How To set up Groovy and Grails in Ubuntu 10.04

If you want to program using Groovy and Grails,it’s easy to set up in Ubuntu 10.04. And as IDE,I use NetBeans 6.8,which is the most complete IDE there is. Since both NetBeans and Groovy depends on Java,so we install this first. I like to install these things from the terminal,but you can also add them using the Ubuntu Software Center or Synaptic Package Manager. (I also use aptitude instead of apt-get,I will explain why in another post.)

1. As the first step is to enter the Java JDK.

sudo aptitude install sun-java6-jdk

2. Install NetBeans 6.8

sudo aptitude install NetBeans

3. Set up the JAVA_HOME variable

Go to this link where I explain how this is done

4. Install Groovy

sudo aptitude install groovy

Check the version that was installed

groovy -v

Most likely it is version 1.6.4 that was installed. Currently it is version 1.7 which is the latest stable version. We will use 1.6.4 now,and I will get back to how we can get Ubuntu to download a newer version automatically in a separate post.

5. Download the Grail

From this Link

Get the latest TAR/GZ version of Grail,it is currently version 1.1.2. Unpack this and put it in the folder  /usr/share/ and rename the folder from grail-1.1.2 to grail

6. Now we set the $GROOVY_HOME variable

go back to step 3 and put it in the same file as for JAVA_HOME

# # # Groovy
GROOVY_HOME = /usr/share/groovy
PATH = $ PATH:$ GROOVY_HOME/bin
export PATH GROOVY_HOME

# # # Grail
GRAILS_HOME = /usr/share/Grail
PATH = $ PATH:GRAILS_HOME/bin
export PATH GRAILS_HOME

Restart Ubuntu 10.04

write Grail in the terminal and see if it comes up version number,if it does then the installation was successful.

7. Start up NetBeans

If you have not yet added Groovy in NetBeans then go to Tools –Plugins and Available Plugins. Add then select the Groovy and Grails plugin,and select Install.

The first time you are trying to create a new Grail Application,you must point to the Grail Home. Press the Configure button Grail. Insert /usr/share/grail in the Grail home line,and press OK

Press Finnish,and NetBeans will set up everything you need to start a Groovy on Rails project.

8. Last test to check that it works,press F6 when you are in the NetBeans (Run Main Project),after a few seconds,the browser opens a page where it says welcome to Grails.

Congratulations it works. (I Hope)

So now it’s just getting started on a project,good luck.