If you're writing bare-bones javascript for the browser, creating Chrome Apps and Extensions, or using remote coding apps like cloud9, Koding, or Nitrous, you may not need to install Ubuntu. Some tutorials can be done entirely within the browser. The tradeoff is that you won't have a full-featured command line, and you may hit a point where you can't install something that you need.
To start coding within Chrome OS, install Text or Caret as a text editor. (Text stores files in Google Docs and Caret stores the files locally on your machine, which may help you choose.) After that, you're good to go, since Chromebooks come with a browser installed.
- Hold down
Esc + Refresh + Powerto prompt a restart - Press Control-D during restart to enter developer mode
- Press Enter to confirm developer mode and wait to hear a beep; it takes about a minute to reboot from here
- Complete the setup steps like entering the wifi info and google account
- If something goes wrong https://github.com/dnschneid/crouton#usage has some troubleshooting help
- Download Crouton: https://goo.gl/fd3zc (or via https://github.com/dnscheid/crouton), to use Ubuntu on a Chromebook
- Pro Tip: Download things you'll want to run in Ubuntu before booting into it; the
~/Downloadsfile is shared, and it's nice to minimize use of the default Ubuntu browser - For example, download your editor now; you can get Atom (atom-amd64.deb) from the Atom releases page, though it needs some love to not crash on some ARM Chromebooks. (If you really need to clone down and compile Vim, you'll have to wait until after you have git.)
- Open a chrosh shell: In Chrome, use the shortcut
Ctrl + Alt + t, typeshell, and hit enter - Run
sudo sh ~/Downloads/crouton -t xfceto install Ubuntu (assuming it's sitting in your Downloads folder) - Start Ubuntu with the command
sudo enter-chroot startxfce4orsudo startxfce4 - From Ubuntu, you can go back to Chrome OS, by clicking "log out" from the top, left menu
- Open the command prompt
- Run
sudo apt-get update - Be more forceful (
sudo apt-get -f install) if the update fails
sudo apt-get install git, and typeYwhen it asks to continuesudo apt-get install libnss3-dev, and typeYwhen it asks to continue
git config --global user.name "Your Actual Name"git config --global user.email "Your Actual Email"- If you want to use a remote, like GitHub, set up SSH keys
- If not downloaded, download an editor (atom-amd64.deb from the atom releases page, for example)
- Run
sudo dpkg --install ~/Downloads/atom-amd64.debto install it - To use another editor, repeat those steps (download it and install it) for the editor of your choice
sudo apt-get install curlcommand curl -sSl https://rvm.io/mpapis.asc | gpg --import-(because RVM needs to match signatures)curl -L get.rvm.io | bash -s stableto install ruby- Close and reopen terminal
- Confirm rvm is there by running
rvm -vand getting good feedback, likeruby 2.2.2, rather than an error - Use
/bin/bash --loginif RVM won't let you set a version. - Install and set a default ruby version; this uses 2.2.2 as the example, but change it to fit what you need:
rvm install 2.2.2rvm use 2.2.2rvm -- default use 2.2.2
- Install Chrome. (I know, it's weird to reinstall Chrome on a Chromebook.
Operating Systems ¯\_(ツ)_/¯) - If you're cloning an existing project
git clone <whatever you want to clone> - If you're starting a new project, then
gem install bundleris a good starting point for ruby projects, for example
I have explored the Crouton method and I did actually get VS Code running.
Thanks to https://code.headmelted.com/
However, my tiny Acer CB3 is not up to the task. Very laggy, out of RAM. So much overhead, not at all an approach for which this Chromebook was designed.
I also briefly played with GalliumOS, a native Linux optimized for Chromebooks. But in general, I prefer the Chrome OS system design, so I'm forcing myself to figure it out.