BashSupport adds Bash language support to IntelliJ-based products like IntelliJ IDEA, PHPStorm, and several others. However, it has been retired as of 2020, with the project archived. If you’re looking to contribute to this legacy project, you’ve come to the right place. This guide will walk you through the steps necessary to set your environment up for BashSupport development and provide some useful troubleshooting tips.

Setting Up Your Development Environment

Before diving into the code, you need to prepare your Integrated Development Environment (IDE) for BashSupport development. Here’s how:

• Download the IntelliJ Community version 2016.1.x. You can find it on the Download page.
• Unpack and install it on your system.
• Set up a new IntelliJ Platform SDK in your module settings:
  • Navigate to File > Project Structure…
  • Click on SDK > Add new SDK.
  • Name it IC-145.x (this name is referenced by the project’s SDK configuration).
• Add the plugin dependencies:
  • Add the plugin IntelliLang to that SDK. Click the add button on the Classpath tab and add the files plugins/IntelliLang/lib/*.jar.
  • Add the plugin Terminal to that SDK. Click the add button on the Classpath tab and add the files plugins/terminal/lib/*.jar.
• Close the dialog and ensure that Build > Rebuild Project works without errors.

Building the Project

The BashSupport project build uses Gradle, so you’ll need to run a series of commands to build it successfully. Follow these instructions:

bash gradlew clean build

This command cleans the project and builds it, executing the unit tests in the process.

Contributing to BashSupport

When contributing to BashSupport, here are some steps to follow:

• Checkout the master branch.
• Fork a new branch for your changes.
• Make your changes and commit them to the new branch.
• Create a pull request.
• Before any new release, all changes and pull requests will be merged into a single branch to simplify tasks.
• This new branch is merged into all supported idea-* branches to prepare for the new release packaging.

Understanding the Bash Lexer and Parser

Now, think of the Bash lexer and parser as a translator for a complicated book. While the lexer identifies characters, words, and sentences, ensuring the text has the right format, the parser reads through it to understand the story (or logic) behind it. Both components are crucial for interpreting Bash scripting accurately. The lexer (defined as a JFlex lexer) tracks multiple states, which makes it intricate, while the parser (in com.ansorgit.plugins.bash.lang.parser) handles the grammar of Bash, recognizing that it’s relatively flexible with spaces but adheres to specific rules at times.

Troubleshooting Tips

If you encounter issues while setting up or coding, consider these troubleshooting ideas:

• Ensure that all SDK configurations are correctly defined and that the required plugins are installed.
• If you encounter build errors, verify that Gradle is installed and properly set up on your system.
• Check the opened issues on the project repository; someone else might have faced the same problem you are encountering.

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