Domain model for my Java IDE

Question

Hello

I'm currently making an IDE for the Java platform. This IDE for education purposes only.I'm working of the documentation and in the analysis phase. Right now I'm at the stage of making the domain model for my project and I'm confused what to as to how the domain model figure would look like.

The IDE will feature

1. open/save
2. create/remove class
3. intellisense
4. compile
5. execute
6. syntax highlighting/formatting

so how will the domain model look like? and what is a domain?

Any guidance will be helpful. Thanks

Answer 1

It sounds like you need to read up on Domain Driven Design. Your domain objects and ubiquitous language are driven by the language used by the domain experts. Fortunately you're familiar with this language already since you know the domain (programming) already.

Answer 2

Well, I would suggest to start with identifying the use cases for your IDE: 1. Maintain files (open, save, delete, rename) 2. Parse Code Syntax and display results. 3. Pass File to compiler and display results. ( And then write out the simple steps of what these use cases do. This will help alot as well as giving you a 'context' for all those niggly little requirements that will pop up. Otherwise it's simply a list of functionality and very hard to organize, implement consistently and completely and know you caught everything.)

So, you could say you have 3 domain objects now: File and Code and Compiler.

Anyway it's a start Yes, A HUGE project for simple curiosity. You might alos look at how eclipse is built as well as how an OO compiler is built. These may give you ideas as to your domain objects