Local vs Remote Projects

PTP can operate on both local and remote projects.

Local projects exist on the local machine (the same machine on which Eclipse is installed). The files of a remote project exist on a remote target machine, which may be the same machine on which the remote build, run, and debug happens, although this can vary.

Remote Development Tools (RDT) is part of the PTP Project and provides the ability for CDT projects to be located and developed remotely. RDT requires a "Remote Provider" for its Remote C/C++ projects. Two types of remote providers are currently available: Remote Tools and Remote Systems Explorer (RSE). You choose which of these your projects uses in the "Remote Provider" selection box of the New Remote Project dialog.

The two types of remote providers currently available are:

Remote Tools is a light-weight ssh-only set of tools for communicating with remote systems. It is part of PTP and is the recommended remote service provider, since it is simpler to set up and contains all you need for PTP remote projects. More information about Remote Tools as a remote service provider is in the section about remote Resource Managers.
Remote Systems Explorer (RSE) is part of the DSDP Target Management project. It's a complete remote environment that supports a variety of protocols. (PTP pre-reqs should pull in RSE requirements, but you can also install it separately.) The section on Remote Development Tools is written describing the use of RSE as the remote service provider. RSE may be used if your remote system does not use the ssh protocol for remote connections, or you wish to use the additional functionality that RSE provides.