 | Welcome to the September edition of the KDAB newsletter. This month, we look at how to use AI effectively in code modernization and migration projects without sacrificing reviewability, test coverage, or long-term maintainability.
We also begin an in-depth developer guide to Distrobox, a practical way to create tightly integrated Linux development environments without the overhead of full virtual machines.
You will further find new additions to three KDAB video series: The Curious Developer, Inter-process Communication with Qt, and Qt Development in CLion. Plus, we have upcoming C++ and Rust training opportunities, a recap of Oxidize 2026, dates for the technical events ahead, and an audio edition of last month’s newsletter.
Read on—and enjoy. | |
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AI agents are highly effective at accelerating code modernization and migration, but one-click transformations remain a risky promise.
Drawing on decades of migration experience, KDAB combines AI-assisted workflows with small, reviewable changes, rigorous testing, reusable agent skills, and a phased delivery model.
The result is not merely transformed code, but software your team can understand, maintain, and trust. | |
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Part 1: Motivation and Introduction |
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| Distrobox gives developers a fast, practical way to work across Linux distributions without the setup time and resource overhead of full virtual machines.
This in-depth guide explains how Distrobox builds on OCI containers and tools such as Podman or Docker to create tightly integrated development environments—with access to your home directory, graphical sessions, devices, and host tooling. | |
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September Video ReleasesAdditions to three KDAB video series |
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The Curious DeveloperWe kick off with insights from Jan Marker on the new capabilities in Qt Creator AI Assistant added since October 2025, here in conversation with Jesper Pedersen for The Curious Developer series.
Key topics include - support for third party coding agents like Claude Code and GitHub Copilot via Agent Client Protocol (ACP) extension,
- GitHub Copilot's QML project understanding within Qt Creator, and
- Qt Creator controlled through the new Model Context Protocol (MCP) extension.
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Inter-process Communication with QtOur next pair of videos contributes to our series on Inter-process Communication with Qt, where we explore how to bridge the gap between software and hardware using Qt's powerful communication modules. |
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 | Part 3: Remote Objects ExplainedQt Remote Objects (QtRO) is a powerful, protocol-agnostic module that makes inter-process communication (IPC) look and feel like standard Qt development. In this deep dive, Christoph Schleifenbaum explores how to bridge systems using a smart home air conditioner example. |
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|  | Part 4: Getting Started with QSerialPortMatt Aber demonstrates virtualizing both an ESP32 under QEMU and a virtual null-modem serial link, then builds a QML app using QSerialPort to send commands to a simulated motor while displaying live voltage and velocity data. |
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Qt Development in CLionWe top it off with three more short videos from Jesper Pedersen which may just be the final ones in the CLion series. The first video is back on the AI track, looking at AI-assisted coding: |
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Compare to Clipboard
Review AI Code Changes and Moved Code SafelyWhen AI-assisted coding moves, refactors, or splits code across methods and files, a normal diff can make it difficult to tell whether anything changed beyond the relocation. Were comments lost? Was a variable renamed correctly? Did the generated code quietly alter behavior? In this episode you will learn how to use Compare to Clipboard to compare any selected block of code with code copied from another location—whether it has moved within a file, been extracted into a class, lives in a different file, or comes from an older Git revision. |
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 | CLion Type and Call Hierarchies:Understand Your C++ Codebase FasterIn this episode Jesper explores CLion’s built-in Type Hierarchy and Call Hierarchy views, and compares their navigation model with the hierarchy tools familiar to Qt Creator users. |
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|  | CLion Quick Documentation:Stop Hover Popups and use F1 InsteadLearn how to disable documentation popups that appear when moving the mouse over symbols, macros, and Qt APIs. And how to access the same information deliberately through Quick Documentation.
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| Coming up until the end of the year we have two Advanced C++ courses, one on-line in French and the other in-person in English in Berlin. We also have four Online Rust Training Courses, offered by our partner Ferrous Systems.
