Designed by Bertrand Meyer, the Eiffel programming language was released by Eiffel Software in 1986 and became an ISO-standardized language in 2005.
The language's design is based on object-oriented programming, particularly Ada and Simula. Intended to facilitate the creation of reliable, reusable software modules, Eiffel supports abstract data types. Software produced by Eiffel should be able to reproduce its design documentation from the text itself.
Several of the features introduced by Eiffel were later adapted by C#, Java, and other languages. Although Eiffel is not one of the better-known languages today, it is actively under development and is used in the aerospace, healthcare, finance, and video-gaming industries, and elsewhere.
The language is part of the Eiffel Programming Method, which is based on principles such as design by contract, command-query separation, uniform-access, single-choice, open-closed, and option-operand separation. Eiffel interfaces with other languages and systems, particularly C and C++.
EiffelStudio is an integrated development environment available under an open-source or a commercial license. EiffelEnvision is a Microsoft Visual Studio plugin that lets users edit, compile, and debug Eiffel projects from within the Visual Studio IDE. Open-source implementations include Gogo Eiffel, LibertyEiffel, SmartEiffel, The Eiffel Compiler, and Visual Eiffel.
Sather was originally based on Eiffel, although the two languages have since diverged. Blue, as well as BlueJ, also have their origins in Eiffel.
The Eiffel programming language, and any of its compilers and implementations, as well as any IDEs, editors, or other tools that have been developed to facilitate Eiffel programming, are the focus of topics in this category. Eiffel user groups, forums, tutorials, and guides are also appropriate for this category.
Recommended Resources
A Comprehensive Guide to Eiffel Syntax
This online guide is intended to be a basic reference to help beginners get acquainted with the Eiffel programming language. Maintained through GitHub, the guide begins with a "Hello World" programming example, then discusses naming conventions, features, assigners, once-executed features, classes, reference versus expanded classes, reference classes, expanded classes, exporting features, deferred classes, aliases, multiple inheritances, and basic I/O.
http://eiffel-guide.com/
Owned and operated by and for the Eiffel community, this is a user forum for Eiffel developers, featuring an online forum and links to other Eiffel resources and groups. News and updates about the language and the Eiffel programming system are posted, along with documentation for the language and EiffelStudio, a glossary of terms, libraries, videos, and other tools. Stable and beta releases of EiffelStudio are included.
https://www.eiffel.org/
Available for Windows or Linux platforms, Eiffel Loop is a collection of software libraries, example programs, and tools for the Eiffel programming language, developed and maintained by Finnian Reilly. An overview of the projects is given, along with statistics and links to download pages, links to articles about Eiffel Loop, and general posts about the Eiffel language. Included are examples, base, graphic, language interface, multimedia, network, override, persistency, and other libraries.
http://www.eiffel-loop.com/
EiffelStudio, the company's flagship product, an integrated development environment (IDE) for the Eiffel programming language, also maintained by Eiffel Software, includes a suite of tools and services that allow users to produce reliable and maintainable software, and have control over the development process. Other services include consulting, custom development, support, and training in Eiffel. Its features, system requirements, licensing, and online purchases are included.
https://www.eiffel.com/
EiffelStudio Integrated Development Environment
New information and announcements of new releases of the EiffelStudio IDE are published to the site, along with its origins, features, and reasons for using the Eiffel programming language. Downloads, installation instructions, and the source for a Hello World program are included, along with compilation information, a glossary of terms, developer's tools, design and coding rules, and links to other Eiffel resources online.
https://dev.eiffel.com/
Also known as the GNU Eiffel Compiler, Liberty Eiffel is maintained by the Liberty Eiffel Project. Created from the legacy SmartEiffel code base, Liberty was designed to retain its predecessor's rigor but not its rigidity. Documentation for the compiler is available on the site's wiki, and the site also maintains a browsable class reference for the libraries and tool classes included in the package. Current releases may be downloaded from the site.
https://www.liberty-eiffel.org/
RTD Training & Development: Eiffel Courses
Eiffel is an object-oriented programming language, and part of the Eiffel Programming Method. RTD designs and develops software systems and provides corporate training, including the main features of the Eiffel language, EiffelStudio, EiffelVision, and the Eiffel Design Methodology, as well as C++ Java programming, and others, which are highlighted here. Its Eiffel course is a four-day, hands-on instruction workshop. Prices and other details are posted.
https://eiffel-training-courses.uk/
