How can I start using Linux for web development?

Question

OK, so this may not be the best title, but I don’t know exactly what I want to do, so please listen to me.

I have been using Windows for most of my life, although I have played Linux several times. At work, everyone does web development with php on Windows using the same IDE and more.

I would like to test the powerful Linux command line, and also verify that my web applications locally run the php version on Linux, but I prefer to use the IDE because I believe that version control, FTP, code completion, etc. useful for my performance. In the end, I would also like to dive into Ruby and Python, and I heard that they are not suitable for Windows users.

Am I using a Linux distribution in a virtual machine? Should I try something like Wubi (Ubuntu runs inside Windows)? Or are there other options out there?

Answer 1

To start with, starting a virtual machine is a good idea. But the boldest step would be to erase the windows from your personal laptop / machine, and then install only Linux. This is what I did when I wanted my hands to be dirty. This is a simple but difficult way to learn. Regarding the IDE, I think netbeans will satisfy all your needs for PHP, Ruby, etc. Note that netbeans also requires the installation of the Java Development Kit.

Answer 2

Install Linux on the virtual machine. I would suggest a Linux dive program. Run a full screen virtual machine and try to do everything on Linux.

If you still want to rely on Windows tools or IDEs, create a shared folder between the host system and the guest operating systems. This way you can use the Windows IDE to edit the files that will be served by your Linux virtual machine.

Don’t worry that languages ​​are not suitable for Windows (or any other OS). These concepts are mainly social constructs.

Answer 3

I use VirtualBox on my Windows machine to access various Linux virtual machines for specific projects that are complex in Vista. It works great. I am using NetBeans to develop Ruby on Rails. It is an excellent development environment that supports Java, Ruby on Rails, Python, PHP, and possibly others.

You can use VirtualBox to download a Ruby on Rails device from a turnkey Linux system. This will make you crack in no time at all; although if you want to really learn about Linux, you probably want to start with a simple Ubuntu installation using vanillin and learn how to work not only with the command line, but also with various package management utilities.

Python development for Windows is absolutely not a problem. I use ActivePython and the Wing IDE in Vista to work on developing Google AppEngine applications.

Answer 4

If you are interested in running linux on a virtual machine in a window window, I have had great success with Virtual Box. It is free and quickly and easily installs guest OSs. I had ubuntu running as a guest OS in less than an hour using Virtual Box.

To access your other operators, I use ruby ​​and python for Windows daily. Ruby is better than python (in my opinion, of course), but you will come across gotchas with portability anyway. They do not work the same on Windows, as on Linux / BSD / Solaris / etc.

Answer 5

I am running Fedora 11 under VMWare Player on a Windows machine. It works beautifully.

https://www.vmware.com/products/player/

Linux is a development environment. You do not need to buy and add a bunch of things the way you do on Windows.

prefer to use an IDE because I believe that version control, FTP, code completion, etc. useful for my performance.

• FTP is already available in dozens of forms on Linux. You do not need an IDE for this.

• Code completion is overrated. In dynamic languages ​​such as Python (and probably Ruby), it is very difficult to do the right thing. Komodo Edit does a pretty good job, like Python IDLE. But there are gaps where he cannot understand what the object will likely be. Therefore, it is not useful for dynamic languages.

• etc .. is vague.

In the end, I would also like to dive into Ruby and Python, and I heard that they are not suitable for Windows users.

Really? where did you hear that? Please provide a quote or link. I am developing on Windows as well as Linux using the same base Python base. It works the same in both places.

Answer 6

I am a little confused about the question, but I will give him a chance.

Running web development on Linux shouldn't be harder than Windows.

My experience in the Linux world is limited (I drank the MS kool auxiliary console for a while). For the IDE, you may need to think about Eclipse, for web servers that run on Linux, look at apache (for static content, html, css, js, etc.), and something like Tomcat for your application server ( there are many others). The language that comes with Tomcat is Java. There are some open source databases, such as Firebird.

As long as Linux is up and running, nothing from an old PC that uses up to expensive PCs should be enough. This is a fairly reliable OS.

Answer 7

I thought about it and found Wubi ( http://wubi-installer.org/ ).

Wubi is officially supported by Ubuntu for Windows users who can bring to the world of Linux with one click. Wubi allows you to install and uninstall Ubuntu like any other Windows application in an easy and safe way.

I have not tried it yet, but it looks like what I need. If you try let me know how this happens :)

Answer 8

As someone who works with PHP and develops in both windows and linux, I would use the idea of ​​a virtual machine and look at the duel that loads your machine.

Then you can choose to boot the operating system. I believe that most of my development I use under Linux, as I find that debugging php scripts using the Eclipse IDE, Zend_Debug and php is much easier than on Windows.

Having windows on your computer also gives you the opportunity to use this OS, if you wish.

If you need to work between two OSs, create a small FAT partition so you can see your work from both OSs, since Windows cannot see the EXT3 or EXT4 file systems that linux uses. Also, although it works quite well, I do not trust NTFS entries from Linux.

Answer 9

Wubi is great, but once you launch it, you never switch back to Windows, so it's almost “Why bother”? situation. This is useful for quick browsing, but you will find that you are in wubi and / or get another box to complete a full Ubuntu installation. Then you will not resist installing another distribution, and suddenly you have a long beard growing.

Answer 10

I would recommend dual boot. This keeps you from switching to Windows and fully utilizes your hardware. As already mentioned, Ubuntu is a good start. I use it and love it.

about 1,530,000 LAMP installation tutorials (Linux Apache MySQL PHP / Python)

Answer 11

www.colinux.org/ instead of dual boot or VM

and www.winehq.org/ to save your IDE

Answer 12

Downloading an ubuntu live image (64 or 32 bit according to your processor), install it on pendrive using pendrivelinux.com, giving it maximum space for user settings. Then reboot with pendrive in try linux (do not install linux). Then finally run ... sudo apt-get purve vubiquity

This removes the annoying Linux boot installation screen and icon to install Linux, and you have a good Linux OS to play with pendrive.

http://www.ubuntu.com/download/desktop/create-a-usb-stick-on-windows