Interesting video. Some of the issues you faced were due to a lack of knowledge rather than issues with ChromeOS itself. You didn't need to enable developer mode. To get VSCode running you only needed to enable linux and then download the correct version of VS Code and then right click to install from the downloads folder. Most of the other issues were really due to the ARM/Intel processors. This is an issue with Macs (M1) and Windows (Surface Pro X) as well. TBF, you did stick with it. Finally, you kind of limited yourself with a cheaper Chromebook. I use a Lenovo C13 16gb RAM for development every day and it handles everything (Python/Node) well.
@@izurite If you're writing programs, with the sole and only exception of Windows-only .NET applications, Linux is easier, faster, more intuitive, and quicker to pick up. For general users, I would tend to agree. For computer scientists, its the opposite. Linux goes as far as to act as your one-stop development environment. Not to mention the app support for Linux development is just... really really good. Linux does not only have all the apps you need, it often has the best-in-class apps. GCC, Apache, PHP, SSH, Git... these aren't just "good" features - these are the best. If you're a web developer who sticks to Windows like its your life, you should probably wonder why you're bothering with Windows when your web app will be built entirely on Linux along with the rest of the Internet. If you're the type who uses Visual C++, you should probably stop and contemplate why you're writing one of the worlds most portable languages on the least portable compiler and environment. I'm not saying Windows sucks - but to say that Windows is "easier" for development is just straight up not true.
Before I got a (high end) Chromebook I thought I'd only use it for school related stuff. But once I installed Linux and started using it for coding it's hard to go back to Windows.
I really agree with this. It's mainly games and a couple of music related software that has kept me with 1 windows machine. I ended up getting an M1 Macbook Air for $860 new a year ago and that's completely taken care of the music stuff. Games are still an issue since my desktop is in a single GPU ITX case, but it's a work in progress. I don't hate Windows or MacOS for that matter, but I generally have my best general purpose computing experience on Manjaro or Chrome OS. It's just the commercial software availability issue that complicates things. If all software was on all operating systems I'd probably live in Manjaro.
@@dbjungle Hey... Hola... Yeah avid Linux user here to report that you can dual-boot on a desktop machine Windows + Linux on either separate drives (1 per OS) or all in a singular drive, using GRUB and really simple disk partitioning. It's really nice because gaming, music, etc. can all be done on Windows, and then you can go to Linux and use WINE/Proton to run a lot of Windows applications on Linux + all the native Linux apps. On a side note, you can use WSL2 on Windows to run Linux alongside Windows, which isn't my preference, but I've seen it done and it looks like a pretty seamless integration. The only downside is Mac since Apple likes to be jerks.
I appreciate that you didn't give up on the first hurdle. It's almost like instead of just deciding that the Chromebook wouldn't work for coding, you took time to learn how to use a Chromebook, and were able to get a lot done. Funny how that works.
I learned how to code with my chromebook while I was on my graduation. It was really easy to set up somethings, others took days... But in the final picture, was a unexpectedly great experience: I carried a chromebook with me for 5 years, from High School to University. I used a Chromebook with 32GB of storage, 4GB RAM and an old Intel Pentium
Wow, I like your story. Makes me feel l shouldn't worry so much about specs. Already skeptical of wasting time looking for some ideal device, with desire I think most would be fine anyway
@@blu3_enjoy I'd look for more internal storage tho, because it's a problem now for me right now, but only because I use Linux and the applications need more space to work fine. But one thing you need to know is if you need a program or something that only works on Windows. For the rest is all about what you would like to do with you laptop
I really appreciate the way that you mixed a vlog format with an explainer. A lot more engaging than a simple talking-head with stock videos. Thank you for putting in all the effort. 🙂
Web, Godot, and Flutter development for me on ChromeOS has been fantastic the past two years. I highly recommend getting an Intel/AMD & 8GB Chromebook for dev work. Otherwise it will be a bit underpowered. Jetbrains IDEs and VSCode both work flawless with the beefier specs.
@@i_youtube_ w everything like Godot blender and vscode installed, I actually get about 6 to 8 hrs of battery on 86 health and on a 200 dollar chromebook, im saving up for a m2 mac air bc I'm actually turning 14 this may so I can get a job to actually get a nice laptop, im so excited I already submitted a job application
I definitely appreciate your effort to learn if a Chromebook can be used for coding. You sort of took the hard way though: Going in Developer Mode opens up potential security holes that aren’t there when Developer Mode isn’t enabled. And, as you learned, there’s really no need to use it: Chrome OS started offering the Linux container in 2018. I started using it in beta back then and it became available on the Stable Channel by the end of 2019. I’ve used it for undergrad and graduate CS classes in Java, Python, web/JS/React, etc this way. Your choice of device made this a little more difficult too though. While all new Chromebooks since 2020 support the Linux container, choosing an ARM-based Chromebook means you may not find all of the Linux apps and packages you need as there’s far more x86 support. And, you’re essentially coding on a device that uses a smartphone chip; not even a flagship one. My daily driver for work and coding is a Core i5 Chromebook with 16 GB of memory; I’ve never run into package support issues and performance is top notch. So I sort of disagree with the final sentiment that “if you need more to code, look at Windows or macOS”. There are Chromebooks just as performant as those with some costs lower and some higher, depending on the configuration. Again, I appreciate your learning experience here. Good luck with the Lenovo Duet 5 and your coding efforts!
I stopped using Develeper Mode and Crouton when I got my Pixelbook Go. I just use a Manjaro container and it's able to meet about 90% of my computing needs.
linux on arm is totally fine. yes some apps dont work but most that you need for coding do except Eclipse which honestly is anchient. intellij, android studio and vscode all work on arm.
Interesting video! Just want to point out few things regarding linux: 1. Git is installed by default on almost every linux system. 2. You can use Ctrl+L to clear the terminal instead of pressing multiple Enter. 3. You could've easily installed compatible vscode directly from your terminal.
Getting a functional Usb-c hub is also a great way to extend the functionality of this type of chromebook. Allowing students to connect additional monitors, a proper keyboard and mouse and extra USB ports.
This surprises me. I have a Raspberry Pi 4 running 64 bit Raspberry Pi OS (Debian Bullseye based). I have yet to find a linux app that wasn't available for this 64-bit Arm based device.
