KDevelop 6.3.250801 Advanced Editor Review

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Getting Started with KDevelop: A Powerful Open-Source IDE for Programmers

Categories: Programming, Open Source Software, Development Tools

Tags: KDevelop, Fedora Linux, Open Source, IDE, Installation, Programming, Software Development, Tutorials, Code Editor, Development Tools, Programming Books, Online Courses

Introduction to KDevelop: A Powerful Open-Source IDE

When it comes to integrated development environments (IDEs), KDevelop stands out as a powerful, versatile tool that helps developers create software efficiently. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced programmer, KDevelop can provide you with all the features needed to write, test, and debug your code across various programming languages.

In this post, we’ll explore KDevelop, including its open-source nature, installation process, and some basic features. If you’re looking for an IDE that supports a range of programming languages and is backed by a large open-source community, KDevelop might be the right choice for you!

What is KDevelop?

KDevelop is an open-source IDE built for professional developers. It supports many programming languages, including C, C++, Python, JavaScript, PHP, and more. KDevelop is designed to help developers write clean, efficient, and error-free code, all within an integrated environment that enhances productivity.

It is primarily developed for KDE, the Linux desktop environment, but it’s available on other platforms as well. Best of all, it’s completely free to use, thanks to its open-source license.

KDevelop License:

KDevelop is licensed under the GNU General Public License (GPL) v2 or later, which means that you are free to use, modify, and distribute it.

Installing KDevelop on Fedora Linux

Fedora is one of the most popular Linux distributions, and KDevelop integrates seamlessly with it. Below is a simple guide to installing KDevelop on Fedora:

Step 1: Open Your Terminal

Press Ctrl + Alt + T to open the terminal window on your Fedora machine.

Step 2: Install KDevelop Using DNF

In the terminal, type the following command to install KDevelop:

sudo dnf install kdevelop

This command will fetch the KDevelop IDE along with any required dependencies.

Step 3: Launch KDevelop

Once the installation is complete, you can launch KDevelop by typing the following in the terminal or by searching for “KDevelop” in your applications menu:

kdevelop

And that’s it! You now have KDevelop installed on your Fedora Linux system.

Installing KDevelop on Other Platforms

• Ubuntu/Debian: Run the following command:

  sudo apt install kdevelop

• macOS: You can install KDevelop on macOS using Homebrew:

  brew install kdevelop

• Windows: KDevelop is available on Windows via the KDE installer or through the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL).

KDevelop Features

KDevelop comes with a range of features to help you code faster and more efficiently:

• Code Completion & Syntax Highlighting: Helps you write code more efficiently with auto-completion suggestions and color-coded syntax.
• Integrated Debugger: Troubleshoot and debug your applications within the IDE without switching to external tools.
• Project Management: Organize your files and folders easily within KDevelop’s project manager.
• Version Control Integration: Use Git, SVN, and other version control systems directly from within the IDE.
• Multi-language Support: KDevelop supports a variety of programming languages, such as C, C++, Python, JavaScript, PHP, and more.

Screenshots and Screencast

👉 Screencast showing a beginner session in KDevelop—editing, saving files, and navigating buffers.

Requirements For Programming Text Editor

Glossary:

Code Editor

Designed for writing and editing source code.

IDE

Integrated Development Environment combines various tools need for software development.

Plugin

Software component that adds specific functionality.

Theme

Preset package containing graphical appearance to customize look and feel.

Open source

Freely available for possible modification and redistribution.

SCM

Source code management use to manage and track modifications to a source code repository.

LMB

Left Mouse Button (LMB) or left click

MMB

Middle Mouse Button (MMB) or scroll wheel

Test Tools

Test System

Name	Description
CPU	Ryzen 5 5600GT @ 3.60GHz.
Memory	32GB DDR4.
Operating System	Fedora Linux Workstation 42.
Desktop Environment	Gnome 48.
Name	Description

Test Suite

Name	Description
Large File	1GB human-readable text.
Regex File	Text with word “KDevelop” repeated.
Syntax File	PHP file containing HTML, CSS & JavaScript.
Media File	Smiley face or Tux Linux JPEG file.
Java Version	OpenJDK 21.0.8.
PHP Version	PHP 8.4.12.
Python Version	Python 3.13.7.
KDevelop Version	6.3.250801.
Name	Description

Test Scoring

1. Each feature has two parts.
2. Score of zero indicates a missing feature.
3. A part of a feature is work a score of 0.5.

Three bias elimination steps were utilized. The editor was used for at least three years on different platforms. Attempts were made to get stable plug-ins for missing features. The same editor was compared between the one in the repository, the developers website, and the compiled version if applicable.

