This tutorial explains how one can setup a full Gambas 3 software development kit on Debian and Ubuntu GNU/Linux operating systems. Gambas is a visual programming language as easy as and similar to Visual Basic by the difference that Gambas is fully free software. With Gambas, anyone can make graphical computer applications by drag and drop and coding with its beginner-purpose BASIC language. Lastly, we at UbuntuBuzz  want to enable as many people as possible to develop desktop applications on GNU/Linux by this tutorial. Now let's install it!

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Step 1. Install Gambas 3

Gambas 3 Software Development Kit can be fully installed by just one package below. On Impish Indri system, this downloads about 10MB packages.

$ sudo apt-get install gambas3 

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Step 2. Install Specific Packages if Needed

If you run Ubuntu modern versions e.g. Impish Indri, you are surely using Wayland instead of X11 technology and Gambas will need additional package to run normally otherwise it won't run.

$ sudo apt-get install gambas3-gb-gtk3-wayland

If you use Kubuntu or Debian KDE instead and encountered with Wayland-related errors, then your need to install Gambas' Qt5 related package instead.

$ sudo apt-get install gambas3-gb-qt5-wayland

Step 3. Start Gambas 3

Open your start menu and run Gambas 3. Now you can create your first program by doing:

1. Run Gambas 3. Its window will open.

2. Click New Project. Next.

Gambas 3 New Project Options

4. Select a folder where you want to save this project. Next. 

5. Name your program and also your project title. OK.

6. A new Gambas project will open.

7. Try to drag and drop some user interface elements, like buttons, labels, etc into the window at the center.

8. Try to create a menubar by right-clicking the window, select Menu Editor, click Insert, give this menu a Label, create several other menus, OK, you created a menu.

9. Click Play button to run the program. Voila, it is created!

10. Click Gear button ("Make executable) and save. This produces your first Gambas program as a runnable the-program-name.gambas file. Congratulations, you finished creating your first Gambas program!

Happy hacking!