I tried coding on a Chromebook for 7 days

Summary

In this video, the creator explores the feasibility of using a Chromebook as a primary coding device. Starting with a budget-friendly Lenovo Duet 5, they delve into the setup process, enabling developer mode, and installing essential tools like VS Code and Node.js. Despite initial challenges with hardware compatibility and setup, they successfully configure the Chromebook for coding. The video highlights the device's performance with web development tasks, its portability, and battery life, concluding that while Chromebooks are not ideal for complex projects or mobile app development, they are a cost-effective option for beginners and for basic coding tasks.

Takeaways

• 💻 The author experimented with using a Chromebook as a primary coding device to determine its feasibility and experience.
• 💰 Chromebooks are considered due to their affordability compared to high-priced MacBooks or Windows laptops.
• 🔍 The Lenovo Duet 5 was chosen as a test device, costing around $400.
• 📝 Chromebooks run on Chrome OS, which is based on Linux, allowing the potential to run Linux applications.
• 🖥️ The keyboard quality is highlighted as crucial for coding, and the author was satisfied with the Chromebook's keyboard.
• 🛠️ Developer mode was enabled to access the shell and customize the Chromebook.
• 🌐 Internet connectivity issues were faced initially, but resolved by resetting the router.
• 💾 Installing VS Code was challenging due to processor differences, but was made possible by enabling Linux development environment on the Chromebook.
• 🔧 The author found that setting up the Chromebook for coding required additional time and effort compared to traditional laptops.
• ☕ The performance of the Chromebook was sufficient for basic coding tasks and running a Create React App.
• 🔆 The screen's brightness was insufficient for outdoor use, and the device was not comfortable for lap use.
• 🔋 The battery life was impressive, and the device was portable for on-the-go use.

Q & A

Is it possible to use a Chromebook for coding?

Yes, it is possible to use a Chromebook for coding. The script details the process of setting up a Chromebook for programming tasks, including installing necessary software like VS Code.

What is the first thing the author did after getting the Chromebook?

The first thing the author did was to enable developer mode, which allows access to the shell and the ability to input commands and install applications.

Why did the author choose a Chromebook over a MacBook or Windows laptop?

The author chose a Chromebook because it is more affordable compared to MacBooks and Windows laptops, which can be expensive, especially for someone starting out in programming.

What challenges did the author face while trying to install VS Code on the Chromebook?

The author faced challenges due to the Chromebook's ARM-based processor, which required a custom version of VS Code. They also had to enable the Linux development environment on the Chromebook.

How did the author overcome the issue of installing VS Code on the Chromebook?

The author overcame the issue by enabling the Linux development environment in Chromebook settings and downloading the ARM64 version of VS Code from the official website.

What was the author's experience with the Chromebook's keyboard?

The author was quite happy with the Chromebook's keyboard, which they connected via a USB-C cable and used for coding.

How does the author describe the process of setting up the Chromebook for coding?

The author describes the setup process as time-consuming but also as an opportunity to get to know the device better. It involved enabling developer mode, setting up the Linux environment, and installing necessary software.

What was the author's experience with the Chromebook's performance while coding?

The author found the Chromebook's performance to be impressive for a device of its cost, allowing them to build React applications and use VS Code effectively, although they noted it was slower for loading larger projects.

How did the author use the Chromebook outside of a traditional office setting?

The author used the Chromebook on the go, for tasks like checking emails, browsing, and working on scripts. They also found it useful for client meetings and showcasing project demos.

What limitations did the author find when using the Chromebook for coding?

The author found limitations in the Chromebook's screen brightness and camera quality, and it was not ideal for use on the lap or in direct sunlight. Additionally, it might not be suitable for building mobile applications with React Native or Flutter due to its processing power.

What was the author's overall impression of using a Chromebook as a primary coding device?

The author was surprised and impressed with the Chromebook's capabilities as a coding device, especially considering its low cost. They found it suitable for web development and learning to code but noted its limitations for more resource-intensive tasks.

Outlines

00:00

💻 Exploring Chromebook for Coding

The speaker begins by expressing the high costs of computer hardware and decides to explore the possibility of using a Chromebook as a primary coding device. They purchase a Lenovo Duet 5, a relatively inexpensive Chromebook, to test its capabilities for programming. The speaker highlights the unique Chrome OS operating system, which is based on Linux, and expresses hope that it can run Linux applications. They also discuss the importance of the keyboard quality and their initial setup process, including updates and creating an account. The speaker then addresses the challenge of enabling developer mode to access the shell and customize the Chromebook, which involves disabling security features.

