[fpc-devel] Beginner question: Building the fp text-mode IDE standalonex

[Michael Van Canneyt]

On Sat, 24 Jan 2026, Aruna Hewapathirane via fpc-devel wrote:

> Hello,
>
> I’m fairly new to working with the Free Pascal IDE sources and I’d like to
> build *fp* by itself for learning and testing purposes.
>
> I’m using *Linux (Debian)*, and while looking through the installed FPC
> source tree I found this file:
>
> /usr/share/fpcsrc/3.2.2/packages/ide/fp.pas
>
> Is this the correct main source file for the *fp text-mode IDE*, or am I
> looking in the wrong place?

That is the correct main source file.


> As a beginner, I’m mainly trying to understand:
>
>   -
>
>   where the fp text-mode IDE “starts”,
>   -

It uses Free Vision, and runs a message loop, which is 'hidden' in IDEApp.Run;

>   how it is normally built, and
>   -
>
>   whether there is a simple or *recommended way to build fp* on its own
>   for experimentation and learning.

It's not really standalone, because the IDE contains the compiler. 
Your best bet is still simply to use 'make all' in the toplevel or packages
directory of the sources.

Michael.