NoxIDE

NoxIDE is a focused Rust code editor built with eframe. Nox is both its build system and the project workflow it integrates with: NoxIDE invokes nox for configure, build, rebuild, clean, and run operations instead of implementing a second build graph.

Current foundation

NoxIDE launches as a graphical desktop application, not a terminal menu. The current window includes:

• a native eframe desktop window with a project pane and output pane;
• a real editable egui text editor with tabs, scrolling, selection, undo, and clipboard support;
• a line-number gutter and file-backed document buffers;
• graphical Open and Save actions using native file dialogs; and
• a Build action that invokes Nox and displays its output in the application.

The GUI consumes separate services rather than owning their logic:

• document owns file-backed document state and saving;
• workspace discovers a project root from nox.build or noxfile;
• noxide::nox invokes Nox in the discovered workspace and preserves its output and exit status.

eframe, egui, and rfd are resolved through Cargo in the Nix development environment. Syntax-aware editing, project tree operations, LSP services, and richer Nox diagnostics are the next layers on top of this GUI foundation.

Build with Nox

NoxIDE requires Rust and Cargo. Nox owns the project target and delegates Rust dependency resolution and compilation to Cargo.

nox setup build
nox build build

Launch the graphical application from the repository root:

build/debug/noxide/noxide

Optional file arguments are passed to the graphical launcher and opened as editor tabs:

build/debug/noxide/noxide src/main.rs

The repository uses Cargo for Rust dependencies, but Nox remains the primary project and build workflow.

Project direction

NoxIDE will remain a small editor rather than a general-purpose IDE. Planned editor layers are syntax highlighting, search and navigation, LSP diagnostics/completion/hover, file watching, project tree operations, and clickable build diagnostics backed by NoxRunner.