Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems for providing software development services more efficiently. Re-computation of results each time a service request is received can be avoided by maintaining a cache of results from having processed requests. Results are stored under a unique mapping of request-results pairs that at least in part rely on a file fingerprint hash of the contents of the input files related to the request. In network environment with a client requester and service provider unnecessary transmission is also avoided by first presenting results for requests are in form of a unique file identifier identifying one or more files holding the content of the results. The file identifier is used to search a cache local to the requesting client prior to requesting transmission of the results. The file identifier may also include an indicator for indicating a location from which the results may be retrieved.

Abstract: Described herein are methods and systems for providing software development services according to an execution environment specified in the requests. For instance, instead of performing compilation on a stand-alone desktop computer, software development activities including, compilation are performed by a service provider in response to a general query from a client requester. Service provider avoids computing results each time a request is received by maintaining a cache of results. To ensure that stored results are compatible to results that can be obtained by re-computation, results are computed according to a specified execution environment. The execution environment for computing is first created on a virtual machine on which aspects of the environment such as a specific version of an operating system and software development tool are established. The execution environment is then saved and invoked on a virtual machine during computation of results for software development requests.