MonoDevelop, also known as Xamarin Studio, is a discontinued open-source integrated development environment (IDE) designed for developing desktop and web applications on multiple platforms, including Linux, Windows, and macOS.
Primary Focus and Platforms
MonoDevelop is primarily focused on the development of projects that use Mono and the .NET Framework. It supports a wide range of operating systems, including CentOS, Debian, Fedora, openSUSE, SUSE Linux Enterprise, Red Hat Enterprise Linux, and Ubuntu, among others.
Key Features
Multi-Platform Support
MonoDevelop allows developers to create applications that can run on Linux, Windows, and macOS, making it a versatile tool for cross-platform development.
Multi-Language Support
The IDE supports multiple programming languages, including C#, F#, Visual Basic .NET, C/C , Vala, JavaScript, TypeScript, and others. This makes it a comprehensive tool for developers working with various languages.
Advanced Text Editing
MonoDevelop features advanced text editing capabilities, such as code completion, code templates, and code folding, which enhance the development experience.
Customizable Workbench
The IDE offers a highly customizable workbench with features like custom window layouts, user-defined key bindings, and the ability to integrate external tools. The workbench is composed of several pads that can be moved, docked, or set to auto-hide or floating mode.
Integrated Debugger and Compiler
MonoDevelop includes an integrated debugger for debugging Mono and native applications, as well as an integrated compiler that supports up to C# 6.0.
GTK# Visual Designer
The IDE provides a GTK# visual designer, known as Stetic, which allows developers to graphically build GTK# user interfaces. It also supports the creation and management of custom GTK# widget libraries.
ASP.NET Support
MonoDevelop supports the development of ASP.NET web projects with full code completion and the ability to test on XSP, the Mono web server.
Additional Tools and Features
- Integrated source code version control and unit testing based on NUnit.
- Support for makefiles, packaging, and deployment.
- Localization support.
- An extensible add-in architecture that allows for the addition of new features and tools.
Architecture and Extensibility
MonoDevelop is built on a modular architecture with three main layers: the Core layer, which provides basic services; the Projects layer, which implements the project object model; and the IDE layer, which integrates all these services to offer a powerful and extensible development environment. This architecture allows developers to create independent applications that utilize these services and extend the IDE through various extension points.