Development/Tutorials

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Tutorials are the fastest way of finding out what KDE will do for you, and how to do it. Here is a list of currently available tutorials for KDE4. Material for KDE3 and KDE2 is available on the bottom of this page.

Basics of KDE 4 Programming

Are you interested in writing applications with KDE 4? This tutorial series is aimed at those completely new to KDE programming.

Hello World

An introduction to the very basics of KDE4 programming

Creating the Main Window

This tutorial shows you the magic of an application's most important thing: The main window.

Using KActions

How to add actions to the menus and toolbars. Based on the MainWindow tutorial.

Physical Simulation

How to perform a physical simulation: animation and diagram

Saving and Loading

Introduces the KIO library while adding loading and saving support to our application.

Using SqLite databases and QtSql

Integrated databases without the need for a database server

Command line arguments

Adds the ability to specify which file to open from the command line to our text editor.

Introduction to CMake

How to use the CMake build system used by KDE4.

Common Programming Mistakes

Various common mistakes made while developing Qt and KDE applications and how to avoid them.

Debugging Linker Errors

How to understand and debug errors from the linker, at compile time.

Using Qt Creator to develop your KDE program

How to use Qt Creator as an IDE to develop KDE programs

Creating Libraries to share code

How to add the library to the buildsystem and how to prepare the source code.

Session Management

Make your application aware of X sessions

Icons

Deliver your application with icons that are automatically installed to the right places. Based on the Kaction Tutorial.

Desktop File

Let your application show up in the K menu and in application menus. Based on the Icons Tutorial.

Building an Existing KDE Application

If you want to improve an existing application, you can usually build and install it easily. This tutorial shows how to build an application in a way that doesn't interfere with your system. If you do not need to modify kdelibs this may be the easiest way to get started with development.

Testing And Debugging

Debugging your application

Tips, tools and techniques to apply when debugging your KDE application

Writing Unittests for Qt4 and KDE4 with QTestLib (Original link)

Tutorial by Brad Hards that describes how to write unit tests using the QTestLib framework. It is presented as an example based tutorial, and is still under development.

Semi-automatic ways to detect code errors

Techniques you can use to detect errors in KDE code

Managing Configuration Data With KConfig

Introduction To KConfig

An overview of the KConfig classes and how to use them in your application code

Using KConfig XT

Tutorial on how to efficiently use the KConfig XT framework.

Updating KConfig Files

Tutorial on how to write an update script to keep changes in your application's config file format in sync with the user's already existing config file

Services: Applications and Plugins

Introduction to the Services Framework

An overview of the services framework in KDE and what it provides the application developer. Covers the system configuration cache (SyCoCa), the source data files and what the indexed information can be used for.

Finding Services Using Trader Queries

How to find services, such as plugins or mimetypes, that are indexed in the SyCoCa using Trader Query Syntax

Creating and Loading Plugins Using KService

Learn how to define custom plugin types, find installed plugins (including 3rd party plugins) and load them in an easy and portable fashion using KService.

Localization

See also Localization portal.

Introduction To Unicode

An introduction to what Unicode is as well as how to handle Unicode data in KDE applications.

Writing Applications With Localization In Mind

This tutorial covers what localization is, why it's important and how to ensure your application is ready to be localized. A must read for all application developers.

Avoiding Common Localization Pitfalls

There are several common mistakes that prevent applications from being properly localized. Find out what they are and how to easily avoid them in this tutorial.

Building KDE's Localization Module

Building and installing language support from KDE's localization (l10n) module is a good idea for those working on applications in the main KDE repository. Doing so will allow you to test your application in another language and spot problem areas. Learn how to do just that in this tutorial.

Incorporating i18n Into the Build System

Once your application is ready to be localized, the next step is to ensure that translation files are built automatically and kept up to date. This tutorial covers the necessary CMakeFiles.txt additions as well the process of distributing the resulting message catalogs with your application.

Common i18n Challenges and Solutions

This tutorial covers challenges that you may eventually run into such as translating handbooks and other data that exists outside of the source code, merging and handling obsolete .po files, dealing with freezes, coding in languages other than English and creating independent releases of or moving applications between KDE modules.