So true, I actually have a back strap that I often wear just to help me keep good positioning. Otherwise I fear my back will be crippled by the time I’m older
Chromebook is actually a good device for Linux beginners(command line of course) too. Containered Linux instance, no need to worry about reinstalling if you fscked up. If you are familiar with Linux cli, you can run just everything Linux has (on a x86 one of course) without the need to install and setup Linux environment yourself.
I have the exact same (duet 5) in addition to a desktop. It's quite nice to have something portable, and with the linux environment you get most features (vscode, python, node, ts, git, ...). The battery life is stellar (like 15h+ for me) and the oled screen is also great! If you don't go for the lowest spec, there's also no really noticable hit in performance. I found that puppeteer doesn't work though.
I've used codeanywhere for development for the past 3 years and I love it SO much more than sublime text. I originally started using it because of my google pixelbook but now I use it on my windows machine also
While I'm not much of a coder, I've been using a Lenovo duet as a supplement to my main PC, it's great as a secondary device and it also great for media consumption because you can run android apps
I use my chromebook every day for programming. I have my own vscode server installed on a develop server. And I can use a browser to program, and I don't depent from software installed on my computer. And yes always need internet connection, but where you don't have connection today...
it depends on the price, there are some chromebooks out there even cheaper that this, or even a second hand chromebook could be well, the most affordable device ever!
My personal recommendation is an old ThinkPad. A T430 with a processor, ram, and screen upgrade is going to run you about $500. There’s some optional upgrades like an SSD, and i sprung for the hard drive enclosure that slots into the disk drive and a second SSD to go in there. (Well, I found a ThinkPad that had the SSDs already, but that initial purchase was like $350, so probably still spent less than $600 on the entire project.) You can run windows or Linux on it. Given the amount of tinkering this involved, you can guess I went with Linux. Fedora with Gnome ( a pretty heavy OS) runs like a dream.
I have a t440p and there are a few complaints, weight, battery and speakers. apart from those it is a perfect machine. those 9 cell batteries are so big but fail to hold 4+ hours for me
I have a t500 that lost it's hard drive to a lightning strike. But it can still boot from a USB drive. It's not the best coding device, but it does great for fiction writing. I just back everything I write onto my phone through a USB cable.
You can always remote into another computer to do those higher powered actions which is what I do. I use Chromebooks as a fancier terminal rather than try to code directly on most times.
for tablet/laptop convertibles, a sheet of .2" (5mm) foam from the craft store really helps in the lap. I keep one for that, with a stitched cord lip to catch the kickstand. as a passenger, a thin foam seatcushion (like thse taken to sporting events) works better still.
The most appealing thing about a device like this would be running linux and having ultimate customization. If Google leaned into the linux aspect more instead of hiding it and restricting the user I think chromebooks would be a lot more popular for personal use
I've installed ChromeOS on an (outdated) HP-Intel based Notebook, that has much more power. Installation is kinda tricky (tutorials are available on YT). Online apps can be set up as frameless full-screen apps via a shortcut.
I got through my CS education on a Chromebook in the period 2014-2017. It was a torture initially but eventually it helped me learn a whole lot about the Linux system and was overall a very positive experience. You learn to appreciate the little things when you have to choose between having either Chrome or Android Studio open
I use the pixelbook go 16 GB for my master's comp sci program, and I would say it's even better than Windows since I don't need to deal with the frustrating path setting, which is a nightmare.
As a young coder who wants to get into creating/developing apps,i was firstly introduced to VS code,i have been coding for years but had no hardware to run code because the hardware is just simplistically to expensive and not in my budget,when i was introduced to Linux and VS code,i was ecstatic,using my knowledge of coding,i generated code in the Linux terminal to get VS code up and running on my pc,now im free to code and start my channel soon as a coder with years of experience in languages such as:Python,JavaScript,and Lua/Luau.I appreciate you for bringing this to me and Happy coding everyone.
This was a good video. I always love to see people learning how useful and usable Chromebooks are. I would recommend not putting your Chromebook into Developer Mode unless you absolutely need to. You can't go back and forth between without completely wiping your device. Personally I find the default Debian container to be too far behind. I would recommend making an Arch or Manjaro container and everything else is pretty smooth sailing from there. You can choose between x86 and ARM processesors at different power levels for different trade offs. The decisions have to be more deliberate compared to buying like an M1 Macbook Air, but Chromebooks are still quite versatile.
This is eye opening. I’ve never considered chromebook as a viable option for anything tech related. I’ve always thought of it as a device for some light school work for my kids…I’ll take a closer look at it.
Lot of IT knowledge lack to be a "developer"/"coder", in my opinion. How can you be a developer and don't know that programs are not the same for x86/64 and risc
I recently moved to the USA. For two months now, I have been on the path of mastering Front-end development. I studied at my mother's computer on Windows, and now they gave me my own. For three days now I have been struggling with installing everything I need. There is almost no Russian-language information about this type of OS. I already thought that my path was closed on this, but still I decided to watch the video in English. Thanks to you, it became clear to me that there are some problems not only because of the language, but also because this type of OS really needs more attention.
There are other form factors and Chromebooks with more horsepower that can support web dev stacks. They won't be $400, but it'll still be relatively inexpensive. Glad you stuck it through it though. There are a few nuances as each OS has, but once you get through them and understand it's essentially Linux, you'll be OK.
Strange that you couldn't get VS Code on your Chromebook. I put my Chromebook into developer mode and enable Linux. I was then able to install VS Code and Python on my Chromebook. As far as Internet security, I have Norton 360 running on my Chromebook. Right now I am trying to get Sql Server on my Chromebook nowadays.
Well, if the rules are daily driving a chromebook (with heavy development/programming), I've been doing it for ~4 years straight now. However, I did wipe ChromeOS and replaced it with arch. Daily driving chromeOS would be a lot harder for me personally.
Hello, have you ever tried to install Ionic and develop with it? Does the installation work on your Chromebook? If so, can you briefly describe the solution of a successful installation?
Needing to invest time to get everything to work how you want it to holds true for ANY OS, not just Chrome OS or Linux. For Windows you had already invested that. For many Windows users though, getting into the nitty-gritty of the Linux command line does present a steep learning curve. Kudos for not giving up.
Well, In my opinion, if you want to get some really cheap coding laptop for around 100 bucks, you could get some old Thinkpad and just install some minimal Linux there. On my T420S Arch Linux + i3wm runs pretty neat.
