Run Ubuntu with Multipass tool: Effortless Local Development

Effortless Local Development with Multipass: VMs for All (Windows, macOS, Linux) 🔗

Developing applications often requires setting up specific environments to test and debug code. Virtual machines (VMs) are a popular solution, but managing them can be cumbersome. Enter Multipass, a user-friendly tool that simplifies local VM creation for developers on all major operating systems (Windows, macOS, and Linux).

What is Multipass? 🔗

Developed by Canonical, Multipass is an open-source command-line tool that streamlines the creation and management of lightweight Ubuntu VMs. It leverages underlying hypervisors like Hyper-V (Windows), QEMU (macOS and Linux), and LXD (Linux) to provide a seamless experience.

Why Use Multipass? 🔗

There are several advantages to using Multipass for local development:

• Simplicity: Multipass boasts a straightforward command-line interface, making it easy to create, start, stop, and delete VMs with just a few commands.
• Speed and Efficiency: Multipass VMs are lightweight and boot quickly, minimizing setup time and resource consumption.
• Pre-Configured Environments: Multipass offers pre-configured Ubuntu images with essential development tools pre-installed, saving you valuable setup time.
• Flexibility: You can customize your VM environment by installing additional packages or using a custom image.
• Cross-Platform Compatibility: Multipass works seamlessly on Windows, macOS, and Linux, allowing developers to maintain a consistent workflow regardless of their operating system.

Use Cases for Multipass 🔗

• Testing and Development: Create isolated environments to test code on different Ubuntu versions without affecting your main system.
• Microservices Development: Run multiple interconnected containerized services within a single VM for simplified development and testing.
• Learning Ubuntu: Get hands-on experience with Ubuntu in a safe environment without modifying your main system.
• Continuous Integration/Continuous Delivery (CI/CD) Pipelines: Automate VM provisioning within your CI/CD pipeline for consistent testing environments.

Getting Started with Multipass 🔗

1. Installation: Download and install Multipass from the official website ( https://multipass.run/docs ):

   • Windows: Download the installer and follow the on-screen instructions.
   • macOS: Use Homebrew (brew install multipass) or download the pre-built binary.
   • Linux: Follow the distribution-specific installation instructions provided on the website.

2. Create a VM: Open a terminal and run the following command, replacing name with your desired VM name:

   multipass launch name
   

3. Access the VM: Once created, you can access the VM’s terminal using:

   multipass shell name
   

4. Manage VMs: Use commands like multipass list, multipass stop name, and multipass delete name to manage your VMs.

Beyond the Basics 🔗

• Pre-Configured Images: Multipass offers various pre-configured images beyond Ubuntu, including Fedora and Debian. Explore the available options on the Multipass website.
• Cloud-Init Integration: Multipass supports cloud-init, allowing you to customize your VM configuration during creation.

Multipass is a valuable tool for developers seeking a streamlined and efficient way to work with local VMs. Its simplicity, cross-platform compatibility, and pre-configured environments make it an ideal choice for various development scenarios.

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