Environment Setup

🎯 Objectives

• Install the Windows Subsystem for Linux (Windows users only).
• Install Docker.
• Install Visual Studio Code.

If you’re using 🍎 MacOS or a 🐧 Linux distribution, you can skip down to the 🐳 Docker section.

🪟 Windows Users

WSL

A cool new feature Microsoft has been working on is called the Windows Subsystem for Linux. This allows developers to run Linux environments on their Windows machine so you can leverage the strengths of both operating systems.

1. Make sure virtualization is enabled by going to the Task Manager under the Performance tab:
2. If virtualization is disabled, you’ll have to go into your BIOS and enable virtualization. This will look different depending on what kind of motherboard you have, usually Intel or AMD.
   • For AMD, enable a feature in the BIOS called SVM.
   • For Intel, enable a feature in the BIOS called VT-x.
   • If none of these work, you’ll have to look up how to turn on virtualization for your specific model of motherboard.
3. Click on the Windows button, type “features”, and select Turn Windows features on or off.
   • Enable Virtual Machine Platform.
   • Enable Windows Subsystem for Linux.
   • Click OK and restart your computer.
4. Click on the Windows button, type “Microsoft Store”, and open the Microsoft Store app.
5. Search for “WSL” and install Windows Subsystem for Linux.

🐳 Docker

What even is?

If you’re not sure what Docker is, read up on it here first.

1. The getting started guide on Docker has detailed instructions for setting up Docker on Mac, Linux and Windows.

2. 🏠 Windows users: If the installer prompts you, make sure WSL2 option is checked:

   

👩‍💻 VS Code

1. Download and install the appropriate version of VS Code for your OS.
2. When you open VS Code for the first time, it might prompt you to install the Dev Container extension. If it does, click install.
   • If you already had VS Code installed, you’ll have to go to the extensions tab in the left navigation bar (icon of the 4 squares) and search for Dev Container. Click install.

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Congratulations - you’re now set up to run NodeJS applications! 🥳

Retrieved from Dilbert