There's only 3 seats left for the Berlin in-person Advanced C++ course on November 24th. Don't miss it.
| | You will learn embedded Rust fundamentals including how to build and run an embedded Rust program. We will take you down the stack of embedded Rust, including a hands-on exercise implementing parts of BSC (Board Support Crates) and you'll get to know RTIC: the Real-Time Interrupt-driven Concurrency framework and implement a working USB device using RTIC. Check out the full content to self-assess your readiness for this course. October 7 and December 9 | | | La formation C++ moderne avancé a pour objectif d'amener des développeurs experimentés en C++ vers une utilisation optimale du C++ moderne. Seront abordés les nouveautés et techniques du standard C++11/14/17 et C++20/23, leurs avantages et comment ceux-ci peuvent vous aider à améliorer la qualité et maintenabilité de votre code au quotidien. En renforçant vos connaissances et en en comblant les manques du C++ 98, l’évolution du standard vous apportera de nouveaux concepts et une nouvelle compréhension des fondamentaux du langage. 16 Novembre | | | The Advanced Modern C++ course helps experienced developers master C++11 through C++23 features to write cleaner, safer, and more efficient code. Covering key modern techniques like move semantics, smart pointers, and template metaprogramming, the hands-on training boosts your skills with expert guidance in a small class along with your peers. ONLY 3 SEATS REMAINING. Book now. November 24 | | | For anyone with a programming background looking to learn this exciting new language. The course looks at Rust history and concepts unique to Rust, like ownership and borrowing, as well as offering the fundamentals such as Rust toolchain, syntax, basic types, and data structures. Participants learn how to write safe concurrent programs, use Rust’s documentation and much more, with plenty of hands-on exercises to complete the learning process. November 30 | | | This training is a combined version of the Introduction to Rust and Embedded Rust training that provides a crash course including everything from installation to the Embedded Fundamentals. Taught over 8 half days. November 30
More details about KDAB's Rust training, offered in partnership with Ferrous Systems, an integral member of the Rust community since before Rust 1.0. | | |
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Oxidize 2026 The applied Rust Conference | For the third time, KDAB co-hosted Oxidize with Ferrous Systems in Berlin from 14–16 September. The event brought together engineers and technical leaders working with Rust in production, with sessions covering practical topics such as industrial and embedded development, Rust/C++ interoperability, and the organisational side of Rust adoption. KDAB contributed a Rust/C++ interoperability workshop, live demos, and a hiring panel with CCO Till Adam. It was a useful few days of technical discussion and exchange with the wider applied-Rust community. Save the date: Oxidize will return to Berlin on 14–16 September 2027. Keep an eye out for upcoming announcements - and for recordings of this year’s talks, which will be released soon on oxidizeconf.com. |
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Upcoming EventsAs the year winds down, a quick reminder of some important events coming up: In OctoberQt World Summit, for the first time, online only, on 27 - 28 October. The first day runs twice with the same line-up, to enable a global participation. In November and DecemberMeeting C++ 2026, in Berlin and Virtual, from the 26-28 November. With keynotes from Kate Gregory and Mateusz Pusz, a treat for any C++ practitioner Embedded Software Engineering Kongress (ESE 2026), in Sindelfingen, Germany from Nov 30 - Dec 4. This conference is mostly in the German language. | | |
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August 2026 Audio NewsNews for Professional Developers: CMake Tips,
MFC to Qt Migration, Embedded Debugging and more | In case you missed it last month, listen to our August edition while you're on the go.
There's fresh CMake and MFC/Qt migration tips, new KDAB Academy multi-part videos on embedded debugging, and Qt device communication. Add a stacked September conference calendar and a full training lineup and there's plenty to enjoy.
Chapters:00:00 - Intro 01:05 - Oxidize 2026 01:46 - Embedded Debugging Videos 02:15 - Inter-process Communication in Qt Videos 02:37 - Qt Multicast-Application Demo 02:55 - KDAB Training Updates 03:52 - Rust Training Updates 05:06 - Event Updates 05:17 - Outro
Listen to the August news.
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