Chromebooks may seem like consumer-only devices, but they have commercial use cases, even for developers.
Chromebooks have made a huge difference for consumers looking to escape the complications and insecurities of using operating systems like Windows. Chromebooks are powered by ChromeOS, an operating system that works using a web browser as the main user interface.
The idea behind ChromeOS was not only to offer consumers a platform that was much easier to use, but also more secure and efficient than traditional offerings. And consumers ate it up. According to Canalys , Chromebook shipments grew 275% in the first quarter of 2021, with HP leading this increase, with almost 4.5 million units sold.
As the pandemic continues to ravage the world, Chromebook sales are expected to continue to rise. Why? Because they are much cheaper than standard laptops, easier to deploy and simpler to use. This is advantageous for any business.
But what about developers? Given that Chromebooks typically don't allow users to install regular apps, are they a viable option for their developers?
It depends.
Let us explain.
It's all about IDEs
The first thing your development team will want to know about using a Chromebook revolves around IDEs (Integrated Development Environment). Since you can't install typical apps (the typical way) on a Chromebook, this can severely limit your developers. However, there are options. These options are of the cloud type.
That's right, there are cloud-based IDEs available that your developers can take advantage of.
Here is a list.
VS Code for the Web
If your development team uses VS Code, they will be happy to know that there is a cloud-based version ( VS Code for the Web ) that will work perfectly on their Chromebooks. That's a good thing because VS Code is one of the most popular IDEs on the planet. And with VS Code for the web, your developers will enjoy all the features they're used to, like syntax highlighting, extension support, GitHub and Azure repository support, and even local storage support.
VS Code for the Web is free to use for any developer.
Google Apps Script
If your developers work with JavaScript, Google Apps Script is a very good option that allows your frontend teams to develop automations, add-ons, custom functions, and even chatbots. This IDE makes it possible to automate tasks in Google Workspace and third-party products and includes all the APIs your developers need to create their own applications. There are even sampleQuick Starts to help your developers get going.
Google Apps Script is free to use.
AWS9 Cloud
Amazon purchased the fan-favorite Nuvem9 IDE in 2016 with the intention of fully integrating it with Amazon Web Services. With an extremely intuitive interface, it takes your developers no time to get started. With AWS Cloud9, you run your development environment on an Amazon EC2 managed instance or any existing Linux server that supports SSH. And because it's a cloud-based IDE, it's perfectly suited for ChromeOS.
AWS Cloud9 also makes it easy to collaborate (in real time) on code in just a few clicks. You can write, run and debug serverless applications with the help of pre-configured SDKs, libraries and plugins. Its developers can work with more than 40 languages (including Node.js, JavaScript, Python, Ruby, Go and C++).
AWS Cloud9 is at no additional cost to your normal Amazon EC2 instance charges.
CodeTasty
CodeTasty is another cloud-based IDE that supports 40+ languages and includes features like real-time language tools, a powerful (built-in) editor, zero configuration, many extensions available, loving collaboration, revision control, terminal and desktop access - like speed. There's even a Chrome app your developers can use.
CodeTasty can be used for free with 1 sandbox workspace, 2 SSH/FTP workspaces, 2 collaborators and terminal access. You can also choose to pay $4.00 to $50.00 per month for other plans. Check out the price/feature matrix for more information.
Linux, Linux, Linux
It's not just about the cloud. Thanks to help from Google developers, it's possible to install Linux support on a Chromebook (without removing ChromeOS). This is similar to the Windows Subsystem for Linux. And thanks to Flatpak, you can even install and run applications like the Eclipse Java IDE. There are also names like Bluefish, Geany and Gedit.
But even more powerful is the command line. If you're comfortable developing without a GUI, there are several powerful tools at your fingertips. You can even install Git for repository integration. And thanks to Linux, your developers can even install Docker to work with container deployments.
The warning
You may be thinking, “This is great! I can deploy cheap Chromebooks to my development team and save some money.” Before you start writing purchase orders for cheap, low-power Chromebooks, know that you shouldn't. Developers require more substantial hardware than the average user. Because of this, you'll want to ignore the lower end of the barrel and spring for the higher-end devices.
Additionally, when running Linux applications on a Chromebook, there are some hurdles to overcome to allow these applications to access the local file system. It's not a big challenge, but it's another step you'll have to take to make it work.
The final verdict
The answer to the question depends. If your developers can get by with a cloud-based IDE, there is absolutely no reason why you shouldn't consider Chromebooks as an alternative. They are simple to use, fast, secure and cost-effective.
However, if your developers require an IDE that isn't available in the cloud or don't want to bother with Linux on ChromeOS, a Chromebook probably isn't the best option for your teams. Of course, you can always experiment with a developer or two to see if it's a solid match. Given the cost of Chromebooks, you won't get out much, and if the experiment is successful, the ROI could be impressive.
Source: BairesDev
