Development Environment Checklist

Any software project larger than a few weeks will benefit from a carefully crafted
development environment. This includes tools such as compilers, editors, debuggers,
the build system and the configuration management system.

Tools
 Tools Documented: The names, version numbers and configuration of all
tools used are formally documented so that new development machines can
be set up consistently.

 Tools Useful to this Project: The tools used are appropriate for this project.

 Unwanted Side Effects Avoided: The tools used do not impose artificial and
unwanted restrictions on the end product.

Build System
The build system takes source code and 'builds' it to produce the software product that is
to be delivered.

 Build System Documented: The design and operation of the build system is
formally documented so that anyone can build the system.

 Consistent Delivery: The build system produces consistent results: two builds
from the same source code will produce the same result.

 Automatic Overnight Builds: Builds are performed regularly to check for

compilation and other errors.

Configuration Management
The Configuration Management system allows developers to know exactly which
versions of which development artifacts and inputs they are using. It allows bugs to be
traced quickly, especially on large or long-running projects.

 Appropriate Configuration Management in Place: The configuration

management system used by the project is appropriate to the project.

 Configuration Management System Documented: The configuration

management system is documented so that anyone can use and administer it.

 Configuration Manager(s) Identified: A person or group of people have been

identified as the project's configuration managers.

Recovery Plan
As with any software system, the development environment will occasionally be affected
by software or hardware failure. Since the software development environment is critical
to a software project, such eventualities should be planned for.

 Plan Documented: The recovery plan is formally documented and available for
immediate access in an emergency.

 Software Failure Covered: The plan addresses software failures such as corruption
of the configuration management repository.

 Hardware Failure Covered: The plan addresses hardware failures, including failure
of key development servers and individual developer machines.
gantthead.com Development Environment Checklist

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