No, get a x86 processor Chromebook and Linux apps work like a charm on it. Also it connects with your Android phone. Using Chromebook for more than 3 years. Now I don't use Windows anymore. For more resource heavy stuff like video editing, I prefer to use Mac. Anyhow, Chromebook are cheap and I am not expecting editing on it.
I coded on python on my nicer chrome book this year for my high school CS class. It was hard to find some support things online but overall pygame worked and everything was good
thankyouthankyouthankyou for this video! I've been trying to get a code editor installed on my chromebook for months now and I knew there was something I was missing/didn't understand. Thanks to you I have it up and running and can continue to study to be a developer one day.
I too have been attempting to get coding done on chromebooks sense the my first ARM based samsung device. my advise is max the ram, it will help. a lot. Also with the inclusion of android apps and linux containers the only limit is the hardware. personally i install the linux terminal and do my coding in VI, i know i know, and it works well for some projects but can get cramped. now with linux you can install deb manually or install the front end of your choosing. cannot wait for what tomorrow will bring, exciting times!
PLEASE DO NOT ENABLE DEVELOPER MODE ON A CHROMEBOOK. You do not need it (e.g. you can install Linux stuff without it, using the exact same process shown in this video) and it lowers the security of ChromeOS which is one of the best things about this OS.
"Security" isn't necessary tbh. All you need is common sense, and you'll be fine. Keep yourself informed, don't run random shit, and use vpns. You'll be fine. -Never had a virus
Was that Chromebook really the cheapest one for you at $400? Is that a region/currency thing? Most I've seen are $100-$200. You also said that Windows laptops and MacBooks are $4000 or more, but the most expensive, most kitted out MacBook is $3500. And most of the high-end Windows laptops are $1000-$1500.
I recently found an old 2012 Macbook pro that I used to use ages ago and swapped out the HDD for an SSD and put in new 16 GB ram sticks. It honestly runs extremely well for a 10 year old laptop and you can find them for sale online pretty easily for a couple hundred or even less. These old 2012s are also really sturdy and relatively easy to work on and find parts online. I recommend this people try this if they want MacOS for really cheap. The only downside is that you are stuck with Catalina out of the box since Apple doesn't support these computers after that version but there are also ways to unofficially get Ventura installed as well.
Sir, if you would read the error message you would know that the processor is correct (CrOS actually for some reason runs Linux in a virtual machine), just the repository refused to fetch (maybe some internet error). Just try using a different repository.
When trying to decide whether to use an Armv7 or Armv8 package, find the specifications for your processor instead of just googling a generic thing. What you did worked, but you could have saved some time if you had looked to see what version of Arm was used to make the processor
I still use my surface go my dad give me two years ago. Lot of people doubt it can code or not, and it just crushed those doubts again and again. Install Linux on it, now its keyboard is starting falling apart, but is inside is still running like a beast.
i did search about this topic few months ago, when i read a few comments said Chromebook install VSCode i gave up immediately, kudos to you to made it work. 😅
I didn't have laptop my first year of college. And had to use Chromebook for my CS classes. Chroot + Ubuntu. Only 4gb ram. It wasn't the best experience whatsoever, but 100% usable and got me through 1st year classes.
I installed VS Code and gcc the other day on an even cheaper Chromebook, a Chromebook 4 from Samsung that cost a whole $120. Works like a charm! But that's because I followed the instructions from Lu's Tech Source. Without his guidance it would have been ugly. Also had to add a gnome keyring. (Thanks, anonymous poster!)
I used a Chromebook for a coding bootcamp for more then three months. Main problem with coding with Chrome Os is finding alternative ways supported, for instance a web server , or understand how to install certain packages required and solve problems with permissions. Performance wasn't too good, but i was able to do something unprofessional.
For a student I would highly recommend a chromebook over anything else. This comes with a lightweight easy to carry laptop and cheaper price. PCs are usually pretty heavy and macs are too expensive. I think chromebook will capture significant market in coming future.
When I was a web designer years ago, I can't remember the name of the application that I ran in Linux, I want to say something "Studio", but it ran just great, allowed for colored coding and editing, and the Chrome browser displayed the results just fine. I knew HTML and CSS at the time, and I was watching UA-cam videos to teach myself Javascript. It did a great job!
Trying to program on my school Chromebook is pain. I can't download and run any apps, and GitHub is blocked. The worst part is finding good online compilers. I found replit, and haven't used anything else to run my code.
Surprised it was that easy to get ARM builds of stuff. When I started down the chromebook path, the rule was if you wanted to do any power user stuff you should make sure to buy one with an Intel. (Then you had to enable devel mode and install crouton and whichever Ubuntu distro crouton had managed to get fully supported most recently. I'm still working with crouton just by inertia, but Google's own Linux subsystem might be better integrated.)
I have the original Chromebook Duet. It's hit and miss. When I first got mine in 2020 there wasn't an official VS Code for ARM so I had to use Code OSS. I think Apple offering mainstream ARM computers has helped a lot.
It's funny because I have done alot of my code learning on a 10" Lenovo Duet. Learned vscode is the way to go on an arm chromebook as pycharm is just way to slow. I could handle a simple flask server but that was pushing it to its limit. Stuff like selenium driver is pretty much a no go on a chromebook. Jupyter notebook works ok, I installed it on its own outside of anaconda. I also started using ssh to tunnel to a much faster desktop and just tapped into jupyter notebook through the ssh tunnel. I will say jupyter notebook was very slow for tab completing so I stopped using that function until I switched to the remote notebook via ssh.
The only problem I have with programming on my Acer R11 Chromebook is the standard layout for 11" Chromebooks. You really have to memorize how to hit the search key (below the tab normally is) and press some other key to get the keystroke you want like in Search+7 to get a { or Search+8 to get [
That's why i got a Chromebook with Intel CPU, 14" IPS screen (no touch), 8 GB memory. It may be less fancy than a touchscreen convertible one, but it runs much better any Linux environment, it has a larger keyboard, and it cost me less than a touchscreen 11" Chromebook. I bought it last year brand new and it cost only 280 euro.
