Nick's Software Engineering Posts

v1.1.0-rc.1

Last updated 2025-01-25

This guide provides reproducible steps for setting up a consistent software developer environment across different Ubuntu 24.04 installation types. This guide elicits some of my preferences in an Ubuntu linux environment, but can be scaled up or down rather easily.

Section A: Fresh Ubuntu Install on Computer
Section B: VirtualBox Ubuntu on Windows
Section C: Ubuntu on Windows via WSL2
Section D: Omakub-based Setup

Section A: Fresh Ubuntu Install on Computer

1. System Update

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

2. Install Essential Build Tools

sudo apt install -y build-essential curl wget git ssh libssl-dev pkg-config \
  ca-certificates gnupg lsb-release software-properties-common

3. Install ZSH and Oh My Zsh

# Install ZSH
sudo apt install -y zsh

# Set ZSH as default shell
chsh -s $(which zsh)

# Install Oh My Zsh
sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)"

4. Install Mise

Mise Documentation

curl https://mise.run | sh
echo 'eval "$(~/.local/bin/mise activate zsh)"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

5. Install Programming Languages

Rust (Direct Install - NOT via Mise)

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
source "$HOME/.cargo/env"

Go (Direct Install - NOT via Mise)

Go is installed directly from the official tarball. This provides more control over the installation and avoids potential issues with mise shims in certain toolchains.

# Remove any existing Go installation
sudo rm -rf /usr/local/go

# Download and extract Go (check https://go.dev/dl/ for latest version)
GO_VERSION="1.23.4"
wget "https://go.dev/dl/go${GO_VERSION}.linux-amd64.tar.gz"
sudo tar -C /usr/local -xzf "go${GO_VERSION}.linux-amd64.tar.gz"
rm "go${GO_VERSION}.linux-amd64.tar.gz"

# Add Go to PATH
echo 'export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/go/bin' >> ~/.zshrc
echo 'export PATH=$PATH:$HOME/go/bin' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

# Verify installation
go version

Alternative: Go via Mise

If you prefer version management through Mise:

mise use --global go@latest

Node.js (via Mise)

mise use --global node@lts

Bun (Direct Install - NOT via Mise)

curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash

Python (via Mise)

mise use --global python@latest

Additional Languages

# C/C++ (already installed via build-essential)

# C#
sudo apt install -y dotnet-sdk-8.0

# Zig
mise use --global zig@latest

# Elixir
mise use --global elixir@latest

# Java
mise use --global java@latest

6. Install Docker

# Add Docker's official GPG key
sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg
sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg

# Add repository
echo \
  "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu \
  $(lsb_release -cs) stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null

# Install Docker
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin

# Add user to docker group
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
newgrp docker

7. Install Podman

sudo apt install -y podman

8. Database Setup via Docker/Podman

Databases are primarily run as containers. Here are example commands:

PostgreSQL Container

docker run -d \
  --name postgres \
  -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=postgres \
  -p 5432:5432 \
  -v postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data \
  postgres:latest

SQLite Container

docker run -d \
  --name sqlite \
  -v sqlite_data:/data \
  nouchka/sqlite3:latest

Neo4j Container

docker run -d \
  --name neo4j \
  -p 7474:7474 -p 7687:7687 \
  -e NEO4J_AUTH=neo4j/password \
  -v neo4j_data:/data \
  neo4j:latest

Note: Replace docker with podman if using Podman.

9. Install Terminal Tools

Ghostty (with fallback)

# Try installing Ghostty
# Check https://ghostty.org for latest installation instructions
# If unavailable, use Alacritty as fallback:
# sudo apt install -y alacritty

Zellij

cargo install zellij

Neovim

mise use --global neovim@latest
# Using apt
# sudo apt install -y neovim

LazyVim

# Backup existing config
mv ~/.config/nvim ~/.config/nvim.bak 2>/dev/null
mv ~/.local/share/nvim ~/.local/share/nvim.bak 2>/dev/null

# Install LazyVim
git clone https://github.com/LazyVim/starter ~/.config/nvim
rm -rf ~/.config/nvim/.git

LazyDocker

curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jesseduffield/lazydocker/master/scripts/install_update_linux.sh | bash

10. Install AI Tools

Ollama

curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh

Amazon Q

# Install via npm
npm install -g @aws/amazon-q-developer-cli

Claude Code

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

loclaude (Local Claude Code with Ollama)

loclaude Documentation

loclaude lets you run Claude Code against local Ollama models instead of the Anthropic API. Useful for avoiding rate limits and keeping code on your machine.

