Seeking Advice on getting into KDE development - machine set up

[TwoFistedJustice]

I'd like to get into doing some FOSS contributions and since I use KDE that seems like a good place to start.

Firstly I'm wondering about system configuration. I have installed a single instance of Kubuntu 18.04 on a Thinkpad x260 using rEFInd as boot manager.

From reading the intro docs for KDE development, it sounds like I'm going to have to have a second OS installed on my machine, is that correct?

And it also sound like I'll have to compile my own OS from source?

I didn't see any kind of short synopsis and it was a bit hard to follow their intro.

Can someone provide a short overview of what is involved in setting up a development system for KDE development?

[claydoh]

What specific parts of KDE are you interested in?
What specific docs are you referring to? I am not sure how well those are organized below the surface.
What language(s) are you familiar with ? (C++ iirc is the main one)


In terms of having to build Plasma, well, yes, you need some sort of environment to be able to build and test desktop related components, but it may not necessarily involve a whole separate OS install. Perhaps another instance of Plasma on an existing OS, or a virtual machine are possible options, iirc, but I am not a developer, so I am not at all sure of what is involved.

There are very few (if any) developers who come here, as this is a distro-specific forum, and the KDE community crosses all distros. Hopefully one notices and responds.

You might want to check out https://forum.kde.org/index.php as you definitely will find much more expertise there.

You also may want to look and see of there is any specific thing that interests you, as 'KDE' covers a huge area, including applications, Plasma itself, and the Frameworks. There are also individual applications, both officially part of KDE, and those that are not. You can then look for info a bit more specific that may help you get started easier.

[TwoFistedJustice]

I was referring to these "get involved" docs and the links they include

https://community.kde.org/Get_Involved

As far as which parts? From what I read, unless you are already an expert developer, which I am not, then you start with the easy stuff: their designated "junior projects", fixing text labels, sweeping out the storage closet, that sort of thing. Then once the community gets to know and trust you, they let you do more complicated stuff.

I have worked with C, C#, Javascript. So I should be able to pick up C++. I also have friends who are C++ devs, so I can always ask them for help when I get stuck.

I am confused about adding a Plasma to an existing OS.
What does this mean/entail?
Would I be able to have different global configs for different plasmas? Specifically could I have git configured differently for each one?

[claydoh]

If you want to develop the actual desktop, you need to have a testing Plasma install that lives in a different prefix, which is akin to having Gnome or Xfce, or any other desktop installed alongside Plasma on the same system,. You choose which one you want from the login screen. This is exactly what the 'Setting up your Development Environment' is doing.
Being Linux, having multiple desktops installed on the same OS is quite natural and common, and the one built here is separate from your existing Plasma in terms of configs and setups iirc so you don't bork your normal desktop. I believe that you do the actual coding from your normal desktop, then build that bit and install it (to the testing desktop), and log into the build environment to see what you broke

Now, if you are just working or hacking on an individual, standalone application, you likely do not need this setup.

again, I am not a developer in any sense, though I have some tiny amount of familiarity with source code, having compiled a thing or two over the ages. Been a while, though.