A Web-Based IDE for Teaching with Any Language (Abstract Only)

Abstract

This workshop introduces participants to CS50 IDE (cs50.io), a web-based integrated development environment based on Amazon's Cloud9 (c9.io). Not only does the IDE enable students to work on programming projects within a browser, without need for local downloads or installations, it also provides students with an integrated terminal window and full sudo privileges. Underneath the hood is a Docker "container" that allows students to experiment with the underlying Ubuntu Linux OS, installing and configuring software at will, adapting it to their particular projects' needs. The IDE supports any compiler, interpreter, or other software that can be installed via a Linux command-line, while the IDE itself provides a fully-featured text editor for text files and source code that reside on the underlying instance. The Cloud9 GUI is fully extensible through a plugin system and is leveraged by CS50 IDE to provide additional functionality for students. Among the additional features implemented through this mechanism are a GUI-based file submission system, an optional "less comfortable" mode that simplifies the GUI to provide a scaffolded experience for students new to programming, and a GUI front end for the GNU Project Debugger, a CLI debugger for many languages, including C. This workshop will highlight useful features of the IDE in the context of classrooms (including the collaborative nature of a workspace to allow pair programming or provide alternative one-on-one instruction), provide tips for writing or adapting assignments based on its architecture, and introduce developing plugins for full customization.