// Copyright (C) 2024 The Qt Company Ltd.
// SPDX-License-Identifier: LicenseRef-Qt-Commercial OR GFDL-1.3-no-invariants-only

// **********************************************************************
// NOTE: the sections are not ordered by their logical order to avoid
// reshuffling the file each time the index order changes (i.e., often).
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/*!
    \previouspage creator-getting-started.html
    \page creator-overview.html
    \nextpage creator-quick-tour.html

    \title Overview

    \QC is a cross-platform, complete integrated development environment
    (IDE) that you can use to create applications for desktop, embedded,
    and mobile operating systems, or web browsers.

    With Qt, you can develop applications and user interfaces once and deploy
    them to many platforms. \QC has the tools for accomplishing your tasks
    throughout the whole application development life-cycle, from creating a
    project, designing a UI, and writing code to building applications and
    deploying them to the target platforms for running and debugging.

    \image {qt-app-dev-flow.webp} {Application development life-cycle}
    \caption Application development life-cycle

    \section1 Managing Projects

    First, you need a \e project. \QC relies on a separate build system, such as
    CMake, qmake, or Qbs for building the project. From the build system, \QC
    gets most of the information it needs to offer services for writing, editing,
    and navigating source code, as well as to deploy and run applications. It
    stores additional information in the project settings.

    Share projects with other designers and developers across different
    development platforms with a common tool for design, development, and
    debugging.

    \list
        \li \l{Creating Projects}

            To set up a project, you first have to decide what kind
            of an application you want to develop: do you want a user
            interface based on \l{User Interfaces}
            {Qt Quick or Qt Widgets}. Second, you have to choose the
            programming language to implement the application logic:
            C++ or Python.
        \li \l{Version Control Systems}

            The recommended way to set up a project is to use a
            version control system. Store and edit only project
            source files and configuration files. Do not store
            generated files.
        \li \l{Configuring Projects}

            Installation programs and project wizards create default
            configurations for \QC and your projects. Change the
            configurations in the \uicontrol Projects mode.
    \endlist

    For more information, see \l{Manage Projects}{How To: Manage Projects}.

    \section1 Designing User Interfaces

    \image {heartgame-start.webp} {Heart Rate Game}

    To create intuitive, modern-looking, fluid user interfaces (UI), use
    \l{Qt Quick} and \l{\QDS documentation}{\QDS}:

    \list
        \li \l {\QMLD}

            Or, enable the \QMLD plugin to visually edit \l{UI files}
            (\c .ui.qml).
        \li \l {Converting UI Projects to Applications}

            Qt Quick UI Prototype projects (\c .qmlproject) are useful
            for creating user interfaces. To use them for application
            development, you have to convert them to Qt Quick
            Application projects that have project configuration
            files (\c CMakeLists.txt or \c .pro), \c .cpp, and \c .qrc files.
        \li \l {UI files}

            If you switch between \QC and \QDS or cooperate with
            designers on a project, you might encounter \c .ui.qml files.
            They are intended to be edited in \QDS only, so you need
            to be careful not to break the code. To visually edit the
            files in \QC, enable the \QMLD plugin.
        \li \l{Using QML modules with plugins}

            Load C++ plugins for QML to simulate data.
    \endlist

    Use the QML live preview to preview a QML file or an entire Qt Quick
    application on the desktop, as well as on Android and embedded Linux
    devices. The changes you make to the UI are instantly visible to you
    in the preview.

    If you need a traditional user interface that has a clear structure and
    enforces a platform look and feel, use \l{Qt Widgets} and the integrated
    \l{\QD}.

    For more information, see \l{Design UIs}{How To: Design UIs} and
    \l{UI Design}.

    \section1 Editing Code

    Writing, editing, and navigating in source code are core tasks in application
    development. Therefore, the code editor is one of the key components of \QC.
    Use the code editor in the \l {Edit Mode}{Edit mode}.

    As an IDE, \QC differs from a text editor in that it knows how to build and
    run applications. It understands the C++ and QML languages as code, not just
    as plain text. Therefore, it can offer useful features, such as semantic
    highlighting, checking code syntax, code completion, and refactoring actions.

    \QC supports some of these services also for other programming languages,
    such as Python, for which a \e {language server} is available that provides
    information about the code to IDEs.