Prerequisites: Docker, Claude Code CLI, and Ollama v0.14.2+ (loclaude can manage Ollama via Docker).

# Install via npm
npm install -g loclaude

# Or via bun (recommended)
bun install -g loclaude

# Verify installation and check prerequisites
loclaude doctor

Quick Start:

# Initialize a project with Docker Compose for Ollama + Open WebUI
loclaude init

# Start the Ollama container
loclaude docker-up

# Pull a model (GPU with 16GB+ VRAM)
loclaude models-pull qwen3-coder:30b

# Or for CPU / limited VRAM
loclaude models-pull qwen2.5-coder:7b

# Run Claude Code with local model
loclaude run

GPU vs CPU Mode:

loclaude init auto-detects GPU availability
Use loclaude init --no-gpu to force CPU-only mode
CPU mode works but expect ~10-20 tokens/sec with smaller models

Configuration (.loclaude/config.json):

{
  "ollama": {
    "url": "http://localhost:11434",
    "defaultModel": "qwen3-coder:30b"
  },
  "docker": {
    "composeFile": "./docker-compose.yml",
    "gpu": true
  }
}

Common Commands:

loclaude docker-up       # Start containers
loclaude docker-down     # Stop containers
loclaude docker-status   # Check container status
loclaude models          # List installed models
loclaude models-pull <name>  # Pull a model
loclaude run             # Run Claude Code (interactive model picker)
loclaude run -m <model>  # Run with specific model
loclaude doctor          # Check system requirements

11. Install Development Tools

GitHub CLI

sudo apt install -y gh

12. Install IDEs

VSCode

# Download from vendor
wget -O vscode.deb 'https://code.visualstudio.com/sha/download?build=stable&os=linux-deb-x64'
sudo dpkg -i vscode.deb
sudo apt install -f -y
rm vscode.deb

Zed

# Download from vendor
# TODO resolve issues with GPU renderer via vulkan installation 
curl -f https://zed.dev/install.sh | sh

13. Install Browsers

Brave

# Download from vendor
wget -O brave.deb 'https://laptop-updates.brave.com/latest/linux'
sudo dpkg -i brave.deb
sudo apt install -f -y
rm brave.deb

Firefox

# Download from vendor
wget -O firefox.tar.bz2 'https://download.mozilla.org/?product=firefox-latest&os=linux64&lang=en-US'
tar -xjf firefox.tar.bz2
sudo mv firefox /opt/
sudo ln -s /opt/firefox/firefox /usr/local/bin/firefox
rm firefox.tar.bz2

14. Install Design Tools

Figma

# Download from vendor
wget -O figma.AppImage 'https://desktop.figma.com/linux/Figma.AppImage'
chmod +x figma.AppImage
sudo mv figma.AppImage /opt/figma
sudo ln -s /opt/figma /usr/local/bin/figma

15. Configure Git

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"
git config --global init.defaultBranch main

16. Reboot

sudo reboot

Section B: VirtualBox Ubuntu on Windows

Prerequisites on Windows Host

Download and install VirtualBox
Download Ubuntu 24.04 Desktop ISO

VirtualBox VM Setup

Create New VM
- Name: Ubuntu-Dev
- Type: Linux
- Version: Ubuntu (64-bit)
- Memory: 8192 MB (minimum, 16384 MB recommended)
- Create virtual hard disk: VDI, Dynamically allocated, 50 GB minimum
VM Settings
- System → Processor: 4 CPUs minimum
- Display → Video Memory: 128 MB
- Storage → Add Ubuntu ISO to optical drive
- Network → Adapter 1: NAT or Bridged Adapter
Install Ubuntu
- Start VM and follow Ubuntu installation wizard
- Choose "Normal installation"
- Install third-party software for graphics and Wi-Fi hardware
Install VirtualBox Guest Additions

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y build-essential dkms linux-headers-$(uname -r)

# Insert Guest Additions CD from VirtualBox menu: Devices → Insert Guest Additions CD
sudo mount /dev/cdrom /mnt
sudo /mnt/VBoxLinuxAdditions.run
sudo reboot

Enable Shared Clipboard and Drag-and-Drop
- VirtualBox menu: Devices → Shared Clipboard → Bidirectional
- Devices → Drag and Drop → Bidirectional

Continue with Section A Steps

After Guest Additions installation, follow all steps from Section A starting from step 1.