05:02

🛠️ Setting Up Development Environment

The speaker's goal for the next day is to get Visual Studio Code (VS Code) running on the Chromebook. They encounter an initial issue with the internet connection but manage to resolve it by resetting the router. The speaker then researches code editors available for Chromebooks, dismissing web-based editors in favor of installing VS Code directly. They attempt to download the Linux version of VS Code but face challenges due to the Chromebook's ARM-based processor, which lacks support for the standard VS Code build. The speaker explores solutions, including enabling a Linux development environment in Chromebook settings and finding a custom version of VS Code suitable for ARM64 processors.

10:03

🌟 Chromebook as a Mobile Coding Device

After successfully installing VS Code and Node.js on the Chromebook, the speaker takes it on the go to test its performance outside the home office. They find that while the device's portability is excellent, the screen's brightness and reflectivity make outdoor use challenging. However, the battery life is impressive. The speaker also notes that the Chromebook's form factor is not ideal for use on the lap but could work well in a car for emergency coding situations. They reflect on the Chromebook's capabilities, concluding that it is suitable for learning to code and performing basic development tasks, but might not be powerful enough for more resource-intensive projects like mobile app development in React Native or Flutter.

Keywords

💡Chromebook

A Chromebook is a laptop that runs on Google's Chrome OS. It's designed for people who spend a lot of time on the internet and is known for its simplicity and affordability. In the video, the presenter explores using a Chromebook as a primary device for coding, which is typically done on more traditional operating systems like Windows or Mac.

💡Chrome OS

Chrome OS is the operating system used on Chromebooks. It's based on the Linux kernel and is designed to be lightweight and fast, primarily running web applications. The video discusses enabling a developer mode in Chrome OS to access the shell and install applications, which is not possible in the standard user mode.

💡Developer Mode

Developer Mode on a Chromebook is a setting that allows users to access the device's full capabilities, including the Linux shell and the ability to install Linux applications. This is crucial for the video's theme as it enables the presenter to install necessary tools for coding, such as VS Code.

💡VS Code

VS Code stands for Visual Studio Code, a popular source code editor developed by Microsoft. It supports a wide array of programming languages and is extensible with extensions. The video details the process of installing VS Code on a Chromebook, which is a central part of the presenter's exploration into coding on this platform.

💡Linux

Linux is a type of operating system that is open-source and widely used for servers and developers' machines. The video mentions that Chrome OS is based on Linux, which allows the presenter to install a Linux development environment and run applications like VS Code.

💡ARM Processor

An ARM processor is a type of CPU architecture found in many mobile devices and some Chromebooks. The video discusses the need for a custom version of VS Code for ARM-based Chromebooks, highlighting the differences in software compatibility between ARM and Intel processors.

💡Node.js

Node.js is a JavaScript runtime that allows developers to run JavaScript on the server side. In the video, the presenter installs Node.js on the Chromebook to demonstrate the device's capability to handle server-side JavaScript applications.

💡Create React App

Create React App is a tool used to set up new React applications. React is a popular JavaScript library for building user interfaces. The video shows the presenter using Create React App to start a new project, indicating that the Chromebook can handle modern web development tasks.

💡Git

Git is a version control system used by developers to manage changes in code. The video includes a segment where the presenter installs Git on the Chromebook to clone a repository, which is a common task in software development.

💡Portability

Portability in the context of the video refers to the ability to use the Chromebook in different locations, such as on the go or in a car. The presenter evaluates the Chromebook's portability and finds it suitable for certain scenarios like quick fixes or client meetings.

💡Performance

Performance in this video pertains to how well the Chromebook handles coding tasks compared to traditional laptops or desktops. The presenter assesses the Chromebook's performance by running applications, building projects, and using it for everyday coding activities.

Highlights

The price of computer hardware is expensive, prompting consideration of alternative coding devices.

Coding on a Chromebook is explored as a potential cost-effective alternative.

Lenovo Duet 5 Chromebook was chosen for its affordability at around $400.

