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diff --git a/src/_posts/2017-11-16-perl6-setting-up-a-raspberry-perl.adoc b/src/_posts/2017-11-16-perl6-setting-up-a-raspberry-perl.adoc new file mode 100644 index 0000000..7ea72fa --- /dev/null +++ b/src/_posts/2017-11-16-perl6-setting-up-a-raspberry-perl.adoc @@ -0,0 +1,236 @@ +--- +date: 2017-11-16 11:58:40 +tags: Tutorial Perl6 RaspberryPi Raku +description: > + In this tutorial I'll get you through setting up a Raspberry Pi with Perl 6. + I am using a Raspberry Pi 3 myself, but other versions should work fine too. + However, older versions are slower, so it might take a bit longer to install + completely. +--- += Perl 6 - Setting up a Raspberry Perl +:toc: preamble + +In this tutorial I'll get you through setting up a Raspberry Pi with +https://perl6.org/[Perl 6]. I am using a Raspberry Pi 3 myself, but other +versions should work fine too. However, older versions are slower, so it might +take a bit longer to install completely. + +[NOTE] +==== +For those who have never had a Raspberry Pi before, you will need +the following: + +- Raspberry Pi board +- Power supply (5v 2A, micro USB) +- SD card of at least 4gb, but I would advise at least 8gb +- Monitor with HDMI cable +- Keyboard +==== + +Perl 6 will be installed using +https://github.com/tadzik/rakudobrew[Rakudobrew], which I'll also be using to +get https://github.com/ugexe/zef[zef] installed. Zef is the recommended module +manager for Perl 6. + +== Setting up Raspbian + +The first step is getting the OS set up. To keep this tutorial simple, I will +stick to https://www.raspbian.org/[Raspbian], but if you feel confident in your +skills you can use any other distribution or OS. Perl 6 installs the same on +all UNIX(-like) operating systems. + +=== Get the image + +First, https://www.Raspberrypi.org/downloads/raspbian/[download the Raspbian +image from the Raspberry Pi download page]. I chose the `LITE` version, but if +you prefer having a graphical desktop you can go for the `DESKTOP` version +instead. + +At the time of writing, this means I got the +`2017-09-07-raspbian-stretch-lite.zip`. If you want to verify you got the +correct download and nothing went wrong saving it to your disk, you can verify +the checksum. The checksum for your download is noted below the download links. +To get the checksum of the file you downloaded, use `sha256sum` as follows: + +NOTE: Lines prepended with a `$` are to be ran as your normal user, whereas +lines with a `#` are ment to be ran as "super user". This can be done by using +a privilege escalation program, such as +https://www.linux.com/blog/how-use-sudo-and-su-commands-linux-introduction[`sudo`]. + +[source] +---- +$ sha256sum 2017-09-07-raspbian-stretch-lite.zip +---- + +If the checksum matches the one noted below the download button you used, it +should be fine, and you can continue with extracting the image from the zip +using `unzip`: + +[source] +---- +$ unzip 2017-09-07-raspbian-stretch-lite.zip +---- + +This will result in a similarly named file, but with a `.img` extension instead +of `.zip`. This is the image that you can write to the SD card. + +=== Write the image to the SD card + +This step is pretty easy, but typos here can be disastrous for the system +you're using to write to the SD card. + +Open a terminal and run `dmesg -w` as super user (usually doable using `sudo +dmesg -w`). This will give immediate feedback when you insert your SD card, and +shows which device it is being assigned to. In my case, this was `sdb`, which +means the device file resides at `/dev/sdb`. + +Now, to actually write the image, I'll use `dd` since this is everyone's +favourite tool, it seems. If you feel adventurous enough to try out something +different, feel free to read up on +https://www.vidarholen.net/contents/blog/?p=479[Useless Use of dd]. + +Make sure to make the `if` argument point to the correct path with your +extracted raspbian image, and `of` to point to the correct device as identified +earlier. In order to be allowed to run this command, you must be root, which +can be achieved by using `sudo` or `doas` again. + +[source] +---- +# dd bs=4M status=progress if=/path/to/2017-09-07-raspbian-stretch-lite.img of=/dev/sdb +$ sync +---- + +Afterwards, plug it into your Raspberry Pi and attach all cables you might +need. Think of stuff like a keyboard, mouse, monitor, internet, power. Do power +last, as the Raspberry Pi will start immediatly once it receives power. + +=== First boot + +The Raspberry Pi should start booting the moment you