Editing SharpDevelop (section)

== Features ==
SharpDevelop was designed as a free and lightweight alternative to [[Microsoft Visual Studio]], and contains an equivalent feature for almost every essential Visual Studio Express feature and features very similar to those found in [[Borland Kylix]] and [[Delphi (software)|Delphi]], including advanced project management, code editing, application compiling and debugging functionality.<ref name= "b12" /><ref>[http://visualbasic.about.com/od/usingvbnet/l/aa122602a.htm "A Free 'Visual Studio' for VB.NET"] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111016135738/http://visualbasic.about.com/od/usingvbnet/l/aa122602a.htm |date=2011-10-16 }}. About.com, Visual Basic.</ref>  More specifically, the IDE includes a [[graphical user interface|GUI]] designer, code/design views, [[syntax highlighting]], [[Autocomplete|auto completion]] menus (similar to [[IntelliSense]]<ref name="b3" />) the ability to compile and debug form/console [[.NET Framework]] applications,<ref name="b1" /> a "New Project" [[wizard (software)|wizard]], toolbars, menus, panels and a docking system,<ref name="Holm, Kruger, Spudia" />{{Rp|7}}<ref name="b10" /><ref>Ward, Matt (July 5, 2006). [http://community.sharpdevelop.net/blogs/mattward/articles/FeatureTour.aspx "Feature Tour"]. SharpDevelop.net community.</ref><ref>Ward, Matt (July 12, 2006). [http://community.sharpdevelop.net/blogs/mattward/articles/VisualStudioExpressComparison.aspx "Visual Studio Express and SharpDevelop Compared"]. SharpDevelop.net community.</ref> and built-in [[code refactoring]] tools,<ref>[http://community.sharpdevelop.net/blogs/mattward/articles/FeatureTourRefactoring.aspx "Refactoring"], SharpDevelop Feature Tour.</ref><ref>[http://community.sharpdevelop.net/blogs/mattward/articles/FeatureTourCodeGeneration.aspx "Code Generation"]. SharpDevelop Feature Tour.</ref> and it has an integrated [[debugger]]<ref name="b13" /> that allows for stepping, viewing values of objects in memory, and [[breakpoint]]s.<ref>[http://community.sharpdevelop.net/blogs/mattward/articles/FeatureTourDebugging.aspx "Debugging"]. SharpDevelop Feature Tour.</ref>

To allow for easy project migration, SharpDevelop works natively with Visual Studio project and code files. It is able to compile applications for .NET Framework version 2.0, 3.0, 3.5, 4.0, 4.5.1 and the .NET Compact Framework 2.0 and 3.5.<ref>[http://www.codeproject.com/KB/windows/WiMoSansVS.aspx "Windows Mobile Development Without Visual Studio"]. The Code Project.</ref>

SharpDevelop's [[Graphic User Interface]] Designers work with the C#,<ref name="b1" /> VB.NET, Boo, and the IronPython and IronRuby languages, using the following GUI technologies:<ref name="sdfeatures" />
* [[Windows Forms]]<ref name="b3" /><ref>[http://community.sharpdevelop.net/blogs/mattward/articles/FeatureTourVisuallyDesigningForms.aspx "Visually Designing Forms"]. SharpDevelop Feature Tour.</ref>
* [[Windows Presentation Foundation]] (WPF)
* [[Entity Framework]]

SharpDevelop was written entirely in C#<ref name="b3" /> and consists of about 20 components that integrate to form the application. The [[source-code editor]] component, known as AvalonEdit,<ref>[http://wiki.sharpdevelop.net/AvalonEdit.ashx "AvalonEdit"]. SharpDevelop wiki.</ref>  can be used by other applications.<ref name="sdfeatures" /><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.codeproject.com/KB/edit/AvalonEdit.aspx |title=Using AvalonEdit (WPF Text Editor) |website=The Code Project |date=5 October 2009 }}</ref>

It also includes functionality for:
* External [[Component Object Model|COM]] and [[ActiveX]] components
* [[Code analysis]] ([[FxCop]])<ref>[http://www.codeproject.com/KB/macros/sharpdev_community_annota.aspx "SharpDevelop in the Real World: Code Annotations"]. The Code Project.</ref>
* [[Unit testing]] ([[NUnit]])<ref name="b1" /><ref name="b8" /><ref>[http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/34658/SharpDevelop-NUnit-and-Visual-Studio-Express "SharpDevelop, NUnit, and Visual Studio Express"]. The Code Project.</ref>
* [[Code coverage]] (PartCover)
* Profiler
* [[Apache Subversion|Subversion]] (TortoiseSVN)
* [[Git (software)|Git]]
* [[Mercurial]]
* [[StyleCop]] add-in
* Documentation generation ([[Sandcastle (software)|Sandcastle]], SHFB)
* Plugins<ref>[http://www.codeproject.com/KB/cs/ICSharpCodeCore.aspx "Building Applications with the SharpDevelop Core"]. The Code Project.</ref><ref>[http://www.codeproject.com/KB/cs/LineCounterSDAddIn.aspx "Line Counter - Writing a SharpDevelop Add-In"]. The Code Project.</ref>