Creating a basic local web development environment to use with my live Linode
This is my first post. I have spent the last few weeks off and on trying to find out how to proceed, and while I've learned a lot, I can't get the basic information about how to set up locally to be able to deploy to my production Arch Linode.
Do I need to convert my local machine to Linux or even Arch? How does someone begin to develop a local development environment that will be compatible with deploying to my Linode. Especially if I decide to use GitHub or some other similar software. Can I use my Windows laptop and WAMP? Or is creating a separate Arch Linux machine necessary?
I know this is a basic question, but I'm just beginning to convert to web programming and I'd like to go straight to how the pros do it.
Thank you so much!
Boz
2 Replies
You can do what you propose using WAMP but you will run into platform differences and other assorted quirks that are just going to make your life miserable.
I built a development machine using one of these:
https://www.hardkernel.com/shop/odroid-hc2-home-cloud-two/
Sure, it's 32-bit but that really doesn't matter for what you want. It can run apache2(8), mysql(1) and php(1) in the same way that they run on your Linode. The max size of a data table in mysql(1) is not going to be as large but, for development, you don't care. It's no speed racer either but it's adequate for development & testing.
There's a new 64-bit system too:
https://www.hardkernel.com/shop/odroid-hc4/
I added a case, an external power supply, one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/SAMSUNG-250GB-Internal-MZ-77E250B-AM/dp/B08QBN5J9B/ref=sr_1_6
a few of these (to boot from):
https://www.amazon.com/Sandisk-Ultra-Micro-UHS-I-Adapter/dp/B073K14CVB/ref=sr_1_2
It makes a pretty nice development system in a package about the size of 2 packs of playing cards (side by side). It runs Armbian Buster (Debian 10 for ARM):
https://www.armbian.com/odroid-hc1/
But, you can get Ubuntu for it as well. All the add-on devices and software are available for the 64-bit platform too. If you're interested, they run NetBSD too.
If you don't want to build one, go shopping for a nice refurb from Dell or some other vendor (replace the HDD you're likely to get with an SSD) and put whatever flavor of Linux you like on it (preferably the same distro that runs your Linode). You can run it headless so you don't need to spring for a monitor/keyboard/mouse.
-- sw