Acer 17 inch Chromebook here! Faster Intel CPU. 8 gigs of Ram. Think I payed about $550 for it (whatever the currency converted to here in Sweden). Works great. Screen bright outdoors too. Great keyboard with a proper numerical keyboard to the right. No problems at all setting things up and getting Visual Studio running. Sure it is not as fast as my desktop PC with 32 gigs of Ram, a 136000k 14 core processor etc. But it gets the job done and the feel of the keyboard and the "biggish" screen makes it feel great! Simply don't need a really expensive Windows machine.
I really like the idea of investigating coding on an android phone with monitor mouse/keyboard. I think you could pick up a decent option from a resale phone shop.
honestly, this is why I'd rather have a refurbished or pre-owned Windows laptop if I am on a tight budget, fewer hoops to jump through to get started, and if I need an app...its almost certain there is a Windows version of it.
For me, I have a chromebook and I dualboot Linux and ChromeOS through SeaBoot, a legacy bios tool, and it works great! You can put ubuntu, or really any Linux distro on a Chromebook. You can even get Windows 10 or 11 running (this however requires hardware modification).
I am computer engineering student and i want to share my experience. I had 17 inch laptop which is super heavy to carry with me everyday to university and actually I did not want to change it another laptop. So I search little bit on google and find Chrome Book which is so much cheaper with great battery life, very light portable. I took my shot and bought it. First of all I thought it is just for watching online videos making power point slides reading pdf etc, surfing on youtube, reading and sending emails. But, then I tried to code on it with linux development enviroment. I was just suprised it is pretty good for students, beginners who want to learn code even want to just surf on internet. I absolutely recommend chromebook. Btw mine is Acer Chromebook 314 which is cheapest one. Pros: If you use it 50% brightness 8 hours battery life at least. If you use 30% then battery life is 12 hours and more. Portable 14 inch for is advantage you can carry and use anywhere you want and fit any kind of bag. Cons. VS code, Eclipse performanceis not so good because of hardware spces is low but for CodeBlock it is good. I dont know it just for me or not but wifi drops frequently sometimes it makes you crazy
THIS IS JUST JUNK. an internet terminal. Yes it wont handle visual studio, eclipse, apache, netbeans, ETC. my 10 year old dell HANDLE EVERTHING! A REAL JOB REQUIRES A REAL COMPUTER. I HAVE WINDOWS 10, 11 AND UBUNTU ON USB DRIVES AND THEY WORK GREAT ON MY 1 YEAR OLD COMPUTERS AND NY 10 YEAR OLD COMPUTERS!! A REAL JOB REQUIRES A REAL COMPTER EIGHTER WINDOWS 10, 11 OR LINUX(UBUNTU). DONT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY ON JUNK!! AN EMPLOYER WOULD LAUGH IF YOU TOLD HIM YOU OWNED A CHROME BOOK!!!
Just for the know, you can get a ThinkPad X380 Yoga that's quad core, NVME, has an amazing keyboard, is thin and light, has a touchscreen and pen, and costs about $300 on ebay.
for the same price as a lenovo duet you can get an acer spin 311. i have both and find the duet more gimmicky and less useful. the spin311 is a proper laptop (with tablet mode if you like), not highly powered but amazing for the price. my main coding computer for a year
Interesting video. Some of the issues you faced were due to a lack of knowledge rather than issues with ChromeOS itself. You didn't need to enable developer mode. To get VSCode running you only needed to enable linux and then download the correct version of VS Code and then right click to install from the downloads folder. Most of the other issues were really due to the ARM/Intel processors. This is an issue with Macs (M1) and Windows (Surface Pro X) as well. TBF, you did stick with it. Finally, you kind of limited yourself with a cheaper Chromebook. I use a Lenovo C13 16gb RAM for development every day and it handles everything (Python/Node) well.
Not an issue with M1 2022 anymore
anyway, linux is free if you dont value your time
@@noinghenah2764 I can say that this isn't 100% true for anyone reading the comment in present day. Still some quirks with some node packages, etc.
@@izurite depends on distro tho
@@izurite If you're writing programs, with the sole and only exception of Windows-only .NET applications, Linux is easier, faster, more intuitive, and quicker to pick up. For general users, I would tend to agree. For computer scientists, its the opposite. Linux goes as far as to act as your one-stop development environment. Not to mention the app support for Linux development is just... really really good. Linux does not only have all the apps you need, it often has the best-in-class apps. GCC, Apache, PHP, SSH, Git... these aren't just "good" features - these are the best.
If you're a web developer who sticks to Windows like its your life, you should probably wonder why you're bothering with Windows when your web app will be built entirely on Linux along with the rest of the Internet.
If you're the type who uses Visual C++, you should probably stop and contemplate why you're writing one of the worlds most portable languages on the least portable compiler and environment.
I'm not saying Windows sucks - but to say that Windows is "easier" for development is just straight up not true.
Before I got a (high end) Chromebook I thought I'd only use it for school related stuff. But once I installed Linux and started using it for coding it's hard to go back to Windows.
Linux is Just very practical
Wait till you get a real job.
@@romangeneral23 I use Linux at my workplace daily.
I really agree with this. It's mainly games and a couple of music related software that has kept me with 1 windows machine. I ended up getting an M1 Macbook Air for $860 new a year ago and that's completely taken care of the music stuff. Games are still an issue since my desktop is in a single GPU ITX case, but it's a work in progress. I don't hate Windows or MacOS for that matter, but I generally have my best general purpose computing experience on Manjaro or Chrome OS. It's just the commercial software availability issue that complicates things. If all software was on all operating systems I'd probably live in Manjaro.
@@dbjungle Hey... Hola... Yeah avid Linux user here to report that you can dual-boot on a desktop machine Windows + Linux on either separate drives (1 per OS) or all in a singular drive, using GRUB and really simple disk partitioning. It's really nice because gaming, music, etc. can all be done on Windows, and then you can go to Linux and use WINE/Proton to run a lot of Windows applications on Linux + all the native Linux apps. On a side note, you can use WSL2 on Windows to run Linux alongside Windows, which isn't my preference, but I've seen it done and it looks like a pretty seamless integration. The only downside is Mac since Apple likes to be jerks.
I appreciate that you didn't give up on the first hurdle. It's almost like instead of just deciding that the Chromebook wouldn't work for coding, you took time to learn how to use a Chromebook, and were able to get a lot done. Funny how that works.
