Windows - Quick Setup Guide for Development Environment

Essential tools for software development in a Windows environment. (Below setup was being used for Windows 10 and 11)

Initial System Configuration and Prerequisites

Ensure your system is up to date with the latest patches and security updates.

Install Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL)

WSL (Windows Subsystem for Linux) is a compatibility layer that enables running Linux distributions natively on Windows.

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator:

wsl --install

2. Restart Your Computer (if prompted)

3. Launch Your Linux Distribution:

   • Open Ubuntu from the Start menu
   • Complete the setup by creating a username and password

4. (Optional) Change Linux Distro:

# List available distros
wsl --list --online

# Install a specific distro (e.g., Debian)
wsl --install -d Debian

Prerequisite Tools

1. Install Git for Windows:
   • Download from Git for Windows
   • Follow the installation wizard

Programming Language Environments

Java Development Kit (JDK)

1. Download Java 17:

   • Go to Adoptium Temurin
   • Download the .zip for Java 17

2. Set Up Java Environment:

   # Extract to a directory (e.g., C:\env\Java\jdk-17)
   # Add to PATH and set JAVA_HOME in System Environment Variables
   

3. Verify Java Installation:

java --version

Maven and Gradle

1. Download Maven:

   • Download binary zip from Apache Maven
   • Extract to a directory (e.g., C:\env\Maven)
   • Add to PATH environment variable

2. Download Gradle:

   • Download binary zip from Gradle
   • Extract to a directory (e.g., C:\env\Gradle)
   • Add to PATH environment variable

3. Verify Installations:

mvn --version
gradle --version

Python Version Management

1. Download Python 3.12:

   • Go to Python Downloads
   • Download the embedded zip file
   • Extract to a directory (e.g., C:\env\python-embedded)
   • Add to PATH environment variable

2. Verify Python Installation:

python --version

Containerization and Services

Docker Desktop

1. Download Docker Desktop:

   • Go to Docker's website
   • Download and install the Windows installer
   • Enable WSL 2 backend during installation

2. Verify Docker Installation:

docker --version
docker run hello-world

Development and Productivity Tools

Database Management: DBeaver

1. Install DBeaver:
   • Download from DBeaver's website
   • Run the installer

Code Editors and IDEs

1. Visual Studio Code:

# Download from https://code.visualstudio.com/
# Run the installer

2. IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition:

# Download from https://www.jetbrains.com/idea/download/
# Run the installer

Utility Applications

Web Browser: Google Chrome

1. Install Google Chrome:

# Download from https://www.google.com/chrome/
# Run the installer

Office Suite: Microsoft Office

1. Install Microsoft Office:
   • Download from Microsoft 365
   • Follow installation instructions

System Cleanup and Maintenance

1. Disk Cleanup Utility:

# Open Disk Cleanup
cleanmgr

# Choose the drive to clean up
# Select temporary files and other unnecessary files

Conclusion

This guide provides a comprehensive setup for a robust Windows development environment. Remember to:

• Keep your system and tools updated
• Refer to official documentation for specific tool configurations
• Customize the setup to match your development workflow

Pro Tip: Use WSL for a Linux-like development experience and leverage Docker for consistent, reproducible environments across different machines.