dotpi

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Setting up a dev machine ​

For general information, please see Web development.

On any operating system (OS) ​

dotpi requires:

Linux ​

Install the common requirements:

  • npm
  • rpi-imager

Install also the following packages:

  • git
  • make
  • curl
  • openssl

MacOS ​

Install Xcode and the command-line tools. One way of doing it is to open a terminal and write the following command:

sh
xcode-select --install

Windows ​

The dotpi system will run inside the Windows Subsystem for Linux, WSL. It requires Windows version 10 or 11, and allows the run an almost complete Linux system within Windows.

The first time, run a Windows PowerShell as administrator.

Update WSL:

PS C:\Users\lambert> wsl --update
Checking for updates.
The most recent version of Windows Subsystem for Linux is already installed.
PS C:\Users\lambert>

Then, install a recent Linux distribution. (Ubuntu 24 is known to work.)

PS C:\Windows\system32> wsl --install Ubuntu
Launching Ubuntu...
root@m3410-w11:~#

Then, use wsl for any shell command.

First, install all Linux requirements mentioned above.

PS C:\Windows\system32> wsl
Launching Ubuntu...
root@m3410-w11:~# sudo apt install git make curl openssl

If you get errors, read the messages.

windows-apt-get-error-fix-missing

Then, try to solve the problems (within WSL).

root@m3410-w11:~# sudo apt-get update
root@m3410-w11:~# sudo apt-get update --fix-missing

Finally, install the packages again (still within WSL).

root@m3410-w11:~# sudo apt install git make curl openssl

Be sure to install Node.js within WSL.

PS C:\Windows\system32> wsl
Launching Ubuntu...
root@m3410-w11:~# sudo apt install npm

Raspberry Pi Imager is an exception: Do not install it within WSL. (Later, do not run it within WSL.)

INFO

For windows, run any shell command within WSL.

If you are not logged as root within WSL, you need to prefix commands with sudo to install packages.

Installing dotpi-tools ​

Open a terminal and write the command line:

sh
npm install --global @dotpi/tools

This will write the package globally on your computer.

INFO

Depending on your installation of Node.js, you may need to use sudo to install global packages.

If you do not need it, do not use sudo, as it may lead to other problems.

sh
sudo npm install --global @dotpi/tools

Now, the command dotpi-toolsshould be available in your machine.

TIP

If you prefer to use npx rather than installing the package globally, just replace dotpi-tools by npx @dotpi/tools in the remaining of these tutorials.