GNU Autotools now has vala integration, just specifying .vala files in your source list will have automake run valac to generate the C files, which will then be compiled by GCC automatically. Going one further, the C files get packaged into your distribution tarballs so users don&#x27;t need valac installed to compile your application.<p>The usual M4 headaches with autotools apply, but as long as you don&#x27;t have some crazy build (just compiling libraries&#x2F;binaries, linking with libraries, use pkg-config) it&#x27;s not too bad.<p>As far as testing, GLib.Test [0] is part of the standard library. Since vala compiles to C at the end of the day there&#x27;s no easy way to test other than just building a test runner, but it&#x27;s not <i>too</i> bad to work with.<p>GNOME Builder is finally getting support for Vala in GNOME 3.20, it&#x27;s still young but hopefully we&#x27;ll have a first class IDE soon. Still, Builder has a long way to go before it even catches up with MonoDevelop, but progress is good, right?<p>[0]: <a href="http:&#x2F;&#x2F;valadoc.org&#x2F;#!api=glib-2.0&#x2F;GLib.Test" rel="nofollow">http:&#x2F;&#x2F;valadoc.org&#x2F;#!api=glib-2.0&#x2F;GLib.Test</a>