Section C: Ubuntu on Windows via WSL2

Prerequisites on Windows

Enable WSL2

Open PowerShell as Administrator:

wsl --install

If WSL is already installed, ensure WSL2 is default:

wsl --set-default-version 2

Install Ubuntu 24.04

wsl --install -d Ubuntu-24.04

Launch Ubuntu and Create User

Launch "Ubuntu 24.04" from Start menu and create your user account.

WSL-Specific Configuration

Enable systemd

sudo tee /etc/wsl.conf > /dev/null <<EOF
[boot]
systemd=true

[interop]
enabled=true
appendWindowsPath=true
EOF

Restart WSL from PowerShell:

wsl --shutdown

Relaunch Ubuntu.

Install Windows Terminal (Optional but Recommended)

From PowerShell:

winget install Microsoft.WindowsTerminal

Continue with Section A Steps

Follow all steps from Section A with these WSL-specific notes:

Modifications for WSL:

Docker: Use Docker Desktop for Windows with WSL2 backend instead of Docker CE:
- Install Docker Desktop for Windows
- Enable WSL2 integration in Docker Desktop settings
- Skip Docker installation steps from Section A
loclaude: Works in WSL2 with Docker Desktop integration. Ensure Docker Desktop WSL2 backend is enabled.
Ghostty: Not available on WSL. Use Windows Terminal instead.
GUI Applications:
- VSCode: Install on Windows and use WSL extension
- Browsers: Use Windows versions
- Figma: Use Windows version or web app
Zed: Install Windows version if available, or use VSCode

VSCode WSL Integration

On Windows, install VSCode and the WSL extension:

winget install Microsoft.VisualStudioCode

In VSCode, install the "WSL" extension. Then from Ubuntu terminal:

code .

This will connect VSCode on Windows to your WSL environment.

Section D: Omakub-based Setup

Omakub is an opinionated Ubuntu 24.04 setup that includes many developer tools out of the box.

1. Install Omakub

wget -qO- https://omakub.org/install | bash

This will install:

ZSH with Oh My Zsh
Docker
Neovim
Various terminal tools
And more...

2. Post-Omakub Customizations

After Omakub installation, add the following tools specific to your workflow:

Install Rust (NOT via Mise)

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
source "$HOME/.cargo/env"

Install Go (Direct Install)

# Remove any existing Go installation
sudo rm -rf /usr/local/go

# Download and extract Go
GO_VERSION="1.23.4"
wget "https://go.dev/dl/go${GO_VERSION}.linux-amd64.tar.gz"
sudo tar -C /usr/local -xzf "go${GO_VERSION}.linux-amd64.tar.gz"
rm "go${GO_VERSION}.linux-amd64.tar.gz"

# Add Go to PATH
echo 'export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/go/bin' >> ~/.zshrc
echo 'export PATH=$PATH:$HOME/go/bin' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

Install Languages via Mise

mise use --global node@lts
mise use --global python@latest
mise use --global zig@latest
mise use --global elixir@latest
mise use --global java@latest

Install Bun (NOT via Mise)

curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash

Install Podman

sudo apt install -y podman

Install Zellij

cargo install zellij

Install LazyVim

mv ~/.config/nvim ~/.config/nvim.bak 2>/dev/null
mv ~/.local/share/nvim ~/.local/share/nvim.bak 2>/dev/null
git clone https://github.com/LazyVim/starter ~/.config/nvim
rm -rf ~/.config/nvim/.git

Install LazyDocker

curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jesseduffield/lazydocker/master/scripts/install_update_linux.sh | bash

Install Ollama

curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh

Install Amazon Q

npm install -g @aws/amazon-q-developer-cli

Install Claude Code

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Install loclaude

# Via npm
npm install -g loclaude

# Or via bun
bun install -g loclaude

# Verify
loclaude doctor

# Quick setup for a project
loclaude init
loclaude docker-up
loclaude models-pull qwen3-coder:30b

Install VSCode

wget -O vscode.deb 'https://code.visualstudio.com/sha/download?build=stable&os=linux-deb-x64'
sudo dpkg -i vscode.deb
sudo apt install -f -y
rm vscode.deb

