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Frequently I'm brainstormed with programming ideas that I would like to directly code. More or less like "Wow, that algorithm will rock! I need to write it now!".

For this kind of "impulse" to write, I use http://www.jarte.com/ that is a cool portable text editor. If I'm near a cybecafe or a friend computer, I just plug the usb pen drive and start to write...

So, I would like: 1) a portable minimalist IDE 2) with minimal OS requirement (ie.: I want run from XP, Vista, etc...) 3) any modern language (I can learn a new language if needed. I just want write/test the algoritm) 4) Syntax Highlight/intellisense is good, but not required 5) Free

Is there something like this?

Rob Kam
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Click Ok
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    "minimalist OS requirement, i.e. run from XP, Vista, etc. ..." reminds me of Blues Brothers: "Oh, we have _both_ kinds of music here, Country _and_ Western!" – Svante Feb 10 '09 at 08:44
  • It would be especially useful to find a cross-platform portable IDE, so that the IDE could be moved from Linux or Mac to Windows, and vice-versa. I haven't found any IDEs that are portable across different platforms, but I'm still searching. – Anderson Green Jan 10 '13 at 02:16
  • think about it! different binary format on the os. wo a platform specific compiler you won't get a program to run. intermediate/interpreted languages eventually, but you again need the jitcompiler/interpreter installed – relascope Jun 12 '15 at 23:34

12 Answers12

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Eclipse isn't "minimalist", but it does work installation-less. So as long as your USB key, or whatever, is large enough, you can put Eclipse in there and be ready to go.

Assaf Lavie
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  • Will it work on all platforms (Mac, Linux Windows) from a single USB key? – Anderson Green Dec 24 '12 at 23:31
  • I'm using Eclipse Portable, which (apparently) only works on Windows. I hope it would be possible to create a cross-platform portable version. – Anderson Green Dec 26 '12 at 20:29
  • Eclipse itself isn't portable, as its GUI toolkit isn't Swing, but [SWT](http://www.eclipse.org/swt/). – Carcamano Feb 04 '13 at 18:15
  • Portable in the Sense of a portable App, means it can be run from an usb Drive, wo Settings in Registry Or sw Else Other than on the same drive as app is installed. – relascope Jun 12 '15 at 23:30
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alt text http://sts.bkukr.de/l-davoss/blog/Lists/Blog/Attachments/21/SharpdevelopPortable.jpg

Sharp Develop Portable:

Dave blogged all you need to know to get you started!

C# support on the run, and much, much more.

Ric Tokyo
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Please have a look at ideone.com - supports 40+ langugages

kuszi
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  • It doesn't appear to have code autocompletion, or other features of most desktop IDEs, but it's a good way to test code online. – Anderson Green Dec 24 '12 at 23:32
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Well, IDEs are often better suited depending on the programming language you want to use. I'm not really sure if you're looking for a text editor or an IDE, but:

As far as I'm concerned, I'd use:

Java: Eclipse (though not very minimalist)

C/C++: vim and g++, Code::Blocks

Ruby/Python/Perl: vim + interpreter

TextMate (best editor ever) on Mac OS X ($39.99) and e editor (Windows' TextMate equivalent) I also find NotePad++ to be a decent text editor, very minimalist.

Some people are crazy in love with emacs, you might want to check it out.

vdsf
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I'm late to the game, but a something worth mentioning is Squeak Smalltalk, or one of its derivatives like Pharo or Croquet. No changes to the registry or OS, no installers, no Services, no Admin rights needed, and only a few files needed- a full install in half a dozen files.

1) binary and source portable code; nice IDE, but with a minimalist disk footprint (5-50 MB)

2) Runs on almost any OS- one cross-platform binary image and a small virtual machine executable for each platform- one for 95/98/ME/XP/2k/XP/Vista/7/2003/2008; one for WinCE, one for OS X, one for Linux x86, etc.; (0.5-2 MB) for each platform. You can even boot onto bare metal, if you're hardcore.

3) It's Smalltalk. Birthplace of most buzz-worthy Ruby features...

4) Syntax Highlight and some level of intellisense is good built-in.

5) Free as in speech and beer.

Smalltalk isn't for everyone, but it's my personal fave. The fact that I can use the same binary image on my XP desktop, Linux server, iPhone and WinCE PDA without recompilation is a great bonus.

Aaron
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You can also carry NetBeans on your USB drives: http://nbide.blogspot.com/2008/03/portable-netbeans.html and http://nbide.blogspot.com/2008/04/portable-netbeans-part-ii.html

1

i use Instant rails with netbeans from my stik

Dr. Vet. Cumpanasu Florin
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Emacs + a compiler/interpreter sounds like what you want.

Samantha Branham
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  • Unlike Eclipse, you can't just put Emacs on an USB drive and expect it just runs on any system. I don't think my Mac Emacs version will run on my Windows machine? – Frank Feb 10 '09 at 05:55
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    I would say that is a pretty common problem with any IDE. Even Eclipse relies on a JVM being present. If I were doing this, I would just load up an emacs for each system I expect to come into contact with and come up with some manageable way of handling configuration. – Samantha Branham Feb 10 '09 at 06:05
  • I was going to suggest emacs. But then I noticed that he said "small" how many emaces can you fit on the head of a pin? B-) – Brian Postow Oct 28 '09 at 20:45
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For C/C++, DevC++ works off of a usb drive. It runs off of XP, and I believe Vista as well (never tried that). It also has syntax highlighting.

Only problem is (I'm assuming this) is that it doesn't work for other languages.

DeadHead
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  • As a more recent update, the original DevC++ has been discontinued. There's a new continuation, but be careful which one you download. – Nic Nov 17 '15 at 01:11
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alt text
(source: bluej.org)

Try BlueJ (Running BlueJ from a USB (thumb) drive).

Other alternatives;

  1. Snippet Compiler alt text
    (source: sliver.com)

  2. CodeIDE an online IDE.

Glorfindel
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Nelson Miranda
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I frequently use Firefox + Firebug when I want to quickly hack together something.

Chetan S
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You may be looking for vim. Now, it won't be easy to learn how to use vim, but I'd count it time well spent. This is an unix utility that has been ported to basically every architecture and operating system see Portable GVim for the portable version. For info on using vim as an IDE, see here and here

  • Unlike the general opinion, vim's portable even in the "normal" version "the one from www.vim.org". Just put in your .vimrc to set no backup and stuff, and off you go. Works great, leaves no traces. I use it all the time in that manner (on a stick). – Rook Feb 10 '09 at 08:51