Continuous Coding for .NET

Continuous Coding is a live coding environment for .NET. With it, you can visualize your apps instantly as you code them. It currently specializes in the development of iOS and Android apps using Xamarin.

It currently only works in Xamarin Studio and only for C#.

Xamarin Studio One-time Installation

Install the Continuous Coding add-in for Xamarin Studio in the Add-in Manager by adding a New Gallery Repository pointing at the URL:

https://raw.githubusercontent.com/praeclarum/Continuous/master/Continuous.Client.MonoDevelop/AddinRepo

You will then be able to select the Continuous Coding add-in from the IDE extensions category.

Per-app Installation

1. Reference the Continuous Coding nuget.

2. Put this line of code somewhere in the initialization of your app (AppDelegate.FinishedLaunching or Activity.OnCreate are great places):

#if DEBUG
new Continuous.Server.HttpServer(this).Run();
#endif

where this should refer to a Context on Android, and is ignored (can be anything or null) on iOS.

Android Emulator Extra Step

If you want to run with the Android Emulator, you will have to forward the TCP port used by Continuous:

$ adb forward tcp:9634 tcp:9634

Running

Run the debug version of your app. It should start as normal.

Verify that the Xamarin Inspector is installed and running by looking for the enabled cross-hair icon in the debug toolbar. If you see that while debugging, you're all set. If not, make sure you have a debug build and that the Inspector is installed.

Running Snippets

Send snippets of code to be compiled, executed, and visualized using the Visualize Selection (Ctrl+Shift+Return) command.

Continuously Coding a Class

You can mark a class to be monitored and automatically displayed whenever you edit it (and there are no code errors).

Move your cursor to be within a class and select the Visualize Class (Ctrl+Shift+C) command.

Building

Build the solution Continuous.sln

Prerequisties

Install the Xamarin Studio Addin Maker from the Addin Development group in the Gallery.

How it Works

Continuous uses the class Mono.CSharp.Evaluator to compile and execute code snippets while the app is running.

The IDE add-in allows the user to send snippets to this evaluator. The code is compiled and executed.

If the code produces a value (if it is an expression) then the value is automatically displayed.

The IDE communicates with the device using HTTP on port 9634. Requests and responses are simple JSON bundles.