Install Zed

curl -f https://zed.dev/install.sh | sh

Install Brave Browser

wget -O brave.deb 'https://laptop-updates.brave.com/latest/linux'
sudo dpkg -i brave.deb
sudo apt install -f -y
rm brave.deb

Install Figma

wget -O figma.AppImage 'https://desktop.figma.com/linux/Figma.AppImage'
chmod +x figma.AppImage
sudo mv figma.AppImage /opt/figma
sudo ln -s /opt/figma /usr/local/bin/figma

Install C# Support

sudo apt install -y dotnet-sdk-8.0

3. Setup Databases via Docker

Follow the same database container setup from Section A, Step 8.

4. Configure Git

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"
git config --global init.defaultBranch main

5. Reboot

sudo reboot

Post-Installation Verification

Run these commands to verify installations:

# Languages
rustc --version
go version
node --version
bun --version
python --version

# Tools
docker --version
podman --version
zellij --version
nvim --version
gh --version
ollama --version

# AI Tools
claude --version
loclaude --version
loclaude doctor

# Databases (if running containers)
docker ps  # Check running containers

Troubleshooting

Mise not found after installation

export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"
echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc

Docker permission denied

sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
newgrp docker

WSL systemd not working

Ensure Windows version is 11 or Windows 10 with build 19041 or higher.

Go not found after installation

export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/go/bin
export PATH=$PATH:$HOME/go/bin
echo 'export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/go/bin' >> ~/.zshrc
echo 'export PATH=$PATH:$HOME/go/bin' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

loclaude doctor fails

Common issues:

# Docker not running
sudo systemctl start docker

# Ollama version too old (requires >= 0.14.2)
loclaude docker-down
docker pull ollama/ollama:latest
loclaude docker-up

# Claude Code not installed
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

loclaude GPU not detected

# Verify NVIDIA drivers
nvidia-smi

# Test Docker GPU access
docker run --rm --gpus all nvidia/cuda:12.0-base nvidia-smi

# If missing, install NVIDIA Container Toolkit
sudo apt install -y nvidia-container-toolkit
sudo nvidia-ctk runtime configure --runtime=docker
sudo systemctl restart docker

# Re-init with GPU
loclaude init --gpu --force

Maintenance

Update all Mise tools

mise upgrade

Update Rust

rustup update

Update Go

# Check current version
go version

# Download new version (update GO_VERSION)
GO_VERSION="1.23.4"
sudo rm -rf /usr/local/go
wget "https://go.dev/dl/go${GO_VERSION}.linux-amd64.tar.gz"
sudo tar -C /usr/local -xzf "go${GO_VERSION}.linux-amd64.tar.gz"
rm "go${GO_VERSION}.linux-amd64.tar.gz"
go version

Update system packages

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Update Bun

bun upgrade

Update loclaude

npm update -g loclaude
# or
bun update -g loclaude

Update Ollama models

loclaude models-pull qwen3-coder:30b  # Re-pull to get latest

View the Github Gist here.

v1.1.0-rc.1

Last updated 2025-01-25

Section A: Fresh Ubuntu Install on Computer
Section B: VirtualBox Ubuntu on Windows
Section C: Ubuntu on Windows via WSL2
Section D: Omakub-based Setup

Section A: Fresh Ubuntu Install on Computer

1. System Update

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

2. Install Essential Build Tools

sudo apt install -y build-essential curl wget git ssh libssl-dev pkg-config \
  ca-certificates gnupg lsb-release software-properties-common

3. Install ZSH and Oh My Zsh

# Install ZSH
sudo apt install -y zsh

# Set ZSH as default shell
chsh -s $(which zsh)

# Install Oh My Zsh
sh -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ohmyzsh/ohmyzsh/master/tools/install.sh)"

4. Install Mise

Mise Documentation

curl https://mise.run | sh
echo 'eval "$(~/.local/bin/mise activate zsh)"' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

5. Install Programming Languages

Rust (Direct Install - NOT via Mise)

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
source "$HOME/.cargo/env"

Go (Direct Install - NOT via Mise)

Go is installed directly from the official tarball. This provides more control over the installation and avoids potential issues with mise shims in certain toolchains.

