Microcomputer software and development techniques are evolving rapidly. Text editors and debugging aids are becoming increasingly available, particularly on inexpensive hardware. A revolution will probably take place soon, with the appearance of complete development systems costing less than £1000. Software design methods are very much in vogue and the need for structure and documentation in microcomputer software cannot be overstressed. Which level of software to use is a problem that must be solved in the early days of system specification. The solution is often hybrid, composed of high-level code calling on lower-level assembler for fast or complex computations. System testing aids are becoming available with increased power and versatility. Multiprocessor development systems are now available with ICE (in-circuit emulation), a technique of real-time processor emulation that is receiving increased attention. This kind of support is still not cheap, but the value-for-money is improving rapidly.