Beginning Mac OS® X Programming

2.2. Developer Applications

The Mac OS X developer package includes several applications for your use during the development process. You can find most of these applications in the /Developer/Applications folder. Some of these tools are essential, such as those used for editing source code and building programs. Other tools are more specialized, such as the performance analysis tools and graphics utilities. In the sections that follow, you learn about many of these tools and how you can put them to use.

2.2.1. Build Tools

Of the programs installed in /Developer/Applications, two stand out as being indispensable in the development process: Xcode and Interface Builder. Together they include all the functionality required to design, build, and debug programs on Mac OS X.

Xcode is the centerpiece of Mac OS X's development environment. It includes tools for writing, building, and debugging programs all in a single application. Xcode also provides easy access to much of the developer documentation on your system. Xcode scales easily from building command-line tools and applications, to building libraries and plug-ins. You learn much more about Xcode in Chapter 3.

Interface Builder builds Carbon and Cocoa user interfaces for use in Xcode projects. You build interfaces by arranging windows, controls, and other elements graphically with your mouse. You learn much more about Interface Builder in Chapter 4.

Both Xcode and Interface Builder are up to the challenge of building whatever program ...