You’ve basically summed up the programming experience! 👍🎉
A clear signal that you are a developer and a person that thrives on problem solving... ;)
So we can't use Chromebook for coding?
@@Gamer_xd58 you can do coding directly with the Linux terminal or you can use online coding platforms that run in the browser.
I learned how to code with my chromebook while I was on my graduation. It was really easy to set up somethings, others took days... But in the final picture, was a unexpectedly great experience: I carried a chromebook with me for 5 years, from High School to University.
I used a Chromebook with 32GB of storage, 4GB RAM and an old Intel Pentium
Wow, I like your story. Makes me feel l shouldn't worry so much about specs. Already skeptical of wasting time looking for some ideal device, with desire I think most would be fine anyway
@@blu3_enjoy I'd look for more internal storage tho, because it's a problem now for me right now, but only because I use Linux and the applications need more space to work fine.
But one thing you need to know is if you need a program or something that only works on Windows.
For the rest is all about what you would like to do with you laptop
This is an amazing comment. Proves you don’t need to spend an arm and a leg to learn how to code
oi, andré. tô querendo codar no meu chromebook da acer, mesmo prestando atenção no vídeo, eu me perdi nas etapas, pode me dar umas dicas?
@dedse3 google pixelbook go i5 16gb ssd 128gb or google pixelbook eve i7 16 gb ssd 500 gb?
I really appreciate the way that you mixed a vlog format with an explainer. A lot more engaging than a simple talking-head with stock videos. Thank you for putting in all the effort. 🙂
Happy to hear this format works!
Web, Godot, and Flutter development for me on ChromeOS has been fantastic the past two years. I highly recommend getting an Intel/AMD & 8GB Chromebook for dev work. Otherwise it will be a bit underpowered. Jetbrains IDEs and VSCode both work flawless with the beefier specs.
Thanks for the insight and agreed!
What chromebook did you used for development?
How's battery life with vscode and IDEs?
@@i_youtube_ w everything like Godot blender and vscode installed, I actually get about 6 to 8 hrs of battery on 86 health and on a 200 dollar chromebook, im saving up for a m2 mac air bc I'm actually turning 14 this may so I can get a job to actually get a nice laptop, im so excited I already submitted a job application
@@mistywhisp sorry you mean 6-8 hours when health was 86%?
I definitely appreciate your effort to learn if a Chromebook can be used for coding. You sort of took the hard way though: Going in Developer Mode opens up potential security holes that aren’t there when Developer Mode isn’t enabled. And, as you learned, there’s really no need to use it: Chrome OS started offering the Linux container in 2018. I started using it in beta back then and it became available on the Stable Channel by the end of 2019. I’ve used it for undergrad and graduate CS classes in Java, Python, web/JS/React, etc this way. Your choice of device made this a little more difficult too though. While all new Chromebooks since 2020 support the Linux container, choosing an ARM-based Chromebook means you may not find all of the Linux apps and packages you need as there’s far more x86 support. And, you’re essentially coding on a device that uses a smartphone chip; not even a flagship one. My daily driver for work and coding is a Core i5 Chromebook with 16 GB of memory; I’ve never run into package support issues and performance is top notch. So I sort of disagree with the final sentiment that “if you need more to code, look at Windows or macOS”. There are Chromebooks just as performant as those with some costs lower and some higher, depending on the configuration. Again, I appreciate your learning experience here. Good luck with the Lenovo Duet 5 and your coding efforts!
I agree! I just began learning to code, know extreme basics and i definetely had an easier experience than him, although i have and i5
I stopped using Develeper Mode and Crouton when I got my Pixelbook Go. I just use a Manjaro container and it's able to meet about 90% of my computing needs.
Sorry to ask but how do you only have 1.34k subs with more than 3 mil. views on your channel. And also, how did you get the checkmark. Kust curious :)
Why even a Chromebook in the first place
linux on arm is totally fine. yes some apps dont work but most that you need for coding do except Eclipse which honestly is anchient. intellij, android studio and vscode all work on arm.
Interesting video! Just want to point out few things regarding linux:
1. Git is installed by default on almost every linux system.
2. You can use Ctrl+L to clear the terminal instead of pressing multiple Enter.
3. You could've easily installed compatible vscode directly from your terminal.
You could also use the clear command
Getting a functional Usb-c hub is also a great way to extend the functionality of this type of chromebook. Allowing students to connect additional monitors, a proper keyboard and mouse and extra USB ports.
I really should of tried this!
0:58
Actually Intel based Chromebooks can run almost all linux based app
Where arm powered Chromebook can only run a few
i found out the hard way!
this exactly
Arm+linux is not really upto the mark yet
This surprises me. I have a Raspberry Pi 4 running 64 bit Raspberry Pi OS (Debian Bullseye based). I have yet to find a linux app that wasn't available for this 64-bit Arm based device.
All I could think of, "man, my back would kill after being in that posture for a prolonged period". But I guess that's the same for any laptop.
So true, I actually have a back strap that I often wear just to help me keep good positioning. Otherwise I fear my back will be crippled by the time I’m older
not a Bad Idea. Chromebooks Are pretty powerful for manny things. Plus you can pick them up from about $100 and up.
Yeah true, there are even cheaper ones than this
Lol, I remember barely being able to load UA-cam on mine
No need to enable developer mode, you only need to turn on the secure Linux sandbox in settings
Chromebook is actually a good device for Linux beginners(command line of course) too. Containered Linux instance, no need to worry about reinstalling if you fscked up. If you are familiar with Linux cli, you can run just everything Linux has (on a x86 one of course) without the need to install and setup Linux environment yourself.
I have the exact same (duet 5) in addition to a desktop. It's quite nice to have something portable, and with the linux environment you get most features (vscode, python, node, ts, git, ...). The battery life is stellar (like 15h+ for me) and the oled screen is also great! If you don't go for the lowest spec, there's also no really noticable hit in performance. I found that puppeteer doesn't work though.
I've used codeanywhere for development for the past 3 years and I love it SO much more than sublime text. I originally started using it because of my google pixelbook but now I use it on my windows machine also
Nice haven’t heard of that
This was a very nice and professional video! I can see this channel going far!
Thanks!
While I'm not much of a coder, I've been using a Lenovo duet as a supplement to my main PC, it's great as a secondary device and it also great for media consumption because you can run android apps
I really want to be like you man. Thanks for the hard work and satisfying contents.