Selecting Editor Version

For this review, KDevelop was installed using the instructions from the developers website and it did not require additional plugins.

Features

1. The theme can be native for the editor in terms of the background. KDevelop dark and light themes can be created or downloaded and changed. The score for the theme was a perfect 1.0.
2. Dragging and dropping a text file into the editor opens a new tab or buffer. It is not possible to specify the tab location during the drag and drop operation. The score for drag and drop into editor was 0.5.
3. Opening a very large text file did not crash KDevelop. KDevelop was not able to open or to edit the large file. The score for opening a large file was 0.5.
4. Multiple documents can opened in multiple tabs or buffers. Tear-off tabs do not work and KDevelop does not have a feature to open in new window as a new instance which is handy for multiple monitors. The score for multiple documents was 0.5.
5. Multiple editors can be opened as new tabs with drag options. Each tab window view can be split either vertically or horizontally as a multiple editor view in Wayland display server protocol. The score for multiple editor view was 1.0.
6. Creating non-project files is possible. Non-project files can be opened on the command line. The score for creating non-project files was a perfect 1.0.
7. Soft word wrap can be enabled on all documents as line wrapping. Automatic soft wrap for documents is available from the KDevelop View menu. The score for word wrap was a perfect 1.0.
8. Spell check does work as words are typed by enabling the feature from the KDevelop Tools menu. Spelling errors are shown in opened documents. The score for spell check was 1.0.
9. Word count is available in the KDevelop Settings -> Configure Settings -> Appearance -> Show word count, then enable the status bar from the Kdevelop Settings menu. Word count for the current buffer or file is enabled. Selection word count is available as part of word count. The score for word count was 1.0.
10. Go to line can jump to a specified line using CTRL-G and entering the line number. It is possible to jump to either the first or last line. The score for go to line is a perfect 1.0.
11. Indentation can default to user-defined tab stops. Children are automatically indented. The score for indentation was a perfect 1.0.
12. Fonts can be dynamically scaled with custom keyboard shortcuts or the mouse CTRL-MMB. The system font can be bypassed and a new editor font and size can be set. The score for fonts was a perfect 1.0.
13. Find and replace using regular expressions can be utilized for all open documents in the current session. Find and replace will work for the current document or a selection in the current document. The score for find and replacing using regular expressions was a perfect 1.0.
14. Multiple language syntax highlighting in one file is enabled. Each language has code-sensitive syntax colours. The score for multiple language syntax highlighting was a perfect 1.0.
15. Code folding does work for markup languages such as HTML. Code folding also works for programming languages such as Java. The score for code folding was 1.0.
16. Selecting rectangular block per column works enabling Block Selection in the Selection menu or CTRL-SHIFT-B. Rectangular block selection works with word wrap enabled. The score for selecting rectangular block was a perfect 1.0.
17. Multiple selection is available in the Configure Settings -> Editing -> Text Navigation -> Multicursor in the KDevelop Settings menu or by default ALT. Search multiple selection works. The score for multiple selection was 1.0.
18. Distraction-free mode to hide panes works. Line numbers can not be toggled to improve distraction-free mode. The score for distraction-free was a perfect 1.0.
19. The file manager can be enabled by default. Media files cannot be dragged and dropped into the file manager pane. The score for file manager was 0.5.
20. Terminal is be enabled. The terminal does follow folder. Terminal can execute system commands. The score for terminal was 1.0.

Results

KDevelop is a lightweight IDE. By default, the KDevelop editor is missing required features that can be enabled or implemented by plugins. For my required features, the KDevelop editor scored 90.0% or 9.00 out of 10.

Learn More About Programming

If you want to dive deeper into programming, check out my programming books and courses:

• Edward Ojambo on Amazon – Programming Books
• My Online Programming Courses

One-on-One Programming Tutorials

If you’re looking for more personalized help, I offer one-on-one programming tutorials. Whether you need assistance with KDevelop or any other development tool, I can guide you step by step.

Edward Ojambo – Contact

KDevelop Installation & Migration Assistance

If you need help installing KDevelop or migrating your current environment, I’m available to assist you remotely.

Edward Ojambo Services

Conclusion

KDevelop is a robust, open-source IDE that can significantly improve your coding workflow. Whether you’re working on a small project or a large application, it has the features and flexibility to meet your needs. Installing KDevelop on Fedora is quick and simple, and with support for many programming languages, it’s a perfect choice for developers of all levels.

Happy coding, and don’t forget to check out my programming books and courses for more resources!