LittleC.js: A Lightweight, Minimal, Extensible, and Embeddable JavaScript Implementation of the C Programming Language
Stefano Federici · 2015
Visual block languages have introduced new ways of learning computer languages.New Integrated development environments (IDEs) for standard programming languages such as C or SQL have been developed, derived from block languages and based on the metaphor of building blocks.New online IDEs, mostly used in online courses, have then made programming with standard, text-based programming languages such as C or Java, as easy as possible.Nonetheless, a gap still exists between learning computer programming in a Visual environment based on the block metaphor and a standard environment for a text-based programming language.In this paper, we propose a lightweight integrated development environment, developed for an Introductory Computer Programming course at the Faculty of Engineering of Cagliari, which can be used to gradually introduce students to the C programming language.The tool can be easily embedded in online resources that can also be accessed via mobile devices.