Chromebooks run on Chrome OS, which is based on Linux, potentially allowing for Linux applications.

The keyboard quality of the Chromebook is praised as important for coding.

Developer mode on Chromebooks provides access to the shell for command-line operations.

VS Code installation on Chromebooks requires enabling Linux development environment.

Different processors on Chromebooks may affect software compatibility, such as VS Code.

Custom version of VS Code is needed for ARM-based Chromebooks.

Setting up a Chromebook for coding requires additional time and effort compared to traditional laptops.

VS Code runs successfully on the Chromebook after enabling Linux mode and installing ARM64 version.

Node.js installation on Chromebook is straightforward through terminal commands.

Create React App can be used on a Chromebook to build and host web applications.

Git needs to be installed separately on the Chromebook to clone repositories.

Performance of the Chromebook is sufficient for small to medium-sized coding projects.

The Chromebook's portability is beneficial for on-the-go coding and client meetings.

The screen brightness and reflection issues make outdoor use challenging.

Battery life of the Chromebook is impressive, lasting through multiple hours of use.

Chromebook's camera quality is adequate but not exceptional.

Chromebook is a cost-effective option for learning to code and basic web development.

For more resource-intensive tasks like mobile app development, a Windows or Mac might be necessary.

Transcripts

these days the price of computer

hardware is ridiculously expensive so

it's worth considering what coders

actually need to get the job done to

that end i wanted to find out if coding

on a chromebook is possible and even if

it could be my primary coding device so

i picked up this chromebook to use for a

period of about a week or two and during

that time i'm going to answer some

fundamental questions like can a device

like this even be used for programming

if it can what is that experience like

and would i recommend it to people

learning to code and even continuing

their coding journey let's find out the

first thing i needed to do was get a

chromebook so i jumped on google and

went for the cheapest one this was the

lenovo duet 5 which only comes in at

around 400 so i ordered it and it

arrived if you're not aware chromebooks

are essentially just like laptops but

instead of using something like windows

or mac they have a special operating

system called chrome os and this is also

based on chromium os which is also based

on linux but what i'm hoping here is

that i should be able to run some linux

applications on this operating system

for me one of the most important things

for a device like this is the keyboard

and i was quite happy with this one i

plugged it in with a usbc cable and i

got started creating my account this is

actually the very first time i've used a

chromebook so i'm not too sure yet what

to expect i downloaded some updates and

then i logged into my account after

which it did some more updates so i

decided it was lunch time and i decided

now that i have a mobile device like

this i might as well take it with me on

my way to grab some food you might be

thinking why did i pick a chromebook

well the macbooks and windows laptops

these days are expensive like four

thousand dollars or more i wanted

something cheap because when i started

out in my programming journey i didn't

have much money and i actually picked up

a secondhand laptop alright great so

i've got the setup more or less done

here but i'm having a bit of a problem

because right now i can only open up

google chrome so i did some digging on

google and found out that you can

actually enable a developer mode and

that's the very first thing that i did

the developer mode disables all security

for the chromebook but it comes with the

benefit of letting you access the shell

so now with this i can start actually

inputting my own commands like pinging

or installing applications and really

customizing my chromebook to work how i

want okay let's move to the next day

because i actually want to start

utilizing this chromebook and seeing

what it's capable of so today's goal is

quite simple i just want to get vs code

running on this chromebook of course

life is never that simple the very first

issue i had was no internet connection i

needed to connect up to my wifi which

wasn't even working the other thing i

can do is connect it to my mobile phone

using bluetooth and tethering which is

always a good option instead what i

decided to do is head over to my

internet router and while i'm no it

expert what i decided was to keep

turning it off and on again until it

came back online now that i'm connected

let's have a look at some of the code

editors available for the chromebook

some of the easiest to get started with

are web-based editors like code sandbox

which allows you to have a vs code like

interface on your browser but this isn't

really what i'm after what i really want

to do is open up vs code on the

chromebook directly and have some files

and even maybe a hosting server on here

so let's find out how we can do this as

a windows user i thought i'd just

install it and went to vs code.com which

actually isn't the website so i went on

google and found out it's actually

code.visualstudio.com

now that we're on here i'm going to

select to download the deb version which

is the linux version which i assume

that's what i'm running and hopefully it

just works and it doesn't just work well

this is starting to become a nightmare i

thought originally that all i had to do

is download it but there is apparently a

difference between intel processors and

maybe arm based processors where the arm

