🔧 Tools

Documentation of software tools used in CS 341:

• Code must run on cs.wellesley.edu
  • First-Time cs.wellesley.edu Account Setup for CS 341
• Live Remote Collaborative Editing
• General Tools
• C Language and Tools

Code must run on cs.wellesley.edu

Unless otherwise noted, all projects for the course will be tested on cs.wellesley.edu, where all necessary tools are installed. You are welcome to work anywhere you want. Many projects will work on Linux, macOS, or maybe WSL, but you should verify that your code behaves as expected on cs.wellesley.edu.

For minimum fuss, we suggest working remotely via SSH to cs.wellesley.edu. Use whatever method you prefer to connect and edit code. If you are not familiar with a method, try VSCode and its Remote Development extension.

First-Time cs.wellesley.edu Account Setup for CS 341

To configure your CS account permanently¹ to find CS 341 tools, SSH to cs.wellesley.edu and run the command:

source /home/cs341/live/env/init/account.sh

Do this once.

Live Remote Collaborative Editing

To collaborate remotely with group members, I suggest one of the following:

1. Use the Live Share extension for VSCode, Teletype for Atom, or another similar extension for your favorite editor, while you fire up your preferred application for video/audio communication.
2. The “driver” shares their screen via Zoom while other group members give suggestions.
3. Use Git, GitHub, and other communication streams to work asynchronously.

General Tools

• VSCode with the Remote Development extension is one option for programming and remote access to the CS GNU/Linux server/workstations if you do not already have a preferred method.
• OSTEP docs on basic tools
  • Unix skills for the command line (ignore drop), Scott Anderson, Wellesley College
  • Bash commands, Ruth Anderson, University of Washington
  • Some useful Unix commands, Tia Newhall, Swarthmore College
• Git documentation and book
  • See also: CS 240 Git tutorial if you need a refresher. Note we will not use the cs240 tool (or CodeTub) in 341.
  • GitHub documentation
• Optional/other/more:
  • Remote access with SSH: ssh wendy@cs.wellesley.edu
  • Emacs Basics (← start here) for text editing
    • Emacs Reference Card (pdf), Tour, Manual
    • A Visual Guide to Emacs – fun illustrated guides, by Sacha Chua
    • lots more…

C Language and Tools

• Essential C (and other Stanford CS Library C resources)
  • The C Programming Language (a.k.a. K&R), Kernighan and Ritchie, classic book
  • UNIX System Calls and Subroutines using C A.D. Marshall
  • C reference (when in doubt, stick to C99)
  • C resources, Tia Newhall, Swarthmore College
  • Duane’s Incredibly Brief Introduction to the C Programming Language, Duane Bailey, Williams College
  • C for Python programmers
• GCC manual (gcc --version)
• Using make and writing Makefiles, Tia Newhall, Swarthmore College
  • GNU Make manual
• GDB Quick Reference Card
  • Beej’s Quick Guide to GDB
  • GDB manual
• Valgrind Memcheck manual: valgrind ./executable