Thanks, my goal is always to both inspire people and making programming enjoyable
I use my chromebook every day for programming. I have my own vscode server installed on a develop server. And I can use a browser to program, and I don't depent from software installed on my computer. And yes always need internet connection, but where you don't have connection today...
Yeah it’s a difficult device to use without constant internet
To answer your last question. Believe you’d be surprised.
You can buy a used windows laptop and install Chrome OS Flex on it and it can perform a lot better
it depends on the price, there are some chromebooks out there even cheaper that this, or even a second hand chromebook could be well, the most affordable device ever!
Even better, install arch.
I just bought one and I’m really grateful you took your time to confirm it’s a good choice
My personal recommendation is an old ThinkPad.
A T430 with a processor, ram, and screen upgrade is going to run you about $500. There’s some optional upgrades like an SSD, and i sprung for the hard drive enclosure that slots into the disk drive and a second SSD to go in there. (Well, I found a ThinkPad that had the SSDs already, but that initial purchase was like $350, so probably still spent less than $600 on the entire project.)
You can run windows or Linux on it. Given the amount of tinkering this involved, you can guess I went with Linux. Fedora with Gnome ( a pretty heavy OS) runs like a dream.
I have a t440p and there are a few complaints, weight, battery and speakers. apart from those it is a perfect machine.
those 9 cell batteries are so big but fail to hold 4+ hours for me
I have a t500 that lost it's hard drive to a lightning strike. But it can still boot from a USB drive. It's not the best coding device, but it does great for fiction writing. I just back everything I write onto my phone through a USB cable.
You can always remote into another computer to do those higher powered actions which is what I do. I use Chromebooks as a fancier terminal rather than try to code directly on most times.
for tablet/laptop convertibles, a sheet of .2" (5mm) foam from the craft store really helps in the lap. I keep one for that, with a stitched cord lip to catch the kickstand. as a passenger, a thin foam seatcushion (like thse taken to sporting events) works better still.
The most appealing thing about a device like this would be running linux and having ultimate customization. If Google leaned into the linux aspect more instead of hiding it and restricting the user I think chromebooks would be a lot more popular for personal use
I've installed ChromeOS on an (outdated) HP-Intel based Notebook, that has much more power. Installation is kinda tricky (tutorials are available on YT). Online apps can be set up as frameless full-screen apps via a shortcut.
That’s cool, never considered that
I got through my CS education on a Chromebook in the period 2014-2017. It was a torture initially but eventually it helped me learn a whole lot about the Linux system and was overall a very positive experience. You learn to appreciate the little things when you have to choose between having either Chrome or Android Studio open
I use the pixelbook go 16 GB for my master's comp sci program, and I would say it's even better than Windows since I don't need to deal with the frustrating path setting, which is a nightmare.
Don't you still need to set paths in your shell profile? Or do the installed defaults normally work perfectly?
@@dbjungle The latter, but I only installed few manually, I use the package manager (Apt) more often.
Amazing how one manages to develop actual applications with so little knowledge of Linux, Git and computers in general.
i was thinking this the entire time
Abstraction
This is what I thought the entire time
Average web dev
I use a much older chromebook running Arch btw instead of Chrome OS, and it's absolutely possible.
arch, btw
Nice video.
I was just browsing for this a Chromebook for some programming task.. glad to learn few things here.
Thanks for sharing..
👆send a direct message for support and guidance. .
Interesting Video Adrian! Keep up the great work
THanks I put a heap of effort into this one!
As a young coder who wants to get into creating/developing apps,i was firstly introduced to VS code,i have been coding for years but had no hardware to run code because the hardware is just simplistically to expensive and not in my budget,when i was introduced to Linux and VS code,i was ecstatic,using my knowledge of coding,i generated code in the Linux terminal to get VS code up and running on my pc,now im free to code and start my channel soon as a coder with years of experience in languages such as:Python,JavaScript,and Lua/Luau.I appreciate you for bringing this to me and Happy coding everyone.
You are working really hard !
Haha thanks yeah :)
I'm glad you didn't have the issue I had first time installing vscode on a chromebook
This was a good video. I always love to see people learning how useful and usable Chromebooks are. I would recommend not putting your Chromebook into Developer Mode unless you absolutely need to. You can't go back and forth between without completely wiping your device. Personally I find the default Debian container to be too far behind. I would recommend making an Arch or Manjaro container and everything else is pretty smooth sailing from there. You can choose between x86 and ARM processesors at different power levels for different trade offs. The decisions have to be more deliberate compared to buying like an M1 Macbook Air, but Chromebooks are still quite versatile.
Unfortunately I don't know how to do that so till now I was sticking with the default debian container
@@Jan7727 Arch seems to have a wiki page on it now, but you can probably find a tutorial for it somewhere else as well.
This is eye opening. I’ve never considered chromebook as a viable option for anything tech related. I’ve always thought of it as a device for some light school work for my kids…I’ll take a closer look at it.
Lot of IT knowledge lack to be a "developer"/"coder", in my opinion. How can you be a developer and don't know that programs are not the same for x86/64 and risc
For those that are used to Linux, it's kind of straightforward.
What kind of programmer doesn't know about linux
Web dev
I just realized that programming is not only a possibility to edit code. You still need NodeJs, Java, Terminal, docker, databases. Ehh…
I am watching your videos for the first time, and they are simple WOW !!! 😁👍
Thanks! 😃 I try to make each one with lots of value/effort
I recently moved to the USA. For two months now, I have been on the path of mastering Front-end development. I studied at my mother's computer on Windows, and now they gave me my own. For three days now I have been struggling with installing everything I need. There is almost no Russian-language information about this type of OS. I already thought that my path was closed on this, but still I decided to watch the video in English. Thanks to you, it became clear to me that there are some problems not only because of the language, but also because this type of OS really needs more attention.
There are other form factors and Chromebooks with more horsepower that can support web dev stacks. They won't be $400, but it'll still be relatively inexpensive. Glad you stuck it through it though. There are a few nuances as each OS has, but once you get through them and understand it's essentially Linux, you'll be OK.
Strange that you couldn't get VS Code on your Chromebook. I put my Chromebook into developer mode and enable Linux. I was then able to install VS Code and Python on my Chromebook. As far as Internet security, I have Norton 360 running on my Chromebook. Right now I am trying to get Sql Server on my Chromebook nowadays.
