Developer tools
In addition to what is shipped in Symbian OS SDKs, an assortment of useful tools and SDK add-ons exist that developers can make use of. Note that these tools are not officially supported by Symbian, but we welcome comments and useful feedback for further improvements posted to our forums.
Our tools section is divided up into three distinct categories.
Critical tools
Tools that are the bare essentials for a developer .
Recommended tools
High-quality tools that we believe will have a significant impact on the productivity of a large number of Symbian developers and improve the software they produce.
Supported tools
Quality tools that we believe will have an impact on a reasonable number of Symbian developers.
Unsupported development tools
To use or contribute unsupported development tools, visit the Wiki Extra.
Symbian C++ language
The Symbian Developer Network provides a range of technical papers covering all aspects of Symbian OS C++ programming from the basic through to the most advanced. Whether you want advice on the best techniques for debugging and error handling or how to utilize Symbian OS architectural and C++ language features to your advantage, our technical papers have all the information you need. View the papers
Runtime environments
‘Runtime environment’ is the term used to describe an application execution framework running on a hosting platform (i.e. Flash or Java running on a desktop or mobile) but is sometimes incorrectly used to refer to the programming language only. Runtime environments, which have been part of Symbian OS since the beginning, are becoming increasingly important players in the software industry. View the runtime environments
Symbian technologies
This section contains the system model overview illustrations of how the components of Symbian OS are grouped and fit together in different versions of Symbian OS. It also contains a range of papers explaining the workings of some of the technologies (e.g. LBS) that Symbian OS incorporates. View the technologies
Books
The books published by Symbian Press communicate authoritative, timely, relevant and practical information about Symbian OS and related technologies. The series contains beginner, advanced and reference guides to smartphone software development, using both the native programming language (Symbian C++) and a range of interpreted run-time languages. View the books
Booklets
Symbian Press booklets are designed to promote best practice and to introduce the latest technologies to developers in a handy, eye-catching format. With series ranging from Getting Started to Platform Security, these booklets are an essential desktop guide for all developers, from those just starting out with Symbian OS to those with years of experience. View the booklets
Symbian Developer Library
Here you can download and browse the latest definitive release of each version of the Symbian Developer Library (SDL). These are aimed at all developers working with Symbian OS to create new applications, and other Symbian OS products. View the documentation
Example application code
To help you in your application development, the Symbian Developer Network publishes a series of Symbian OS applications and utilities written by Symbian engineers. These are written either in C++ or in Java. View the documentation
Events
A list of the key Symbian-related events coming soon.View the forthcoming events
Developer community
Community websites offer news, reviews, features and forums, and represent a superb source of information that complements the Symbian Developer Network and the development tools publishers. They are good places to keep abreast of new software and to announce the latest releases of your own applications.View the developer community websites
Open source projects
Many open source projects are happening on Symbian OS. They are a rich source of partially or fully functional code which should prove useful in order to learn about the use of APIs you're not yet familiar with. Please also consider contributing to any project that you have an interest in.View the Open Source projects
Forums
The Symbian Developer Network forums are the first place to go if you want to ask a question or discuss anything Symbian-related with your fellow community members. View the forums
Newsletter
The Symbian Community Newsletter delivers the latest news, tools and FAQs as well as key information about players in the industry.Find out more about newsletters
Forums
The Symbian Developer Network forums are the first place to go if you want to ask a question or discuss anything Symbian-related with your fellow community members.View the forums
Code Clinic
The Symbian Developer Network discussion forums are the best place to get a quick response to a programming problem, but if you have a question about Symbian C++ that you'd like addressed in detail, you can also submit it to the Code Clinic. The Code Doctor will publish a new Clinic article on the first Friday of every month, and if your question is selected, we will send you a complementary copy of a Symbian Press book.Visit the Code Clinic
FAQs
Here you can find the answers to the most frequently asked developer questions, together with other useful technical tips.View the FAQs
Symbian Signed
Signing is the process of encoding a tamper-proof digital certificate into an application. The certificate identifies the application's origin, and grants access to those capability-protected APIs in Symbian OS that the application declared at build-time. You can also visit the Symbian Signed website to learn about and apply the signing process.Symbian Signed documentation
Accredited Symbian Developer
Accredited Symbian Developer (ASD) is an industry-standard qualification with an exam that assesses an individual's understanding of the fundamental aspects of Symbian C++ software development. View the Accredited Symbian Developer page
Universities
Symbian provides support and materials to establishments wishing to teach the knowledge and skills associated with Symbian software development through the Symbian Academy program. The support Symbian Academy provides is based upon the Fundamentals of Symbian OS curriculum. This curriculum indicates the topics that Symbian believes necessary for a comprehensive understanding of Symbian C++ software development. Knowledge of the curriculum is tested by the 'Accredited Symbian Developer' examination – allowing candidates to affirm their professional competence in Symbian C++ software development.View the Universities page
Further reading
Education, Education, Education
The following paper may be of general interest to developers wishing to learn about Symbian OS. Jo Stichbury, Technical Editor for Symbian Press, examines the state of Symbian OS developer education, for developers of the future, in universities and schools, and for today’s professional developers. Download the paper
Fundamentals of Symbian OS
This page organizes the resources that will help you get started with Symbian C++ by ordering them according to the Fundamentals of Symbian OS curriculum. The curriculum covers all the important topics needed to be a competent Symbian C++ developer, and it is this that is tested by the Accredited Symbian Developer (ASD) exam.View the Fundamentals of Symbian OS page
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