    \section2 Semantic Highlighting

    To help you write well formatted code, \QC highlights code elements and
    blocks. It understands the C++, QML, and JavaScript languages as code, not
    as plain text, so it reads the source code, analyzes it, and highlights it
    based on the semantic checks that it does for code elements, such as:

    \list
        \li Types (such as classes, structs, and type definitions)
        \li Local variables
        \li Class fields
        \li Virtual functions
    \endlist

    You can select the color scheme to use for semantic highlighting in the text
    editor preferences.

    \QC supports syntax highlighting also for other types of files than C++,
    QML, or JavaScript. It uses the
    \l{https://api.kde.org/frameworks/syntax-highlighting/html/index.html}
    {KSyntaxHighlighting} syntax highlighting engine with Kate syntax
    definitions. It comes with most of the commonly used Kate definitions,
    and you can download more definitions in the text editor preferences.

    \section2 Finding

    Use the incremental and advanced search to search in currently open projects
    or files on the file system or use the locator to browse through projects,
    files, classes, functions, documentation, and file systems.

    \section2 Refactoring Code

    \e {Code refactoring} is the process of improving and simplifying code
    without modifying the existing functionality of an application. Find
    and rename symbols and apply predefined actions to refactor code.

    Refactor code to:

    \list
        \li Improve internal quality of your application
        \li Improve performance and extensibility
        \li Improve code readability and maintainability
        \li Simplify code structure
    \endlist

    \section2 Configuring the Text Editor

    Configure the text editor to suit your specific needs. Change the fonts,
    colors, highlighting, and indentation.

    If you are used to the Vim editor, run the main editor in the
    \l {FakeVim Modes and Commands}{FakeVim mode}.

    For more information, see \l{Edit Code}{How To: Edit Code}, \l{Editors},
    and \l{Text Editor}.

    \section1 Building, Deploying, and Running Applications

    Run and deploy Qt applications that you build for different target
    platforms or with different compilers, debuggers, or Qt versions.
    \l{Kits} define the tools, \l{glossary-device}
    {device} type and other settings to use when building and running your
    project.

    \QC integrates cross-platform systems for build automation: CMake,
    qmake, Qbs, and Autotools. In addition, you can import projects as
    \e {generic projects} and fully control the steps and commands to
    build the project.

    Build applications for, deploy them to, and run them on the desktop
    environment or a device. With kits, as well as build, deploy, and run
    configurations, you can quickly switch between different setups and
    target platforms.

    For more information, see \l{Build and Run}{How To: Build and Run},
    \l{Build Systems}, \l{Build Configurations}, and \l{Run Configurations}.

    \section2 Embedded Platforms

    You can develop applications for the following embedded platforms:

    \list
        \li \l {Bare Metal}
        \li \l {\B2Q}
        \li \l {MCUs}
        \li \l {QNX Neutrino}
        \li \l {Remote Linux}
    \endlist

    Install the toolchain for building applications for the targeted embedded
    platform on the computer, and then use \l{Get and Install Qt}{\QOI} to install
    Qt libraries that are built for the platform. Add a kit with the toolchain and
    the Qt version for the device's architecture. When possible, \QOI creates
    suitable kits for you.

    You can connect embedded devices to the computer and select the appropriate
    kit to run, debug, and analyze applications built for them from \QC.

    \e {Deploy configurations} handle the packaging and copying of the necessary
    files to a location you want to run the executable at, such as the file
    system of a device.

    For more information, see \l{Develop for Devices}{How To: Develop for Devices}
    and \l{Devices}.

    \section2 Mobile Platforms

    You can develop applications for the following mobile platforms:

    \list
        \li \l Android
        \li \l iOS
    \endlist

    Install the toolchain for building applications for the targeted mobile
    platform on the computer, and then use \QOI to install Qt libraries that are
    built for the platform. Add a kit with the toolchain and the Qt version for
    the device's architecture. When possible, \QOI creates suitable kits for you.

    You can connect mobile devices to the computer and select the
    appropriate kit to build, run, debug, and analyze applications from \QC.

    Before starting application development, analyze and define the requirements,
    scope, and functionality of the application to ensure efficient functionality
    and a smooth user experience on mobile devices.

