Local Development, IDE Processes, and Build Tools
Local Dev Environment and Codespaces
Consolidated from Local_Dev_Environment_and_Codespaces.md and Preparing_the_Development_Environment.md covering dev containers, Codespaces, Docker Compose, and practical steps.
Preserved content excerpts (from Local_Dev_Environment_and_Codespaces.md, Preparing_the_Development_Environment.md)
Goal: make local builds reproducible before automating CI
- Before you automate anything, ensure the project can be built and tested from the command line on a clean machine.
- Prefer a consistent, reproducible environment:
- Dev Containers (
.devcontainer/devcontainer.json) for VS Code - GitHub Codespaces for cloud-hosted dev environments
- Docker Compose for multi-service local stacks
Why containers help
- Reduce “works on my machine” issues by standardizing dependencies and tooling.
- Speed up onboarding: contributors can start with fewer manual steps.
IDE Build Processes
Consolidated from IDE_Build_Processes.md with guidance for VS, IntelliJ, Eclipse, Xcode; reading logs and commands.
Preserved content excerpts (from IDE_Build_Processes.md)
- IDEs often wrap build tools; when debugging CI failures, it’s useful to identify the underlying commands (e.g.,
msbuild,mvn,gradle,xcodebuild). - Use IDE “verbose” build output to see the real command line and build order.
Examples:
- Visual Studio: increase MSBuild verbosity (Tools → Options → Projects and Solutions → Build and Run).
- IntelliJ / Eclipse: prefer using Maven/Gradle tasks and observe the terminal output.
- Xcode: inspect build logs in Report Navigator to see compilation order and commands.
Selecting Build Tools
Consolidated from Selecting_Build_Tools.md with tips, anti-patterns, project type heuristics, and versioning.
Preserved content excerpts (from Selecting_Build_Tools.md)
- Favor standard, portable build tools over ad-hoc scripts.
- Avoid IDE-coupled builds and absolute paths in build logic (CI runners use different paths).
- Pin toolchain and dependency versions where practical to support reproducibility.
- Use quick heuristics to identify the project ecosystem:
package.json→ Node.jspom.xml→ Mavenbuild.gradle→ Gradlerequirements.txt/pyproject.toml→ Python
Adapting Local Commands for CI
Consolidated from Adapting_Local_Commands_for_CI.md with command mapping tables for various ecosystems.
Preserved content excerpts (from Adapting_Local_Commands_for_CI.md)
| Language | Local development | CI environment | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| JavaScript (Node.js) | npm install / yarn install | npm ci / yarn install --frozen-lockfile | Ensures reproducible installs by honoring lockfiles. |
| Python | pip install -r requirements.txt | pip install -r requirements.txt | Keep dependency resolution explicit and repeatable. |
| Ruby | bundle install | bundle install --deployment | Locks dependencies to Gemfile.lock. |
| Java (Maven) | mvn install | mvn -B package --file pom.xml | Batch mode for CI; focus on packaging. |
| Java (Gradle) | gradle build | gradle build | Same command; split tests into separate jobs if needed. |
| Rust | cargo build | cargo build --locked | Uses exact versions in Cargo.lock. |
| PHP (Composer) | composer install | composer install --no-interaction --prefer-dist | Non-interactive, faster installs for CI. |