# Remove any existing Go installation
sudo rm -rf /usr/local/go

# Download and extract Go (check https://go.dev/dl/ for latest version)
GO_VERSION="1.23.4"
wget "https://go.dev/dl/go${GO_VERSION}.linux-amd64.tar.gz"
sudo tar -C /usr/local -xzf "go${GO_VERSION}.linux-amd64.tar.gz"
rm "go${GO_VERSION}.linux-amd64.tar.gz"

# Add Go to PATH
echo 'export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/go/bin' >> ~/.zshrc
echo 'export PATH=$PATH:$HOME/go/bin' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

# Verify installation
go version

Alternative: Go via Mise

If you prefer version management through Mise:

mise use --global go@latest

Node.js (via Mise)

mise use --global node@lts

Bun (Direct Install - NOT via Mise)

curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash

Python (via Mise)

mise use --global python@latest

Additional Languages

# C/C++ (already installed via build-essential)

# C#
sudo apt install -y dotnet-sdk-8.0

# Zig
mise use --global zig@latest

# Elixir
mise use --global elixir@latest

# Java
mise use --global java@latest

6. Install Docker

# Add Docker's official GPG key
sudo install -m 0755 -d /etc/apt/keyrings
curl -fsSL https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu/gpg | sudo gpg --dearmor -o /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg
sudo chmod a+r /etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg

# Add repository
echo \
  "deb [arch=$(dpkg --print-architecture) signed-by=/etc/apt/keyrings/docker.gpg] https://download.docker.com/linux/ubuntu \
  $(lsb_release -cs) stable" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/docker.list > /dev/null

# Install Docker
sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y docker-ce docker-ce-cli containerd.io docker-buildx-plugin docker-compose-plugin

# Add user to docker group
sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
newgrp docker

7. Install Podman

sudo apt install -y podman

8. Database Setup via Docker/Podman

Databases are primarily run as containers. Here are example commands:

PostgreSQL Container

docker run -d \
  --name postgres \
  -e POSTGRES_PASSWORD=postgres \
  -p 5432:5432 \
  -v postgres_data:/var/lib/postgresql/data \
  postgres:latest

SQLite Container

docker run -d \
  --name sqlite \
  -v sqlite_data:/data \
  nouchka/sqlite3:latest

Neo4j Container

docker run -d \
  --name neo4j \
  -p 7474:7474 -p 7687:7687 \
  -e NEO4J_AUTH=neo4j/password \
  -v neo4j_data:/data \
  neo4j:latest

Note: Replace docker with podman if using Podman.

9. Install Terminal Tools

Ghostty (with fallback)

# Try installing Ghostty
# Check https://ghostty.org for latest installation instructions
# If unavailable, use Alacritty as fallback:
# sudo apt install -y alacritty

Zellij

cargo install zellij

Neovim

mise use --global neovim@latest
# Using apt
# sudo apt install -y neovim

LazyVim

# Backup existing config
mv ~/.config/nvim ~/.config/nvim.bak 2>/dev/null
mv ~/.local/share/nvim ~/.local/share/nvim.bak 2>/dev/null

# Install LazyVim
git clone https://github.com/LazyVim/starter ~/.config/nvim
rm -rf ~/.config/nvim/.git

LazyDocker

curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jesseduffield/lazydocker/master/scripts/install_update_linux.sh | bash

10. Install AI Tools

Ollama

curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh

Amazon Q

# Install via npm
npm install -g @aws/amazon-q-developer-cli

Claude Code

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

loclaude (Local Claude Code with Ollama)

loclaude Documentation

loclaude lets you run Claude Code against local Ollama models instead of the Anthropic API. Useful for avoiding rate limits and keeping code on your machine.

Prerequisites: Docker, Claude Code CLI, and Ollama v0.14.2+ (loclaude can manage Ollama via Docker).

# Install via npm
npm install -g loclaude

# Or via bun (recommended)
bun install -g loclaude

# Verify installation and check prerequisites
loclaude doctor

Quick Start:

# Initialize a project with Docker Compose for Ollama + Open WebUI
loclaude init

# Start the Ollama container
loclaude docker-up

# Pull a model (GPU with 16GB+ VRAM)
loclaude models-pull qwen3-coder:30b

# Or for CPU / limited VRAM
loclaude models-pull qwen2.5-coder:7b

# Run Claude Code with local model
loclaude run

GPU vs CPU Mode:

loclaude init auto-detects GPU availability
Use loclaude init --no-gpu to force CPU-only mode
CPU mode works but expect ~10-20 tokens/sec with smaller models