supply it with power. If +you attach the HDMI after the power, it's possible you won't have display +working, so make sure HDMI is attached before powering up. + +You'll see some text scrolling by, up to a point where it asks you for a +`login`, and accepts keyboard input. The default username is `pi`, and the +default password is `Raspberry`. You are strongly advised to change the +password upon login, which can be done in the next step. + +=== Configuration + +The Raspberry Pi comes with its own configuration tool, `raspi-config`. Run +this with `sudo` prepended in front of it so you gain the right privileges. I +would advise you to at least change the user password from here. After this you +should go to `Advanced Options` and expand the filesystem. This will grow the +filesystem to the entire SD card's size. + +TIP: To get to the buttons on the bottom (`Select`, `Finish` and `Back`), use +the arrow keys to go left or right. + +You can look around the tool for other interesting things to modify. Once you +are satisfied, go back to the main menu and choose `Finish`. It will ask to +reboot, which you should accept. This will apply all the new configurations you +just made. + +=== Updating and installing additional packages + +It's rare for the system to be completely up to date after installing the image +on the SD card. Additionally, you also need some extra packages in order to get +rakudobrew, and to install Perl 6 itself. For this, we use the package manager +bundled with raspbian, `apt`: + +[source] +---- +# apt update +# apt upgrade +---- + +This will update the package lists, and then upgrade all outdated packages to +their newest versions. You should do this at least once a week to make sure +your system stays up to date. + +Once the upgrades are finished, you can install some new packages which are +needed later on in this tutorial: + +[source] +---- +# apt install git build-essential +---- + +`git` is required to get the rakudobrew repository and is also used by +rakudobrew itself to get the sources needed to build Perl 6 and to install zef. +The `build-essential` package comes with all sorts of tools to build software, +which is required to build Perl 6. + +== Installing Perl 6 + +Now, we've got a working Raspberry Pi installation. We can start doing things +with it, such as playing around with Perl 6. + +=== Setting up Rakudobrew + +Rakudobrew is a nice tool to manage Perl 6 installations on your system. It can +also install `zef` for you, so you don't have to deal with this manually. This +is all documented on the repository's `README.md` file as well, but I'll +explain it here too. I do make a few small tweaks here and there to match my +preferred setup more closely. + +Clone the repository to your system, and add it to your `$PATH` to be able to +use the scripts bundled with it: + +[source] +---- +$ mkdir -p ~/.local/var +$ git clone https://github.com/tadzik/rakudobrew.git ~/.local/var/rakudobrew +$ export PATH=${HOME}/.local/var/rakudobrew/bin:$PATH +$ hash -r +---- + +The `hash -r` call will rehash your PATH, so you can tab-complete `rakudobrew`. +Next, initialize rakudobrew: + +[source] +---- +$ rakudobrew init +---- + +This will give you a notification to automatically load rakudobrew next time. +It is advised you follow that message, so you won't have to do it manually each +time you log in to the system. + +=== Installing Perl 6 with MoarVM backend + +Now that rakudobrew is installed and available to use, it's time to make use of +it to install Perl 6. + +[source] +---- +$ rakudobrew build moar +---- + +=== Installing zef, the module manager + +Getting zef to work isn't much harder than installing Perl 6, but its a lot +faster. You can have rakudobrew take care of this too: + +[source] +---- +$ rakudobrew build zef +---- + +== Final words + +And that should be it, you now have a working Perl 6 installation with the zef +module manager to take care of installing and upgrading modules. Now you just +need to come up with a nice project to work on to start using and learning the +wonders of Perl 6. + +If you need any help on getting started, try the `#perl6` IRC channel on +Freenode, or check out some of the Perl 6 documentation and introduction sites: + +- https://docs.perl6.org/ +- http://perl6intro.com/ + +For starting projects that are easy to start with and can bring quick results, +consider making an IRC bot using +https://github.com/zoffixznet/perl6-IRC-Client[`IRC::Client`], or a small web +application using https://github.com/Bailador/Bailador[`Bailador`]. |