How do you distribute the IDE and it's configuration within your Team?

Question

I'm wondering how Software Development Team distribute their Standard IDE(s)?

E.g. developing with Eclipse, custom Code formatter, svn Resository, Copyright Header.. At the moment my Team has a standard zip File which is then distributed withhin the developers.

Problem: If one file, a Plugin or the IDE itself changes, e.g. new Coding Guidlines, Upgrade Eclipse 3.5.1 the whole distribution has to be done again. Every developer needs to unzip the bundel again. Imagine your working with different Workspaces (Jetty, different Tomcamt Versions, WTP) due to Project History That doesn't scale

I know that there are some related Articels

• A new version of Eclipse just came out. Is there anything I can do to avoid having to manually hunt down my plugins again?
• Manage Your Eclipse Install With A Local Git Repository

And some comercial Programs. Eclipse also has a new Update-Installer Approach

But I don't see the Killer App. How do your team solve this? Is there a best practice? I guess best would be a Program letting you choose your current Project and then downloads the configured IDE from the Server and leting you know if Project Config Files are Updated

Answer 1

For eclipse look at Buckminster it targets exactly your target I suppose, didn't use it personally through.

Answer 2

At my previous company they wrote a custom update agent that pulled from a centrally configured server which was updated by the team leaders. It worked well, until people wanted to install their own plugins.

Basically, a developer wanted a plugin, fought in futility to get it included in the default (managed) repo, installed it himself, then updates broke on his machine when the team lead had a sudden stroke of common sense and included it.

They never did come up with a 'good' way to manage it. But, at least they didn't put us all on terminal servers with thin clients.