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Posted by Luke Ayres
Luke Ayres
6,170 Points

Moving forward if using Console on Windows

I've just begun the console tutorials but sadly right now and for the near future I only have access to a Windows computer, any advice on where to go to learn this?

6 Answers

Andrew McCormick
Andrew McCormick
17,730 Points
Andrew McCormick
Andrew McCormick
17,730 Points

If you want to use more of a linux style console in Windows then either use Git Bash (which can be used even if aren't doing anything with Git) or try Cygwin: http://cygwin.com/

James Barnett
James Barnett
39,199 Points
James Barnett
James Barnett
39,199 Points

I'm not sure using cygwin is really all that useful. Windows already has it's own scripting language in PowerShell. If you want to install linux-like tools on windows there's Scoop. Some tools even have great GUIs.

Luke Ayres
Luke Ayres
6,170 Points

Thank you very much for the tips guys

Jeff Busch
Jeff Busch
19,287 Points
Jeff Busch
Jeff Busch
19,287 Points

Hi Luke,

If you are doing the Console Foundations Track to the right of the video screen is a big green button that says Launch Console; that should get you going.

Jeff

James Barnett
James Barnett
39,199 Points
James Barnett
James Barnett
39,199 Points

That's why Treehouse has the Treehouse Console. Click on the Launch Console button next to the video to learn to use the console until such time as you need to use your console skills on a Linux / OS X computer.

Luke Ayres
Luke Ayres
6,170 Points
Luke Ayres
Luke Ayres
6,170 Points

I completed the first couple of videos but it seems that there is a lot of differences between the console and windows console, is there much point learning to use their one if I can't access POSIX on my own?

Jeff Busch
Jeff Busch
19,287 Points

I dual boot Linux and Windows.

Luke Ayres
Luke Ayres
6,170 Points
Luke Ayres
Luke Ayres
6,170 Points

Is there something I can download to use a similar console then? (sorry I really am new to this and just don't want to learn to use something I won't have access to myself)

James Barnett
James Barnett
39,199 Points
James Barnett
James Barnett
39,199 Points

> just don't want to learn to use something I won't have access to myself

That's an excellent point. Why do you want to learn the Linux console?

The console is a tool if you don't have a machine that tool is used on, why get the tool.

Luke Ayres
Luke Ayres
6,170 Points

That depends on whether once I'm done with the tutorials if am I still going to have knowledge that's applicable to a Windows only background, I know I have access to the console while with TreeHouse but out here I'm a bit less well equipped ):

James Barnett
James Barnett
39,199 Points
James Barnett
James Barnett
39,199 Points

> I still going to have knowledge that's applicable to a Windows only background

All command line interfaces have some of the concepts in common. However what trips up newbies doesn't tend to be concepts as much as syntax which is different.

What is your goal exactly?

Luke Ayres
Luke Ayres
6,170 Points
Luke Ayres
Luke Ayres
6,170 Points

To be honest I know almost zilch about working with the Console and having seen it being used in past videos and being heavily advised before starting the Git course to be clued up I decided to take this course. I'm working from home with a windows computer so I figured I'd ask here if there was a better path to take

James Barnett
James Barnett
39,199 Points
James Barnett
James Barnett
39,199 Points

TL;DR You are correct that the Git Foundations course on Treehouse is command-line based so the first badge in Console Foundations should be considered a pre-req before taking that particular course.

from the git for windows website

> Git for Windows provides a BASH emulation used to run Git from the command line. *NIX users should feel right at home, as the BASH emulation behaves just like the "git" command in LINUX and UNIX environments.

Which basically means you will use the skills in the first badge to move around git bash. However it's worth noting that using git day-to-day on Windows at least

> As Windows users commonly expect graphical user interfaces, Git for Windows also provides the Git GUI, a powerful alternative to Git BASH, offering a graphical version of just about every Git command line function, as well as comprehensive visual diff tools.