Adding New Language Support

To get started, reuse an existing Textmate grammar. This tutorial is an LSP Client demo to provide support for the (ba)sh language.

• • Language Server implementations.
  • Another list of Language Server Implementations
  • A list of Textmate syntaxes.

Adding more advanced support for a new language may consist of several parts, and may be time consuming.

The following parts of a new language support should be considered:

• File type recognition (so that NetBeans knows they belong to the new language)
• Project type, if needed, so that the files can be built, run and debugged
• Add editing features, including:
  • Sematic syntax highlighting
  • Formatting
  • Braces matching, automatic closing of braces
  • Error Hints/Fixes/Suggestions
  • Code completion
  • Code templates
• Refactoring (e.g. renaming, find usages, go to, etc.) 
• Debugging

There are a number of ways to add support for a programming language, each one of them having its pros and cons. Historically, these are:

• JavaCC is the old way
  • JavaCC lexer tutorial
  • JavaCC parser tutorial
• ANTLR is the modern way, but it is not easy to keep the many languages up-to-date; there are a number of tutorials on how to create a NB plugin using ANTLR, many outdated, with the best one in the Apache NetBeans book to add a plugin for blockchain support.
  • ANTLR4 grammars.
    
  • Converting from JavaCC to ANTLR

  • ANTLR4-Plugins-for-NetBeans

• LSP seems to be gaining ground and seems to become the new way. This tutorial is an LSP Client demo to provide support for the (ba)sh language.
  • Language Server implementations.
  • A list of Textmate syntaxes.
    

File Type Recognition

Use the New File → Module Development → File Type wizard. A MIME type must be specified. This MIME type will be the key under which other services will be looked up.

See the File Type Integration Tutorial for more details on how to add File Type recognition support.

Custom project types

You may want to create a new "Project Type" for your specific language. For instance, "Rust" projects usually have a folder structure defined by the "cargo" tool.

The "NetBeans Project Type Tutorial" available at https://netbeans.apache.org/tutorials/nbm-projecttype.html is probably a good starting point.

Adding editor features

You can also add language-specific features (folding, syntax highlighting, formatting, etc.) to the NetBeans editor to make it easier for users to program in your language.

You can use either

• The NetBeans specific APIs. See "NetBeans APIs for Developing Code Editors" at https://netbeans.apache.org/kb/docs/platform/#_netbeans_apis_for_developing_code_editors ) for a list.
• Or use an external Language Server Provider.

Adding Syntax Highlighting

Syntax highlighting can be implemented either by writing a lexer module for NetBeans, or by re-using TextMate grammars.

Please see the use cases and an example grammar registration for the latter.

Formatting

Adding Code Completion and Other Editor Features

These can be done either by:

• writing them against NetBeans APIs (see the NetBeans Code Completion tutorial at https://netbeans.apache.org/tutorials/nbm-code-completion.html)
• or by delegating to an LSP Server. Please see Typescript LSP server integration .

Resources

NetBeans Specific Resources

• Rich Client Programming: Plugging into the NetBeans Platform https://www.amazon.com/Rich-Client-Programming-Plugging-NetBeans/dp/0132354802
  

• Apache NetBeans Platform for Beginners https://leanpub.com/nbp4beginners

• Lahoda J. (2019), "LSP Client demo - (ba)sh language server", ASF.
• Cardona J.R. (2018), "Quick Start: Creating Language Tools In NetBeans IDE", DZone.
• NetBeans Platform Learning Trail https://netbeans.apache.org/kb/docs/platform/index.html

Other resources

1. Clinton J.L. (2021), Build Your Own Programming Language, Packt.
2. Nadeeshaan G. & Nipuna M. (2022), Language Server Protocol and Implementation: Supporting Language-Smart Editing and Programming Tools, APress.
3. Parr T. (2010), Language Implementation Patterns, The Pragmatic Programmer.
4. Stalla A. (2021a), "Converting from JavaCC to ANTLR", Strumenta.
5. Stalla A. (2021b), "Go to Definition in the Language Server Protocol", Strumenta.
6. Singh V., Basics of Compiler Design, Anniversary Edition.
7. Tomassetti G., "The ANTLR Mega Tutorial", Strumenta.
8. Watt D.A. & Brown D. F. (2000), Programming Language Processors in Java, Prentice Hall.