Configuration (.loclaude/config.json):

{
  "ollama": {
    "url": "http://localhost:11434",
    "defaultModel": "qwen3-coder:30b"
  },
  "docker": {
    "composeFile": "./docker-compose.yml",
    "gpu": true
  }
}

Common Commands:

loclaude docker-up       # Start containers
loclaude docker-down     # Stop containers
loclaude docker-status   # Check container status
loclaude models          # List installed models
loclaude models-pull <name>  # Pull a model
loclaude run             # Run Claude Code (interactive model picker)
loclaude run -m <model>  # Run with specific model
loclaude doctor          # Check system requirements

11. Install Development Tools

GitHub CLI

sudo apt install -y gh

12. Install IDEs

VSCode

# Download from vendor
wget -O vscode.deb 'https://code.visualstudio.com/sha/download?build=stable&os=linux-deb-x64'
sudo dpkg -i vscode.deb
sudo apt install -f -y
rm vscode.deb

Zed

# Download from vendor
# TODO resolve issues with GPU renderer via vulkan installation 
curl -f https://zed.dev/install.sh | sh

13. Install Browsers

Brave

# Download from vendor
wget -O brave.deb 'https://laptop-updates.brave.com/latest/linux'
sudo dpkg -i brave.deb
sudo apt install -f -y
rm brave.deb

Firefox

# Download from vendor
wget -O firefox.tar.bz2 'https://download.mozilla.org/?product=firefox-latest&os=linux64&lang=en-US'
tar -xjf firefox.tar.bz2
sudo mv firefox /opt/
sudo ln -s /opt/firefox/firefox /usr/local/bin/firefox
rm firefox.tar.bz2

14. Install Design Tools

Figma

# Download from vendor
wget -O figma.AppImage 'https://desktop.figma.com/linux/Figma.AppImage'
chmod +x figma.AppImage
sudo mv figma.AppImage /opt/figma
sudo ln -s /opt/figma /usr/local/bin/figma

15. Configure Git

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"
git config --global init.defaultBranch main

16. Reboot

sudo reboot

Section B: VirtualBox Ubuntu on Windows

Prerequisites on Windows Host

Download and install VirtualBox
Download Ubuntu 24.04 Desktop ISO

VirtualBox VM Setup

Create New VM
- Name: Ubuntu-Dev
- Type: Linux
- Version: Ubuntu (64-bit)
- Memory: 8192 MB (minimum, 16384 MB recommended)
- Create virtual hard disk: VDI, Dynamically allocated, 50 GB minimum
VM Settings
- System → Processor: 4 CPUs minimum
- Display → Video Memory: 128 MB
- Storage → Add Ubuntu ISO to optical drive
- Network → Adapter 1: NAT or Bridged Adapter
Install Ubuntu
- Start VM and follow Ubuntu installation wizard
- Choose "Normal installation"
- Install third-party software for graphics and Wi-Fi hardware
Install VirtualBox Guest Additions

sudo apt update
sudo apt install -y build-essential dkms linux-headers-$(uname -r)

# Insert Guest Additions CD from VirtualBox menu: Devices → Insert Guest Additions CD
sudo mount /dev/cdrom /mnt
sudo /mnt/VBoxLinuxAdditions.run
sudo reboot

Enable Shared Clipboard and Drag-and-Drop
- VirtualBox menu: Devices → Shared Clipboard → Bidirectional
- Devices → Drag and Drop → Bidirectional

Continue with Section A Steps

After Guest Additions installation, follow all steps from Section A starting from step 1.

Section C: Ubuntu on Windows via WSL2

Prerequisites on Windows

Enable WSL2

Open PowerShell as Administrator:

wsl --install

If WSL is already installed, ensure WSL2 is default:

wsl --set-default-version 2

Install Ubuntu 24.04

wsl --install -d Ubuntu-24.04

Launch Ubuntu and Create User

Launch "Ubuntu 24.04" from Start menu and create your user account.

WSL-Specific Configuration

Enable systemd

sudo tee /etc/wsl.conf > /dev/null <<EOF
[boot]
systemd=true

[interop]
enabled=true
appendWindowsPath=true
EOF

Restart WSL from PowerShell:

wsl --shutdown

Relaunch Ubuntu.

