Week 4 - Installing Programming Languages; Git Refresher

[Molly]

Hello, everyone,

Many Open Source projects (including ours) use UNIX-based tools and programs. Therefore, it's important for new developers to learn how to set up a programming environment on their computers that can make use of these programs. 

Because we are focused on web development, the tools you need to install are web programs.

What to Install in your Programming Environment

1. Ruby on Rails
2. Git
3. SQLite

How-To Setup a UNIX-friendly Programming Environment

1. Windows Setup:
   
1. The easiest way to set up your Windows machine for Open Source development is to install Cygwin: https://www.cygwin.com/
   
2. Cygwin is a UNIX-emulator for Windows. Cygwin allows you to install and use UNIX-based tools on your Windows machine, including: Ruby on Rails, SQLite, and Git
   
1. Why UNIX? The majority of Open Source projects and tools are built for UNIX, such as the programming environments we'll be using in #HourofCode this quarter. Windows is DOS-based, and can't run UNIX-based programs directly. Cygwin allows us to get around this limitation!
   
3. Watch this video about installing Cygwin if you've missed the in-person demonstration
1. Note: this video shows installing programs in addition to those listed above (i.e. Ruby on Rails, SQLite, and Git). I'd recommend installing the same programs he does in the video, but don't forget to also install Ruby on Rails, SQLite, and Git. You can search for them like he does in the Select Packages part of the installation by using the Search box (at the top of the window).
2. If you forget to install anything during the step, re-run the installer and select the additional packages you want (as below). 
4. Making updates to Cygwin
   
1. Hold onto / Re-download the Cygwin Installer after setting it up initially
   
2. Run the installer again
   
3. Select the packages you want to add to your current installation
   
1. Be careful not to remove (un-check) packages you already have installed; if you do, Cygwin will uninstall those packages
   
2. Mac OS X Setup:
   
1. Mac OS X is UNIX-based, so the setup is a bit different.
   
2. First, download and install Xcode Tools: https://developer.apple.com/xcode/downloads/
   
3. Next, you'll need to install a package manager for your Terminal app.
   
1. Package managers allow you to easily install and update UNIX command line applications, such as Ruby on Rails and Git.
   
2. I recommend the Homebrew Package Manager: http://brew.sh/
   
4. Once you install Homebrew, search the list of available packages you can install at: http://braumeister.org/
   
1. To install a new package, use the following format: "brew install <package_name>"
   brew install sqlite3

Git Refresher

This is fairly brief because there isn't a lot of content to cover. If you do the exercises below, you will be well-prepared to work with Git in our group project. 

Visit the Try Git Tutorial: https://try.github.io

• Complete exercises 1.1 through 1.12

Try the Git Practice on our Git Repo: https://github.com/SSC-HoCgroup/Git-Demo

• Scroll down or go to directly to the README.md file to see Instructions for practicing Git using our GitHub demo. 
  

Thanks, all! Happy Coding!

[Tenzin k]

I think I downloaded everything that the video instructed plus the ones mentioned correctly. I'm having trouble pulling the git-demo from the HoC group. It could be that I am part of the group? my username is TenzinKhando and I have checked the "watch."

[Molly]

Hi Tenzin!

I added you to the group "ssc-devs" on GitHub a few hours ago You should have received an e-mail from GitHub asking you to join the group "ssc-devs". Once you join, you will be able to pull from the git-demo repository on GitHub. 

Let me know if you have any trouble joining the "ssc-devs" group. Otherwise, go forth and code! :)