Create Linux environment on Windows with Vagrant and Virtualbox

This article is to describe a way to quickly setup a Linux environment in a Windows operating system using Hashicorp Vagrant and Oracle Virtualbox.

Prerequisite: Hashicorp Vagrant and Oracle Virtualbox

• Install vagrant: download the executable here and install it like any other application. Default parameters are OK, restart the computer if needed
• Install virtual box: download the executable here and install it like any other application. Default parameters are OK

Here are the steps to build the Linux environment

• Create a folder somewhere, for example linux-vm

• Inside this folder, create a file with no extension called Vagrantfile and copy the following content inside:

• In the linux-vm folder previously created, add a work directory, and a website directory so the content of the folder looks like:

• Launch Oracle Virtualbox
• Open Windows command prompt

• In the Command Prompt, navigate to the folder linux-vm previously created
• Execute the following command

Wait for the virtual machine to be deployed, it may take a minute

Now the Ubuntu virtual machine is running and there are:

• a synced folder named work: any change made in this folder will be available in the virtual machine as well
• a synced folder named website containing the file index.html. Any change in this folder will be available in the virtual machine

A running nginx web server available at the following address:

localhost:8080
#
# or 127.0.0.1:8080

The Ubuntu terminal is available with the following command — to be run in the linux-vm folder:

And that’s all.

Notes

1. After the computer restart or for some reasons, the virtual machine may stop running. To launch it again select Start > Headless Start:

2. Note that by default, the full working folder — here the linux-vm folder — is synced with the virtual machine in the /vagrant folder:

OPTIONAL: Set an alias to connect easily to the Ubuntu virtual machine

• Create a folder called custom_scripts somewhere, for example in the C:\ directory

• In this folder, create a file called vm.bat with the following content:

Add the folder C:\custom_scripts to the PATH environment variable:

• Open Edit the system environment variables

• Click Environment variables

• Double click on Path in System variables block

• Click New and add the previously created folder path C:\custom_scripts

Now executing the command vm from anywhere will log in to the virtual machine:

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