> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.novaflowos.com/start/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.novaflowos.com/start/kde-developer-platform/readme/getting-started/building/ide/kate.md).

# Kate

Kate is the feature-packed text editor from KDE.

A screen recording version is available

{% embed url="<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBWVTKEVkOU>" %}

### kdesrc-build

Make sure kdesrc-build works correctly. Make sure \~/.config/kdesrc-buildrc contains the lines:

```ini
cmake-options -G "Kate - Unix Makefiles" -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Debug
# Build with LSP support for everything that supports it
compile-commands-linking true
compile-commands-export true
```

Using kdesrc-build build a module. E.g.

```bash
kdesrc-build kcalc
```

### kate

See the web page "Building Kate from Sources on Linux" <https://kate-editor.org/build-it/>

The web page talks about how to build kate using kdesrc-build and how to configure kate.

In kate enable the plugins: Project Plugin, LSP Client, Build Plugin, GDB.

Some of the features available in kate:

* LSP Client Symbol Outline
* Right click in text editor on a C++ identifier > LSP Client > Go to Declaration/Find References/ Switch Source Header F12/ Symbol Info/ Search and Go to Symbol Ctrl+Alt+P/ Format/ Rename/ Switch to diagnostics tab/ Quickfix This menu is also available from kate main menu > LSP Client.
* kate main menu > Tools > External Tools > Git > git blame/ gitk
* kate main menu > Tools > External Tools > Tools > Clang Format Full File/ Search KDE/Qt API/ JSON/XML Format Full File.

#### Build and debug

**With the ".kateproject" file**

```bash
cd ~/kde/src/kcalc
ln -s ~/kde/build/kcalc/.kateproject ~/kde/src/kcalc/.kateproject
kate . &
```

* Build. kate main menu > Build > Select Target... > Target Set > Working Directory should be "\~/kde/build/kcalc", all of the CMake targets should be listed, > OK button. "Build Output" tool view > "Output" is shown. kate main menu > Build > Build Default Target.
* Debugger. kate main menu > Debug > Targets > Target 1. kate main menu > View > Tool Views > Show Debug View > Settings tab > Executable > select "\~/kde/build/kcalc/bin/kcalc". Click on source code line, from kate main menu > Debug > Toggle Breakpoint. kate main menu > Debug > Start Debugging. kate main menu > Debug > Continue/ Step Over/ Step In/ Step Out.

**Without the ".kateproject" file**

If we do not have a ".kateproject" file. Then:

* Build. kate main menu > Build > Select Target... > Target Set > Working Directory should be "~~/kde/build/kcalc" > OK button. "Build Output" tool view > "Output" is shown. Change to tab "Target Settings" from tool view "Build Output" > double click on cell "Dir:" > select "~~/kde/build/kcalc", press Enter. kate main menu > Build > Build Default Target.
* Debugger. kate main menu > Debug > Targets > Target 1. kate main menu > View > Tool Views > Show Debug View > Settings tab > Executable > select "\~/kde/build/kcalc/bin/kcalc". Click on source code line, from kate main menu > Debug > Toggle Breakpoint. kate main menu > Debug > Start Debugging. kate main menu > Debug > Continue/ Step Over/ Step In/ Step Out.