This document is intended as an introduction to developing with gvSIG 2.0. It does not delve into the intricacies of gvSIG but rather provides an overview of the major components and how they can be used to build your first gvSIG development.

Java is used as the development language for gvSIG and it is recommended that you familiarise yourself with Java if not already so. Eclipse is used as the project's integrated development environment, so you should be familiar with it too. Tools like Maven or Ant are also used, and familiarity with them is recommended, although not essential, for a first attempt at development with gvSIG.

In addition to these skills, it is highly recommended that the developer be familiar with the application from the user's point of view. You can find user documentation on the gvsig.org web site, which, while not corresponding exactly with the version of gvSIG you will be working with, will nevertheless provide a better understanding of the different pieces of code.

In short, before continuing you should know:

In addition to this, you should have:

• Ubuntu (or derived) 10.04
• Eclipse (Helios or newer recommended).
• Maven (recommended).
• Internet connection for accessing Maven's public repositories
• A JDK 1.5/1.6 installed and correctly configured (compilation with Maven requires a JDK separate from Eclipse).
• A gvSIG 2.0 installed, preferably one of the last builds of the 2.0 series.

If you have trouble following this document please feel free to ask questions on the project development list. They will help answer any questions that may arise.