Linux Mint Developers Launched a New Project Called mint-dev-tools

This set of tools will help people compile the Linux Mint projects much more easily and fast, enabling better testing

Not only are the Linux Mint developers working on the operating systems, they are also making sure that third-party developers  have a say in their project as well. That is why they have started to work on a new project called "mint-dev-tools," which is aimed specifically at devs, as the name implies.

Most of the work done on the Linux Mint project is usually for users, but that doesn't mean the developers are ignored. This latest "mint-dev-tools" initiative helps people compile the latest version of the Linux Mint projects, long before the team manages to put it together for a larger user base.

That doesn't mean that you couldn't do that before, just that it was very difficult and not very inviting. You would want to compile a Linux Mint project only if you are really interested, and there is no real reason to do it if you're not a developer. With the "mint-dev-tools," this task becomes much simpler and we should see a lot more people trying out the latest stuff.

Dev tools are not only for developers

The name of the project, mint-dev-tools, might imply that it's only aimed at developers, but there is nothing stopping regular users from trying it out. The reason behind these tools is to make Linux Mint more accessible to everyone, not just to a bunch of people.

"Mint-dev-tools is primarily made by and for the Linux Mint developers, but it can also be used by people who want to get involved, or even by users who want to check out what we're working on, or to troubleshoot an issue (running the latest version for instance to see if a particular bug was fixed). The package mint-dev-tools is available in Qiana, Rebecca and Betsy. By installing it and running a setup command you can get your environment ready and you’re then all set to compile and run the very latest Linux Mint source code," wrote the leader of the Linux Mint team, Clement Lefebvre.

Users only need to follow a few simple steps to install it. Just enter the following commands in a terminal (root is needed):

 CODE

apt update

apt install mint-dev-tools

mint-dev-setup