Emacs as an IDE

The development of Visual Studio Code has led to several improvements that benefitted all editors for implementing IDE-like features: Debug Adapter Protocol (DAP) and Language Server Protocol (LSP).

Language server protocol

The community of Emacs was able to integrate the protocol enabling IDE features to be possible (e.g., autocompletion, Intellisense). Setting up LSP consists of installing the language server for a specific language and hoping for the best if a community member has implemented LSP support for that language and the editor of choice.

On Emacs, you simply have to do these things:

• Install lsp-mode (or enable tools/lsp built-in module if you're using Doom Emacs).

• Install the language server of the language/tool before enabling lsp-mode.

• If the support for the LSP support package for a specific language, enable it (or configure it in your module).

While certain language servers can be automatically installed with lsp-mode, it is better to be explicitly installed from the environment. Nix/Guix environments should be a good application here.

If you're enabling lsp-mode, there is a chance of encountering an error telling that the current project is not a workspace or something similar. You can bypass it by either setting the folder as a workspace with lsp-workspace-folders-add or running lsp which will run on a single file .

Debug Adapter Protocol

The same community of lsp-mode has gathered together to implement DAP as well.

Setting up DAP is mostly similar to setting up LSP: installing a debug adapter server for a language and hoping for the best if a community member has implemented DAP support for that language and the editor of choice.

On Emacs, you have to do the following:

• Install dap-mode (or add a +dap feature to tools/lsp if you're using Doom Emacs).

• Install the language server of the language/tool before starting up DAP on Emacs.

• Create a debugging template with dap-debug or dap-debug-edit-template which will let you edit the template before running.

• Do the usual debugging stuff (e.g., adding a breakpoint).

• Celebrate in joy as you're one step closer to an Emacs IDE-lite.