Install Windows Terminal (Optional but Recommended)

From PowerShell:

winget install Microsoft.WindowsTerminal

Continue with Section A Steps

Follow all steps from Section A with these WSL-specific notes:

Modifications for WSL:

Docker: Use Docker Desktop for Windows with WSL2 backend instead of Docker CE:
- Install Docker Desktop for Windows
- Enable WSL2 integration in Docker Desktop settings
- Skip Docker installation steps from Section A
loclaude: Works in WSL2 with Docker Desktop integration. Ensure Docker Desktop WSL2 backend is enabled.
Ghostty: Not available on WSL. Use Windows Terminal instead.
GUI Applications:
- VSCode: Install on Windows and use WSL extension
- Browsers: Use Windows versions
- Figma: Use Windows version or web app
Zed: Install Windows version if available, or use VSCode

VSCode WSL Integration

On Windows, install VSCode and the WSL extension:

winget install Microsoft.VisualStudioCode

In VSCode, install the "WSL" extension. Then from Ubuntu terminal:

code .

This will connect VSCode on Windows to your WSL environment.

Section D: Omakub-based Setup

Omakub is an opinionated Ubuntu 24.04 setup that includes many developer tools out of the box.

1. Install Omakub

wget -qO- https://omakub.org/install | bash

This will install:

ZSH with Oh My Zsh
Docker
Neovim
Various terminal tools
And more...

2. Post-Omakub Customizations

After Omakub installation, add the following tools specific to your workflow:

Install Rust (NOT via Mise)

curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://sh.rustup.rs | sh
source "$HOME/.cargo/env"

Install Go (Direct Install)

# Remove any existing Go installation
sudo rm -rf /usr/local/go

# Download and extract Go
GO_VERSION="1.23.4"
wget "https://go.dev/dl/go${GO_VERSION}.linux-amd64.tar.gz"
sudo tar -C /usr/local -xzf "go${GO_VERSION}.linux-amd64.tar.gz"
rm "go${GO_VERSION}.linux-amd64.tar.gz"

# Add Go to PATH
echo 'export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/go/bin' >> ~/.zshrc
echo 'export PATH=$PATH:$HOME/go/bin' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

Install Languages via Mise

mise use --global node@lts
mise use --global python@latest
mise use --global zig@latest
mise use --global elixir@latest
mise use --global java@latest

Install Bun (NOT via Mise)

curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash

Install Podman

sudo apt install -y podman

Install Zellij

cargo install zellij

Install LazyVim

mv ~/.config/nvim ~/.config/nvim.bak 2>/dev/null
mv ~/.local/share/nvim ~/.local/share/nvim.bak 2>/dev/null
git clone https://github.com/LazyVim/starter ~/.config/nvim
rm -rf ~/.config/nvim/.git

Install LazyDocker

curl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/jesseduffield/lazydocker/master/scripts/install_update_linux.sh | bash

Install Ollama

curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh

Install Amazon Q

npm install -g @aws/amazon-q-developer-cli

Install Claude Code

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Install loclaude

# Via npm
npm install -g loclaude

# Or via bun
bun install -g loclaude

# Verify
loclaude doctor

# Quick setup for a project
loclaude init
loclaude docker-up
loclaude models-pull qwen3-coder:30b

Install VSCode

wget -O vscode.deb 'https://code.visualstudio.com/sha/download?build=stable&os=linux-deb-x64'
sudo dpkg -i vscode.deb
sudo apt install -f -y
rm vscode.deb

Install Zed

curl -f https://zed.dev/install.sh | sh

Install Brave Browser

wget -O brave.deb 'https://laptop-updates.brave.com/latest/linux'
sudo dpkg -i brave.deb
sudo apt install -f -y
rm brave.deb

Install Figma

wget -O figma.AppImage 'https://desktop.figma.com/linux/Figma.AppImage'
chmod +x figma.AppImage
sudo mv figma.AppImage /opt/figma
sudo ln -s /opt/figma /usr/local/bin/figma

Install C# Support

sudo apt install -y dotnet-sdk-8.0

3. Setup Databases via Docker

Follow the same database container setup from Section A, Step 8.

