Best Linux platform for Web and Java development?

by Veera on January 21, 2010

in Technology, Tools, Web

I have been a Windows user ever since I started using computers. Be it my school, college or work – I have never used Unix / Linux for actual development work. Even though I have coded few lines of Perl in Unix, I don’t consider that as actual programming. Linux – sorry I just installed one flavor in my laptop and then forgot about it!

So, why am I talking about Linux platform now? Well, I’m thinking of building a new PC some time soon and along with that I’m planning to switch to Linux. But I don’t have much knowledge about the several linux platforms, available out there. So, that’s why I’m reaching out to you.

Choosing a ‘good’ Linux distribution for Web and Java development:

Here are my requirements:

  • I need the LAMP environment – something like XAMPP in Linux.
  • I need Java Development environment – Netbeans or Eclipse or any other IDE.
  • I need a good light-weightText Editor - something like Notepad++.
  • I need Firefox – and all other web developer extensions.
  • I need GIMP, Subversion and a Media Player (Winamp?), a PDF reader and a FTP Client (WinSCP?).

Those are my basic set of requirements as of now. Please suggest a good Linux distribution which is capable of satisfying my needs above.

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{ 6 comments }

suraj January 21, 2010 at 8:41 PM

Use Ubuntu(http://www.ubuntu.com/) which is best linux distribution and can satisfy your requirement.

Veera January 22, 2010 at 4:08 AM

hm. Have used Ubuntu for a shorter period of time. Will explore it.

Jeroen January 21, 2010 at 9:00 PM

Just install Ubuntu:

- Lamp: Install apache, php and mysql and you’re good to go: http://www.howtoforge.com/installing-apache2-with-php5-and-mysql-support-on-ubuntu-9.10-lamp
- Netbeans, install using software center
- Notepad = gEdit, installed by default
- Firefox = Firefox, installed by default
- Gimp = Gimp, installed by default
- subversion (I would advice rabbitvcs which is basically the same as tortoisesvn)
- Rhythmbox as winamp alternative, installed by default
- Evince as pdf reader, installed by default
- Filezilla as ftp client, install using software center

Basically all the software you want you can install using Ubuntu software center or is installed by default.

Veera January 22, 2010 at 4:11 AM

thanks for the list.

> subversion (I would advice rabbitvcs which is basically the same as tortoisesvn)

I assume that rabbitcvs is a Subversion client or is it coming with a server also?

scot January 22, 2010 at 11:51 AM

I will second Ubuntu. But pretty much any distro can give you what you ask for.

Re: subversion. if you want an svn server, just use svn.

With Eclipse, don’t use the one installed with apt-get, get the download from the Eclipse.org website and install (i.e. unzip) that.

Veera January 29, 2010 at 6:48 PM

thanks for your suggestion, Scot.

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