Well, if the rules are daily driving a chromebook (with heavy development/programming), I've been doing it for ~4 years straight now. However, I did wipe ChromeOS and replaced it with arch. Daily driving chromeOS would be a lot harder for me personally.
Now try to code on tab s8. It can run Linux through termux
Hello, have you ever tried to install Ionic and develop with it? Does the installation work on your Chromebook? If so, can you briefly describe the solution of a successful installation?
Needing to invest time to get everything to work how you want it to holds true for ANY OS, not just Chrome OS or Linux. For Windows you had already invested that. For many Windows users though, getting into the nitty-gritty of the Linux command line does present a steep learning curve. Kudos for not giving up.
Well, In my opinion, if you want to get some really cheap coding laptop for around 100 bucks, you could get some old Thinkpad and just install some minimal Linux there. On my T420S Arch Linux + i3wm runs pretty neat.
Thank you for all the info , it was pretty insightful
You can just run linux (beta) without developer mode
oh didn't even know that!
really glad i found this video as i am waiting for an SD card for my chromebook, then i'm going to be learning how to program.
My take on this: Only if Price is a huge concern. Go for a Chromebook. Otherwise it's not worth it. Definitely not a long-term device.
Yeah agreed, I like it as a getting started device especially if you want to learn and try things out
No, get a x86 processor Chromebook and Linux apps work like a charm on it. Also it connects with your Android phone. Using Chromebook for more than 3 years. Now I don't use Windows anymore. For more resource heavy stuff like video editing, I prefer to use Mac. Anyhow, Chromebook are cheap and I am not expecting editing on it.
I coded on python on my nicer chrome book this year for my high school CS class. It was hard to find some support things online but overall pygame worked and everything was good
love your videos
Hey thanks! I worked hard on this one!
thankyouthankyouthankyou for this video! I've been trying to get a code editor installed on my chromebook for months now and I knew there was something I was missing/didn't understand. Thanks to you I have it up and running and can continue to study to be a developer one day.
I too have been attempting to get coding done on chromebooks sense the my first ARM based samsung device.
my advise is max the ram, it will help. a lot. Also with the inclusion of android apps and linux containers the only limit is the hardware.
personally i install the linux terminal and do my coding in VI, i know i know, and it works well for some projects but can get cramped.
now with linux you can install deb manually or install the front end of your choosing.
cannot wait for what tomorrow will bring, exciting times!
I've gotta try out VI at some stage!
For 400$ u could easily get a refurbished/used HP Elitebook or Lenovo Thinkpad. Both are easily superior to a crappy chromebook.
PLEASE DO NOT ENABLE DEVELOPER MODE ON A CHROMEBOOK.
You do not need it (e.g. you can install Linux stuff without it, using the exact same process shown in this video) and it lowers the security of ChromeOS which is one of the best things about this OS.
"Security" isn't necessary tbh. All you need is common sense, and you'll be fine. Keep yourself informed, don't run random shit, and use vpns. You'll be fine.
-Never had a virus
What will be the alternative to developer mode?
I feel like straight up installing Linux distro could solve a lot of issues you faced. It would require additional setup, as it's always do
Was that Chromebook really the cheapest one for you at $400? Is that a region/currency thing? Most I've seen are $100-$200. You also said that Windows laptops and MacBooks are $4000 or more, but the most expensive, most kitted out MacBook is $3500. And most of the high-end Windows laptops are $1000-$1500.
I recently found an old 2012 Macbook pro that I used to use ages ago and swapped out the HDD for an SSD and put in new 16 GB ram sticks. It honestly runs extremely well for a 10 year old laptop and you can find them for sale online pretty easily for a couple hundred or even less. These old 2012s are also really sturdy and relatively easy to work on and find parts online. I recommend this people try this if they want MacOS for really cheap. The only downside is that you are stuck with Catalina out of the box since Apple doesn't support these computers after that version but there are also ways to unofficially get Ventura installed as well.
😊😊😊
:D
@@AdrianTwarog yaa your video is just awesome
@@AdrianTwarog Can you try Android studio in chromebook
Sir, if you would read the error message you would know that the processor is correct (CrOS actually for some reason runs Linux in a virtual machine), just the repository refused to fetch (maybe some internet error). Just try using a different repository.
HTML and CSS is not coding. Use microwave is not cooking.
When trying to decide whether to use an Armv7 or Armv8 package, find the specifications for your processor instead of just googling a generic thing. What you did worked, but you could have saved some time if you had looked to see what version of Arm was used to make the processor
Hey, on the bright side, at least he knew he had an ARM processor 🤷♂
fake developer you should have installed Gentoo on it
I still use my surface go my dad give me two years ago.
Lot of people doubt it can code or not, and it just crushed those doubts again and again.
Install Linux on it, now its keyboard is starting falling apart, but is inside is still running like a beast.
i did search about this topic few months ago, when i read a few comments said Chromebook install VSCode i gave up immediately, kudos to you to made it work. 😅
I didn't have laptop my first year of college. And had to use Chromebook for my CS classes. Chroot + Ubuntu. Only 4gb ram. It wasn't the best experience whatsoever, but 100% usable and got me through 1st year classes.
nice thanks for sharing!
I installed VS Code and gcc the other day on an even cheaper Chromebook, a Chromebook 4 from Samsung that cost a whole $120. Works like a charm! But that's because I followed the instructions from Lu's Tech Source. Without his guidance it would have been ugly. Also had to add a gnome keyring. (Thanks, anonymous poster!)
I used a Chromebook for a coding bootcamp for more then three months. Main problem with coding with Chrome Os is finding alternative ways supported, for instance a web server , or understand how to install certain packages required and solve problems with permissions. Performance wasn't too good, but i was able to do something unprofessional.
Is it still good to use in 2023? How is the tablet experience?
For a student I would highly recommend a chromebook over anything else. This comes with a lightweight easy to carry laptop and cheaper price.
PCs are usually pretty heavy and macs are too expensive. I think chromebook will capture significant market in coming future.
When I was a web designer years ago, I can't remember the name of the application that I ran in Linux, I want to say something "Studio", but it ran just great, allowed for colored coding and editing, and the Chrome browser displayed the results just fine. I knew HTML and CSS at the time, and I was watching UA-cam videos to teach myself Javascript. It did a great job!
