MPW

MPW stands for Macintosh Programmer's Workshop. It was an integrated development environment (IDE) for the classic Mac OS and the early versions of macOS. Developed by Apple Computer, MPW provided a suite of tools for software development, including a compiler, assembler, linker, and debugger. It supported multiple programming languages, most notably C and Pascal, and was widely used by professional Macintosh developers throughout the late 1980s and 1990s.

The interface of MPW was text-based, with a command-line interpreter at its core. Developers would issue commands to compile, link, and debug their code. While this might seem primitive by modern standards, it offered a powerful and flexible environment for experienced programmers. MPW also included a powerful scriptable shell, allowing for automation of complex build processes. Many foundational applications and system software for the Macintosh were developed using MPW.

As Apple transitioned to Mac OS X (now macOS) and modern development tools like Xcode emerged, MPW gradually faded into disuse. However, it remains an important part of Macintosh software development history, representing a significant era in the evolution of programming tools for the platform. Its legacy can be seen in the sophisticated IDEs that followed it.