framework sdk on a stick?

[Nic]

As a more recent update, the original DevC++ has been discontinued. There's a new continuation, but be careful which one you download.