    For more information, see
    \l{Develop for Devices}{How To: Develop for Devices},
    \l{Optimizing Applications for Mobile Devices}, \l {Supported Platforms}, and
    \l{Deploy Configurations}.

    \section1 Debugging Applications

    A debugger lets you see what happens \e inside an application while it runs
    or when it crashes. A debugger can do the following to help you find errors
    in the application:

    \list
        \li Start the application with parameters that specify its behavior.
        \li Stop the application when conditions are met.
        \li Examine what happens when the application stops.
        \li Make changes in the application when you fix an error and continue
            to find the next one.
    \endlist

    \QC integrates several debuggers for inspecting the state of your
    application. It automatically selects a suitable debugger for each
    kit from the ones it finds on the computer. Edit the kits to override
    this choice.

    If you install \QC with \QOI, the GNU Symbolic Debugger is installed
    automatically and you should be ready to start debugging after you create
    a new project. However, you can change the setup to use debugging tools for
    Windows, for example.

    Connect devices to your computer to debug processes running on the devices.

    For more information, see \l{Debugging} and \l{Debug}{How To: Debug}.

    \section1 Finding Issues in Source Code

    Devices have limited memory and CPU power, so you should use them carefully.
    \QC integrates code analysis tools for detecting memory leaks, profiling
    function execution, analyzing CPU use, and eliminating unnecessary complexity
    of code. Other tools provide code coverage and visualize trace events.

    Some tools, such as QML Profiler and Clang Tools, are installed with
    \QC. Install and configure the other supported tools on the computer to use
    them from \QC.

    For more information, see \l{Analyzing Code} and \l{Analyze}{How To: Analyze}.

    \section1 Running Tests

    \QC supports both \e {code based tests} and \e {build system based tests}.
    Code based testing offers special handling for particular testing
    frameworks that strongly ties to the underlying code models or
    specialized parsers. Build system based testing is independent from any
    testing frameworks. It retrieves information directly from the underlying
    build system and uses it or even the build system as such to execute the
    respective tests.

    \QC integrates the following testing frameworks for unit testing
    applications and libraries:

    \list
        \li \l{https://www.boost.org/doc/libs/1_81_0/libs/test/doc/html/index.html}
            {Boost.Test}
        \li \l{https://github.com/catchorg/Catch2}{Catch2 test framework}
        \li \l{https://github.com/google/googletest}{Google C++ Testing Framework}
        \li \l{Qt Quick Test} framework
        \li \l{Qt Test} framework
    \endlist

    In addition, \QC offers build system based support for
    \l{https://cmake.org/cmake/help/latest/manual/ctest.1.html}{CTest}.

    You can use \QC to create, build, and run code based tests for your
    projects.

    \image {qtcreator-autotests.png} {Tests sidebar view and Test Results output}

    \section2 Using Squish

    The experimental Squish plugin integrates Squish into \QC.

    \l{https://www.qt.io/product/quality-assurance/squish}{Squish} is an
    automated GUI testing framework for testing Android, iOS, Java, \macos,
    Qt, Tk, Windows, and XView applications, as well as HTML-based web
    applications running in browsers.

    In \QC, you can:

    \list
        \li Open existing Squish test suites.
        \li Create new test suites and test cases.
        \li Record test cases (in a very limited way compared to what you can do
            inside the Squish IDE).
        \li Use Squish Runner and Server to run test suites or cases and view
            the results in the \uicontrol Squish \l{View output}{output}.
        \li Set breakpoints before running tests to stop at certain locations and
            inspect the local variables, similarly to when debugging a test.
    \endlist

    To use the plugin, you must download and install Squish, create a connection
    to the Squish Server, and specify the application under test (AUT) to run.

    For more information, see \l{Test}{How To: Test}.

    \section1 Publishing Applications

    Create installation packages for mobile devices that you publish to
    application stores and other channels. You must make sure that the
    package contents meet the requirements for publishing on the channel.

    For more information, see \l{Publishing to Google Play}.

    \section1 Qt Tools

    \QC is one of many Qt tools for designing and developing applications.

    \image {qt-tools.webp} {Tools for Qt application development}
    \caption Tools for Qt application development
*/