Semantic Markup of Messages

To ensure consistent presentation and more meaningful representations of messages in applications, semantic markup can be applied to messages marked for translation using the KUIT system. This tutorial describes how this system works.

Automated i18n Code Checking

The Krazy code checker scans KDE's code and reports common i18n mistakes.

Dealing with Language Changes

This tutorial covers dealing with changing languages: How to add the function to change the language and then dynamically update the user interface when language has been changed.

Understanding How Messages Appear to Translators

An introduction to what context information is extracted (and what isn't) from source code for translators to see.

Documentation

API Documentation

This tutorial explains how to document your APIs properly.

Man Pages

Writing and Generating Reference Manual Pages.

Source Code

quickgit.kde.org

websvn.kde.org

Accessibility

Accessibility Overview

A list of accessibility tutorials and general information.

Accessibility Checklist

What to look for in your application to make it accessible for as many people as possible.

Screen Reader

This tutorial will explain some details about using screen readers with KDE applications.

Text-To-Speech

How to utilize Jovie text-to-speech service in your application.

Application Automation and Scripting

D-Bus

Introduction to D-Bus

A straight-forward introduction to the core concepts in D-Bus from an application developer's perspective, this tutorial covers what D-Bus is and how it can be used by applications.

Accessing D-Bus Interfaces

A step-by-step guide to calling D-Bus methods and connecting to D-Bus signals using QtDBus.

Intermediate D-Bus

Tips to make use of QtDBus when faced with problematic real-world interfaces.

Creating D-Bus Interfaces

Learn how to expose functionality in your application by creating and using custom D-Bus interfaces. Covers generating the XML descriptions, instantiating interfaces at run time and setting up the build system with CMake.

Using Custom Types with D-Bus

Learn how to use your own types in classes exported on D-Bus. Covers marhaling and unmarshaling of objects, the integration of custom types into XML descriptions and registering the custom types with the Qt Meta Object system.

D-Bus Autostart Services

Turn your application into a D-Bus autostart service with this tutorial. This D-Bus feature, also known as "D-Bus service activation", will ensure that even when your application isn't running that D-Bus calls made to it will work by relying on the D-Bus daemon itself to start your app if and when needed.

Porting from DCOP to D-Bus

Port your applications from DCOP to D-Bus with this handy guide.

Konqueror

Creating Konqueror Service Menus

This tutorial shows you how to create mimetype-specific actions in Konqueror's context menu (aka "servicemenus").

Kross

Introduction to Kross

An introduction to the Kross Scripting Framework.

Hello World

A first application with working kross code.

Calling Functions in Kross

Simple demonstration of calling scripting functions

Connecting Signals and Slots in Kross

Simple demonstration of connecting object signals with script slots

Scripts as Plugins with Kross

This tutorial provides a step-by-step introduction how to integrate scripts as plugins into a KDE application.

Placing script actions in your application menus

Simple demonstration on how to extend you application menus to execute script files.

How to use an ActionCollection

A small Tutorial on How to use Kross::ActionCollections.

Calligra Plugin Tutorials

Calligra Overview

This document shows an overview of the different Calligra plugin types and tells you what each of their purpose and strengths are. If you are new with Calligra plugins, this is the place to start.

Creating Calligra Flake Plugins

This tutorial shows you how you can build a plugin for Calligra applications to allow you embed content in ODF documents using Flake.

KWord Scripting

This tutorial shows how to script KWord with Python, Ruby or JavaScript using Kross.

KSpread Scripting

This tutorial shows how to script KSpread with Python, Ruby or JavaScript using Kross.

SuperKaramba

SuperKaramba Tutorial

This tutorial provides an overview of SuperKaramba, theme files and scripting with Python, Ruby and JavaScript.

System Activity

Writing script actions for the process's context menu

This tutorial shows how to add a context menu action to show custom information about a process.

KWin

KWin Scripting Tutorial

This tutorial shows how to write a useful script for KWin.

QML Window Switcher Layouts

This tutorial documents the new QML layouts for the KWin Window Switcher

Plugins and KParts

Using KParts

A kPart is a plugin that you can just load into your application. For example, it is easy to integrate an editor (the katePart) or a console (the konsole