Simple Node.js Development VM

This project aims to make spinning up a simple local Node.js test/development environment incredibly quick and easy, and to introduce new developers to the wonderful world of Node.js development on local virtual machines.

It will install the following on a CentOS 6.4 linux VM:

• Node.js (latest version in EPEL repository)
• Express
• A simple demonstration Node.js app

It should take 5-10 minutes to build or rebuild the VM from scratch on a decent broadband connection.

Quick Start Guide

1 - Install dependencies (VirtualBox, Vagrant, Ansible)

1. Download and install VirtualBox.
2. Download and install Vagrant.
3. [Mac/Linux only] Install Ansible.

Note for Windows users: This guide assumes you're on a Mac or Linux host. Windows support may be added when I get a little more time; the main difference is Ansible needs to be bootstrapped from within the VM after it's created. See JJG-Ansible-Windows for more information.

2 - Build the Virtual Machine

1. Download this project and put it wherever you want.
2. Open Terminal, cd to this directory (containing the Vagrantfile and this REAMDE file).
3. Type in vagrant up, and let Vagrant do its magic.

Note: If there are any errors during the course of running vagrant up, and it drops you back to your command prompt, just run vagrant provision to continue building the VM from where you left off. If there are still errors after doing this a few times, post an issue to this project's issue queue on GitHub with the error.

3 - Configure your host machine to access the VM.

1. Edit your hosts file, adding the line 192.168.55.55 nodejs.dev so you can connect to the VM.
2. Open your browser and access http://nodejs.dev/.

Notes

• To shut down the virtual machine, enter vagrant halt in the Terminal in the same folder that has the Vagrantfile. To destroy it completely (if you want to save a little disk space, or want to rebuild it from scratch with vagrant up again), type in vagrant destroy.
• Find out more about local development with Vagrant + VirtualBox + Ansible in this presentation: Local Development Environments - Vagrant, VirtualBox and Ansible.
• Learn about how Ansible can accelerate your ability to innovate and manage your infrastructure by reading Ansible for DevOps.

About the Author

Jeff Geerling, owner of Midwestern Mac, LLC, created this project in 2014 so he could accelerate his Node.js development workflow. This project, and others like it, are also featured as examples in Jeff's book, Ansible for DevOps.