4. Configure Git

git config --global user.name "Your Name"
git config --global user.email "your.email@example.com"
git config --global init.defaultBranch main

5. Reboot

sudo reboot

Post-Installation Verification

Run these commands to verify installations:

# Languages
rustc --version
go version
node --version
bun --version
python --version

# Tools
docker --version
podman --version
zellij --version
nvim --version
gh --version
ollama --version

# AI Tools
claude --version
loclaude --version
loclaude doctor

# Databases (if running containers)
docker ps  # Check running containers

Troubleshooting

Mise not found after installation

export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"
echo 'export PATH="$HOME/.local/bin:$PATH"' >> ~/.zshrc

Docker permission denied

sudo usermod -aG docker $USER
newgrp docker

WSL systemd not working

Ensure Windows version is 11 or Windows 10 with build 19041 or higher.

Go not found after installation

export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/go/bin
export PATH=$PATH:$HOME/go/bin
echo 'export PATH=$PATH:/usr/local/go/bin' >> ~/.zshrc
echo 'export PATH=$PATH:$HOME/go/bin' >> ~/.zshrc
source ~/.zshrc

loclaude doctor fails

Common issues:

# Docker not running
sudo systemctl start docker

# Ollama version too old (requires >= 0.14.2)
loclaude docker-down
docker pull ollama/ollama:latest
loclaude docker-up

# Claude Code not installed
npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

loclaude GPU not detected

# Verify NVIDIA drivers
nvidia-smi

# Test Docker GPU access
docker run --rm --gpus all nvidia/cuda:12.0-base nvidia-smi

# If missing, install NVIDIA Container Toolkit
sudo apt install -y nvidia-container-toolkit
sudo nvidia-ctk runtime configure --runtime=docker
sudo systemctl restart docker

# Re-init with GPU
loclaude init --gpu --force

Maintenance

Update all Mise tools

mise upgrade

Update Rust

rustup update

Update Go

# Check current version
go version

# Download new version (update GO_VERSION)
GO_VERSION="1.23.4"
sudo rm -rf /usr/local/go
wget "https://go.dev/dl/go${GO_VERSION}.linux-amd64.tar.gz"
sudo tar -C /usr/local -xzf "go${GO_VERSION}.linux-amd64.tar.gz"
rm "go${GO_VERSION}.linux-amd64.tar.gz"
go version

Update system packages

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

Update Bun

bun upgrade

Update loclaude

npm update -g loclaude
# or
bun update -g loclaude

Update Ollama models

loclaude models-pull qwen3-coder:30b  # Re-pull to get latest

Table of Contents

Section A: Fresh Ubuntu Install on Computer

1. System Update

2. Install Essential Build Tools

3. Install ZSH and Oh My Zsh

4. Install Mise

5. Install Programming Languages

Rust (Direct Install - NOT via Mise)

Go (Direct Install - NOT via Mise)

Node.js (via Mise)

Bun (Direct Install - NOT via Mise)

Python (via Mise)

Additional Languages

6. Install Docker

7. Install Podman

8. Database Setup via Docker/Podman

PostgreSQL Container

SQLite Container

Neo4j Container

9. Install Terminal Tools

Ghostty (with fallback)

Zellij

Neovim

LazyVim

LazyDocker

10. Install AI Tools

Ollama

Amazon Q

Claude Code

loclaude (Local Claude Code with Ollama)

11. Install Development Tools

GitHub CLI

12. Install IDEs

VSCode

Zed

13. Install Browsers

Brave

Firefox

14. Install Design Tools

Figma

15. Configure Git

16. Reboot

Section B: VirtualBox Ubuntu on Windows

Prerequisites on Windows Host

VirtualBox VM Setup

Continue with Section A Steps

Section C: Ubuntu on Windows via WSL2

Prerequisites on Windows

WSL-Specific Configuration

Enable systemd

Install Windows Terminal (Optional but Recommended)

Continue with Section A Steps

VSCode WSL Integration

Section D: Omakub-based Setup

1. Install Omakub

2. Post-Omakub Customizations

Install Rust (NOT via Mise)

Install Go (Direct Install)

Install Languages via Mise

Install Bun (NOT via Mise)

Install Podman

Install Zellij

Install LazyVim

Install LazyDocker

Install Ollama

Install Amazon Q

Install Claude Code

Install loclaude

Install VSCode

Install Zed

Install Brave Browser

Install Figma

Install C# Support

3. Setup Databases via Docker

4. Configure Git

5. Reboot

Post-Installation Verification

Troubleshooting

Mise not found after installation

Docker permission denied