Install and configure an operating system of the GNU/Linux family

[webknjaz]

Overview

In order to have a superior development environment, you need to set up and configure appropriate software yourself. You also need to know how to configure things, where they are in your system, and how to survive in that scary black thing with white letters in it — The Terminal.

Let's start by setting up an operating system of the GNU/Linux OS family (that is based on a kernel called Linux). Now, you have two options: use Fedora (recommended) or some flavor of Ubuntu (like XUbuntu, frequently used by beginners). It's best to install it directly on your hardware (as a dual-boot, if needed) but you can also try it out in a VM (like VirtualBox). You also choose to stay on macOS if absolutely necessary but you'll still have to learn your way around terminal-based approaches.

The objective of this task is to get familiar with command-line tools and learn to set up software without using any of the GUI software.

Fedora

• [x] Install Fedora
• [x] Learn about DNF/YUM/RPM. Here and there. Also: https://fedoramagazine.org/rpm-packages-explained/.
• [x] [optionally] Add RPM Fusion to your system: https://rpmfusion.org/
• [x] Install Kitty terminal emulator
• [x] Install Google Chrome. No GUI-based install, please.
• [x] Install Git
• [x] Install VS Code using this instruction, but without downloading *.rpm file from browser.

Ubuntu

• [ ] Install XUbuntu
• [ ] Learn about APT. Here and there
• [ ] Install Kitty terminal emulator
• [ ] Install Google Chrome but scroll to the section "Install Google Chrome on Ubuntu 18.04 LTS from the Command Line" and use it. No GUI-based install, please.
• [ ] Install Git from PPA
• [ ] Install VS Code using this instruction, but without downloading *.deb file so find the line "The repository and key can also be installed manually with the following script:" and go from there

[l1storez]

Fedora(VirtualBox) works very slow, need some time to install as a dual-boot

[webknjaz]

@l1storez make sure that you give the VM enough hardware access. You can set the number of CPU cores, memory, graphics card in settings. Also, the default DE is gnome-shell (GNOME 3), which probably requires a bit of resources itself. You may explore using alternative desktop environments instead. See https://spins.fedoraproject.org/. LXDE/XFCE/Cinamon would do, I guess.

[l1storez]

Finally, install Fedora as a dual-boot. When installing Git, Kitty says package already installed but I don't see him in the apps list, it's ok? I will check the VM. p.s. reinstall VM and give 2 Gb RAM, it works much better than recommended 1Gb RAM=)

[webknjaz]

You can add more RAM without reinstalling FWIW.

You can check if Git is present by simply typing git in a terminal emulator. If it's already installed, you may still want to upgrade it, though.

[webknjaz]

@l1storez feel free to close this as there's other dev env configuration tasks in the upcoming issues.

[webknjaz]

P.S. I recommend you having English UI in Fedora because it's easier to google for messages that terminal-based programs print out

[l1storez]

Thanks for the recommendation. I think I need understanding how Linux distribution works because its all-new UX for me