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Using WSL and MobaXterm to Create a Linux Dev Environment on Windows

Nick Janetakis on June 12, 2018

This article was originally posted on Nov 10th 2017 at: https://nickjanetakis.com/blog/using-wsl-and-mobaxterm-to-create-a-linux-dev-environment-on...
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iampeterbanjo profile image
Peter Banjo •

Thanks for the tip - I'll try out running my unix apps like this. Very nice.

When I use WSL, I prefer github.com/mintty/wsltty as my terminal because it looks closest to my Ubuntu terminal settings with Powerline fonts. I did try ConEmu but I saw some performance issues when I was using the hotkey to make it hide/show.

:)

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nickjj profile image
Nick Janetakis •

Hey whatever works for you in the end.

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iampeterbanjo profile image
Peter Banjo •

This is weird -- running code . doesn't work but subl . does. Do you have any idea why?

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nickjj profile image
Nick Janetakis • • Edited

Hmm. Running code . should work if you're using ConEmu. What terminal are you using? Also what build of Windows 10 are you using?

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iampeterbanjo profile image
Peter Banjo •

i'm using wsltty 1.8.5.2 and Windows 10 Pro Build 17134. I'll try ConEmu
Thanks for the quick response

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iampeterbanjo profile image
Peter Banjo •

Same result with ConEmu

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Genysis78 •

Unfortunately the VS Code install instructions aren't correct, I have Win10 build 1803 and I follow the instructions above (although I use Xming) and get nothing - not much in the way of additional support/info online - I tried the fixes below and still nothing. Boo.

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Nick Janetakis •

I ran that exact set up here using mobaxterm and it worked with build 1803. I don't know about xming.

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dance2die profile image
Sung M. Kim • • Edited

Thanks Nick.

Oh man, I will play around with it this weekend.
+1 👍 for ConEmu, as I use it regularly.

I personally think that an article such as this should get massive votes

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nickjj profile image
Nick Janetakis •

No problem.

It's such a good feeling to finally be in a spot where you don't constantly hate your development environment.

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dance2die profile image
Sung M. Kim •

Couldn't agree more.

Some front-end codes had Linux/MacOS specific commands in package.json file (under "scripts") making it unable to run/build.

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László Károlyi • • Edited

MobaXterm is a great find, thank you. I can ditch PuttY now. Probably gonna register it too.

I just migrated my Ubuntu VM to WSL.

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Chad Smith •

Saving this to read later. I've been runny WSL for a what now but I haven't yet made the full switch. I think I am about too though.

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Nick Janetakis •

I've been running this set up for many months now and it's rock solid.

Developing all sorts of apps with Flask, Rails, Phoenix, Node, Webpack, Jekyll, Docker, etc.. Couldn't be happier.