Windows Virtual Studio
Trying to program on my school Chromebook is pain. I can't download and run any apps, and GitHub is blocked. The worst part is finding good online compilers. I found replit, and haven't used anything else to run my code.
Surprised it was that easy to get ARM builds of stuff. When I started down the chromebook path, the rule was if you wanted to do any power user stuff you should make sure to buy one with an Intel. (Then you had to enable devel mode and install crouton and whichever Ubuntu distro crouton had managed to get fully supported most recently. I'm still working with crouton just by inertia, but Google's own Linux subsystem might be better integrated.)
I have the original Chromebook Duet. It's hit and miss. When I first got mine in 2020 there wasn't an official VS Code for ARM so I had to use Code OSS. I think Apple offering mainstream ARM computers has helped a lot.
I did 4 years of an IT degree with a £150 acer chromebook. Bit tough at times but did everything needed
I am a subscriber to your channel and what I can say is that every seconds worth of time spent watching your video is definitely worth it.
👆send a direct message for support and guidance. .
It's funny because I have done alot of my code learning on a 10" Lenovo Duet. Learned vscode is the way to go on an arm chromebook as pycharm is just way to slow. I could handle a simple flask server but that was pushing it to its limit. Stuff like selenium driver is pretty much a no go on a chromebook. Jupyter notebook works ok, I installed it on its own outside of anaconda. I also started using ssh to tunnel to a much faster desktop and just tapped into jupyter notebook through the ssh tunnel. I will say jupyter notebook was very slow for tab completing so I stopped using that function until I switched to the remote notebook via ssh.
Dude you are now one of my favourite UA-cam content creators, this video was refreshing
ok you are a hero, now just need to find a light weight chromebook now Macbook Air is still too heavy for me
Had to code the Chromebook to Code on the Chromebook, this very cool. Love the video thank you for sharing
The only problem I have with programming on my Acer R11 Chromebook is the standard layout for 11" Chromebooks. You really have to memorize how to hit the search key (below the tab normally is) and press some other key to get the keystroke you want like in Search+7 to get a { or Search+8 to get [
That's why i got a Chromebook with Intel CPU, 14" IPS screen (no touch), 8 GB memory.
It may be less fancy than a touchscreen convertible one, but it runs much better any Linux environment, it has a larger keyboard, and it cost me less than a touchscreen 11" Chromebook.
I bought it last year brand new and it cost only 280 euro.
Maybe docker containers instead of installing node etc.?
Very nice video on chromebook also it might encourage me to even buy one for me in future till the time happy coding to all
great work!! I have several chromebook, but I can't use it because of my lack of computing knowledge. Your video is really helpful.
thanks alot for this and i really love the background beat
Awesome
There is also VIM in the chrome web store. This would've saved you a lot of time of getting vs code running in Ubuntu :)
Acer 17 inch Chromebook here! Faster Intel CPU. 8 gigs of Ram. Think I payed about $550 for it (whatever the currency converted to here in Sweden).
Works great. Screen bright outdoors too. Great keyboard with a proper numerical keyboard to the right.
No problems at all setting things up and getting Visual Studio running.
Sure it is not as fast as my desktop PC with 32 gigs of Ram, a 136000k 14 core processor etc.
But it gets the job done and the feel of the keyboard and the "biggish" screen makes it feel great!
Simply don't need a really expensive Windows machine.
Video about how the author became hunchbacked
I really like the idea of investigating coding on an android phone with monitor mouse/keyboard. I think you could pick up a decent option from a resale phone shop.
honestly, this is why I'd rather have a refurbished or pre-owned Windows laptop if I am on a tight budget, fewer hoops to jump through to get started, and if I need an app...its almost certain there is a Windows version of it.
For me, I have a chromebook and I dualboot Linux and ChromeOS through SeaBoot, a legacy bios tool, and it works great! You can put ubuntu, or really any Linux distro on a Chromebook. You can even get Windows 10 or 11 running (this however requires hardware modification).
For me, the killing issue is the lack of memory. I need to have Teams and Outlook open, and a bunch of chrome tabs.
I am computer engineering student and i want to share my experience.
I had 17 inch laptop which is super heavy to carry with me everyday to university and actually I did not want to change it another laptop. So I search little bit on google and find Chrome Book which is so much cheaper with great battery life, very light portable. I took my shot and bought it. First of all I thought it is just for watching online videos making power point slides reading pdf etc, surfing on youtube, reading and sending emails. But, then I tried to code on it with linux development enviroment. I was just suprised it is pretty good for students, beginners who want to learn code even want to just surf on internet. I absolutely recommend chromebook.
Btw mine is Acer Chromebook 314 which is cheapest one.
Pros:
If you use it 50% brightness 8 hours battery life at least. If you use 30% then battery life is 12 hours and more.
Portable
14 inch for is advantage you can carry and use anywhere you want and fit any kind of bag.
Cons.
VS code, Eclipse performanceis not so good because of hardware spces is low but for CodeBlock it is good.
I dont know it just for me or not but wifi drops frequently sometimes it makes you crazy
THIS IS JUST JUNK. an internet terminal. Yes it wont handle visual studio, eclipse, apache, netbeans, ETC. my 10 year old dell HANDLE EVERTHING! A REAL JOB REQUIRES A REAL COMPUTER. I HAVE WINDOWS 10, 11 AND UBUNTU ON USB DRIVES AND THEY WORK GREAT ON MY 1 YEAR OLD COMPUTERS AND NY 10 YEAR OLD COMPUTERS!! A REAL JOB REQUIRES A REAL COMPTER EIGHTER
WINDOWS 10, 11 OR LINUX(UBUNTU). DONT WASTE YOUR TIME OR MONEY ON JUNK!! AN EMPLOYER
WOULD LAUGH IF YOU TOLD HIM YOU OWNED A CHROME BOOK!!!
@mary smith this is funny. Because i mentioned that i am student.
Just for the know, you can get a ThinkPad X380 Yoga that's quad core, NVME, has an amazing keyboard, is thin and light, has a touchscreen and pen, and costs about $300 on ebay.
for the same price as a lenovo duet you can get an acer spin 311. i have both and find the duet more gimmicky and less useful. the spin311 is a proper laptop (with tablet mode if you like), not highly powered but amazing for the price. my main coding computer for a year