01 · Overview

What is Potoo IDE?

Potoo IDE is a desktop environment for students and teachers learning and teaching programming logic with Portugol family variants, the Calango pseudolanguage, and the Potigol programming language. The app brings together an editor, projects, and algorithm execution.

The project is still in development: these options are already available in the app while feature coverage and learning support continue to evolve.

How to read this manual: “Planned” marks a product goal. “Available” describes something available in Potoo IDE.

02 · Current status

What is available

Potoo IDE lets you create and edit projects and run algorithms in Portugol Studio 2.0, VisuAlg, G-Portugol, Mapler, Calango, and Potigol. Portugol Studio 2.0, VisuAlg, G-Portugol, and Mapler are Portugol family variants; Calango is a pseudolanguage, and Potigol is a programming language. Feature coverage continues to evolve.

In development: command coverage and learning support continue to evolve.

03 · Using the app

How to create and run an algorithm

The basic workflow is already available in the app:

Create a project and choose an available language or variant.
Write and arrange the algorithm in the editor.
Run the program and provide any requested input.
Review the output, diagnostics and available debugging features.

Diagnostic and debugging coverage varies by language or variant and continues to improve.

04 · Languages and pseudolanguages

Portugol, Calango, and Potigol are available

Portugol is a family of educational pseudolanguages for writing algorithms in Portuguese; each variant defines its own rules. Potoo IDE includes Portugol Studio 2.0, VisuAlg, G-Portugol, and Mapler. Calango is another available pseudolanguage, while Potigol is a programming language with Portuguese syntax.

Portugol family variants

Portugol Studio 2.0: structure, types, operators, control flow, vectors, functions, and libraries.
Read the complete Portugol Studio 2.0 reference
VisuAlg: structure, types, operators, vectors, subprograms, functions, and teaching commands.
Read the complete VisuAlg reference
G-Portugol: structure, types, matrices, operators, input and output, control flow, and functions.
Read the complete G-Portugol reference
Mapler: structure, types, vectors, operators, input and output, decisions, loops, and modules. Syntax is described in the official manual; the .mapler extension used by Potoo IDE was inspired by the DesignLiquido/mapler project.
Read the Mapler reference

Calango pseudolanguage

Calango: a pseudolanguage for writing algorithms with declarations, expressions, decisions, loops, functions, and procedures. The reference covers structure, types, vectors, operators, input and output, decisions, loops, functions, and procedures.
Read the Calango reference · Official Calango repository

Potigol programming language

Potigol: a programming language with Portuguese syntax, static typing, and inference. It combines imperative and functional features, collections, pattern matching, and the Jerimum game library; its reference details these features.
Read the Potigol reference

Other options under evaluation

PSeInt, Linotte, C0 (Simplified C), Égua, Logic Basic, and Karel the Robot remain future options under evaluation. Their references describe the original projects and do not indicate current support in Potoo IDE.

PSeInt: structure, types, operators, arrays, and built-in functions.
Read the PSeInt reference
Linotte: actors, collections, conditions, functions, and graphical events.
Read the Linotte reference
Égua: an interpreted programming language with Portuguese syntax.
Read the Égua reference
Logic Basic: a programming language for visual applications, with memory, graphical components, and data commands.
Read the Logic Basic reference
Karel the Robot: commands, sensors, methods, and scenario solving.
Read the Karel the Robot reference

05 · App features

What you can do

Algorithm editor: create and edit program files within projects.
Execution: run algorithms, provide input, and review the output.
Diagnostics: messages associated with the source of code issues.
Debugging: follow execution with the controls available for each pseudolanguage or language.

Compatibility: rules and features vary across the variants and pseudolanguages. Consult the corresponding reference for documented syntax; feature coverage in Potoo IDE continues to evolve.

06 · Development

How to follow the project

Potoo IDE is still in development and already runs Portugol Studio 2.0, VisuAlg, G-Portugol, Mapler, Calango, and Potigol. The project continues to expand feature coverage and learning support.

No release date has been announced.

07 · Project information

Potoo IDE at a glance

Type: Desktop IDE for learning logic
Audience: Students and teachers
Available options: Portugol family (Portugol Studio 2.0, VisuAlg, G-Portugol, and Mapler), Calango pseudolanguage, and Potigol programming language
Future options under evaluation: PSeInt, Linotte, C0, Égua, Logic Basic, and Karel the Robot
Foundation technologies: Rust · GTK 4 · Relm4
License: GNU GPL v3 or later (GPL-3.0-or-later)

08 · FAQ

Common questions

Can I write programs in Potoo IDE yet?

Yes. You can create and edit projects and run algorithms in Portugol Studio 2.0, VisuAlg, G-Portugol, Mapler, Calango, and Potigol. Feature coverage continues to evolve.

Which languages and pseudolanguages does the app run?

Potoo IDE already runs four Portugol family variants (Portugol Studio 2.0, VisuAlg, G-Portugol, and Mapler), the Calango pseudolanguage, and the Potigol programming language. PSeInt, Linotte, C0 (Simplified C), Égua, Logic Basic, and Karel the Robot remain future options under evaluation.

When will the app be ready?

The project is still in development and has no announced release date.

Potoo IDE manual