ones just don't have support for vs code

i'm gonna have to do some more digging

to find out if it's actually possible to

run a vs code on here because i don't

wanna really give up i do want vs code

running on here and there's gotta be

some way to do it so i headed over to my

favorite website youtube and here i'm

gonna search for hopefully a tutorial on

how to install vs code on a chromebook

i'm sure there's someone out there who's

done it and after some searching i did

find a few different examples what i

learned is that chromebooks can run on a

number of different processors and i'm

using an rm64 based processor this means

i need a custom version of vs code and

on top of that i also need a custom

version of linux distro running on this

chromebook luckily this is quite easy to

set up and all i have to do is head over

to the chromebook settings and then

enable a special mode called the linux

development environment this installs

all the extra unnecessaries that i need

to get this up and running and i guess

this is my first bit of feedback about

the chromebook while it's a cheap device

it does mean that you have to spend some

additional time setting it all up to

work the way you want for some people

that might be a relaxing experience

where you get to know your device a

little bit better whereas for other

people that might be a little bit

frustrating i now have access to the

shell and i did some more digging on the

vs code website and found there was an

actual guide on how to be installed on

chromebooks which i really should have

followed but having a look at this guide

i can see that first i need the linux

mode enabled which i've already done and

then i need to execute a couple of

commands that will allow me to install

new applications i ran the commands and

then jumped back on to vs code and

downloaded the damp version of arm64 and

now i'm ready to install it and the

installation is successful

yes vs code's up and running loading it

up it looks exactly the same as my

version on the mac as well as on the

windows so i guess the very first thing

is to customize my settings and maybe

even log into github and it's also time

for lunch so what i'm gonna do is take

this chromebook with me on the go and

we're gonna see how it performs out and

about in the wild whenever buying a

device like this you wanna use it to its

maximum potential and if i was just

gonna be working at home i might as well

buy a computer in my case i'm always

taking my son out to different locations

and being able to continue to work and

do some stuff while he's playing always

makes life a lot easier here i continued

my sign into github and as soon as it

authenticated my vs code was ready and

not only that it actually installed all

the same extensions that i'm using on my

other devices which is great today is

day three and i want to get into some

real coding today this means i need a

real shot of coffee and i'm hopefully

going to get a real server up and

running that might host a website on a

development board other things that i

think are important are just being able

to download repositories maybe run up

databases and do some builds to see the

difference in build time between a

device like this and a windows device i

want to install node.js i had a look at

some articles and it looks a lot easier

than installing vs code of course i've

been wrong before so let's do some quick

digging to see what's involved and how

we can install it i headed over to the

node.js website and i got a couple of

options for downloading it for windows

but that's not what i'm on so i'm gonna

select other downloads and have a look

if there's an arm version there is

there's an arm version seven and version

eight so i'm not too sure which one to

use and i think i need to do a little

bit more research to find out which

option to select i googled chromebook

with nodejs to see what other people

might have done and from what i can see

most of them actually installed it

through the terminal there is an actual

command that allows you to install

node.js so i'm going to install node

version 14. i then copy-pasted this

command straight into my terminal to

execute just like any good developer but

of course i did do double check and from

what i could see it was downloading

straight from the node website and

running a sudo bash to actually execute

that node installation this might take a

while but once it's done i should be

able to simply open up node by typing in

node and then i should have access to

the shell so i can write in some

javascript commands success this worked

and i've got node up and running so now

not only can we code using vs code we

can also run up an application on

node.js and i'm thinking maybe we'll

start off with a create react app just

to get us started since i've got node up

and running i can run npx command so i

typed in npx create react app and my app

here i want to find out if i can

actually host a web server with create

react app as well as run it up in vs

code and start making some changes

success looks like create react app

installed along with all its node

modules this means i can open it up in

vs code which i've done and it's ready

for me to start hosting as a web server

as well so let's give this a shot i'm

going to close down the terminal and

expand out my instance of vs code

because i usually prefer to run with the

terminal inside vs code then i'll run

npm start and we'll kick off this

application one thing i immediately

notice though is that these terminal

fonts are terrible i think my coding

fonts didn't carry across to the

chromebook and i'll have to do that

later but the application is up and

running now so i can officially say that

you can build react applications using

