wsl-dev-steps

Some notes to get up and running with development inside wsl

Assumes wsl2 setup after the 2020 may update. wsl2

Basic setup Ubuntu

sudo apt-get install build-essential

SSH keys

Use sudo apt install keychain, copy your ssh keys to ~/.ssh andd add to ~/.bashrc or any alternative:

eval `keychain --eval --agents ssh id_rsa`

File system access

From windows navigate to \\wsl$\ You will see your distributions.

Running GUI apps

Microsoft added gui support with wslg

Before WSLg

On windows (use either choco or scoop) scoop install vcxsrv

See options here: https://medium.com/@ragin/development-under-windows-under-linux-with-wsl2-intellij-860daf601b61

Run xlaunch.exe and save the configuration file somewhere then create a shortcut that would run xlaunch.exe -run config.xlaunch

For the WSL DISPLAY setup use the external IP of the computer (unless port-forwarding is turned on)

E.g. add to bashrc:

export WSL_EXTERNAL_IP=$(ipconfig.exe | grep "Wi-Fi" -n | awk -F ":" '{print $1+4}')
export DISPLAY=$(ipconfig.exe | awk -v a=$WSL_EXTERNAL_IP '{if (NR==a) print $NF":0.0"}' | tr -d "\r")
# export LIBGL_ALWAYS_INDIRECT=1

docker

Is useful to set up databases, other services that are project-related.

The new docker for windows actually uses wsl 2 as backend. Make sure to enable wsl integration for your distributions. link

NodeJS

The same approach works as with any linux distribution. nvm-setup

Elixir

Follow steps on elixir website

Postgresql

Dependencies: docker for windows with wsl integration

Imperative approach

>$ docker create -p 127.0.0.1:5432:5432 -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=pass --name <project name> postgres
>$ docker start <project name>

# optional if there is no migration library
>$ docker exec -it <project name> bash
># psql -U postgres
postgres=# CREATE DATABASE <project DB>;
postgres=# \q

# manipulate with it
>$ docker start <project name>
>$ docker stop <project name>

Declarative approach (docker-compose)

Create docker-compose.dev.yml

version: '3.1'

services:
  db:
    image: postgres
    restart: always
    volumes:
        - './data/db/postgresql/data:/var/lib/postgresql/data'
        - './init-db-scripts:/docker-entrypoint-initdb.d:ro'
    ports:
        - "5432"
    environment:
        POSTGRES_PASSWORD=pass

The init-db-scripts volume is optional. It can be used for init scripts. From the previous example init-db-scripts/01-init-db.sh:

#!/bin/bash
set -e

psql -v ON_ERROR_STOP=1 --username "$POSTGRES_USER" --dbname "$POSTGRES_DB" <<-EOSQL
    CREATE DATABASE <project DB>;
EOSQL