the chromebook which i'm quite pleased

to see it seems to work just like normal

with the port 3000 being used for the

web server as well as real time changes

whenever i make them in vs code i think

it's time for a real project now i

previously created an rpg game with

astradb so i'm going to clone this

project i jumped into github to copy the

syntax for its url and went to git clone

it but i just realized something i don't

actually have git installed so i better

install that first since i'm running

this linux distro any linux command

should work so i'm gonna run a sudo app

get space install space kit okay that

ran successfully and now it's actually

time to clone our project so i'm gonna

do a git clone space and i'm gonna paste

in the url of my project here in github

but just as i was doing this i realized

i didn't actually set up a private key

to actually talk to github on this

device this will take a little bit of

work so what i'm thinking is just

downloading the files manually npm

installing them and giving them a run to

see how they go once they were

downloaded i was happy to see that i

didn't have to download any unzipping

software and i could simply drag and

drop them straight into my computer i

can open them up now in the terminal and

browse into them and hopefully npm

install all the packages i need to get

them up and running since i want to see

the performance of this machine i can

definitely tell you that it takes a

little bit longer to load up projects on

this device while the drawback is that

it's a little bit slower the benefits

are that if you're someone new to web

development you're not going to be

running up large projects and most of

them should be able to be installed and

built quite simply well that is unless

you install the wrong version of node.js

and your project doesn't build

successfully in my case i was running a

very old version of a lot of the files

which were probably compatible with node

version 8 and i don't really want to

update so i'm going to run up a

different project to test it out and

what i found was that it actually took

about the same time on my computer as it

did on this device be aware i don't have

as many node modules or plugins as other

repos might have but at least for a

beginner project this is quite useful

then i also tried building the project

and even though it's a small project it

still took about the same amount of time

as my computer so quite impressive to be

honest i'm pretty impressed so far with

the chromebook today is the fourth day

and i want to try to use this device

outside one of the things i noticed

though was that the screen isn't that

great in terms of brightness it's

actually kind of difficult to see vs

code on the device and i find that this

sunlight actually reflects quite a lot

so i tried to go under a tree to see if

i can get some shade and hopefully view

the screen a little bit better the

battery however has been quite good so

far i've never had to really worry about

the battery charge and i've had quite a

few hours of usage every time i've gone

out to use it activities i've done so

far included things like checking emails

using chrome browsing youtube as well as

doing some of the scripts for this video

one problem i did find with the device

is that it didn't really fit on my lap

very well sometimes i tried to

reposition to see if i can fit it better

but it just didn't work quite well while

it's a tablet device and i can use my

fingers for it i think i much prefer

using this just on a simple desk

generally speaking i probably wouldn't

be coding with this device outside but

if i'm going to be programming inside of

a car this is something that i can

probably do but if you need to make some

last minute changes before you meet a

client or you've accidentally pushed

some faulty code to github that's

crushed the entire system and deleted

all the backups then this might be a

useful way to make those changes quickly

and of course i've never done anything

like that and i'm gonna say that i'm not

gonna recommend coding in the car so

let's move on i've been using this

chromebook for just about everything

this includes a lot of meetings

especially over zoom using the camera

which unfortunately isn't that great but

at least it gets the job done i also

found it quite useful to take with me to

client sites because showcasing demos of

projects i'm working on is much more

effective than trying to explain them

so this chromebook really impressed me i

came in with really low expectations but

everything from the keyboard to the fact

that i can get vs code up and running on

here and use it to learn programming

really was surprising for a device of

this cost for just about three or four

hundred dollars i can do everything from

jump on free code camp and learn how to

code two even build react applications

or angular or schveldt and build up a

web server and have access to all the

kind of stuff we normally do in a

liganox terminal i think if this is the

device you're looking for and this is

the area you're in it's just enough to

get up and running but if for example

you're looking at building mobile

applications on react native or flutter

this might not be able to serve those

needs because it would need a little bit

more power and that's where you might

need to jump into windows or mac

territory but hopefully this gave you a

really good idea of what i use this

device for how i used it and what the

experience is like with it i hope you

guys enjoyed this video if you have

feedback and ideas on how i can improve

the next one like this then let me know

in the comments below otherwise i hope

you guys hit like and subscribe and i'll

see you in the next one thank you