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Gitpod

Gitpod is a free, cloud-based platform with IDE integration that provides a suitable development environment directly in a browser.

It has been integrated with moodle-docker so that you can open any Moodle repository/branch in a Gitpod workspace.

When launching a workspace in Gitpod, it will automatically:

  1. Clone the Moodle repo into the <workspace>/moodle folder.
  2. Initialise the Moodle database.
  3. Start the Moodle webserver.

More information about the Gitpod integration with moodle-docker, like the parameters it supports, can be found in the project's page.

Important

Gitpod is an alternative to local development and completely optional. We recommend setting up a local development environment if you plan to contribute regularly.

How to use Gitpod with Moodle?​

A Tampermonkey script has been created to facilitate the initiation of a Gitpod workspace from any Moodle repository/branch. When the script is installed, a button is displayed near each branch in the Moodle tracker within the Moodle repository, facilitating the initiation of a Gitpod workspace. It can be used for testing any Moodle repository/branch without requiring a local environment installed.

Gitpod integration with Moodle tracker

To use it, follow these steps:

  1. Install the Tampermonkey extension for your preferred browser.
  2. Go to Dashboard in the Tampermonkey extension and access the Utilities tab.
  3. In the Import from URL field, paste the following Gitpod script: https://gist.githubusercontent.com/sarjona/9fc728eb2d2b41a783ea03afd6a6161e/raw/gitpod.js
  4. Go to the Moodle Tracker and open any issue.
  5. Click the Open in Gitpod button that should appear near any of the branches in the issue.

The first time you open a workspace, you will need to register in gitpod.io (you can use your Github account).

After waiting for 5-8 minutes, a Moodle site will open in your IDE (web VSCode by default) and you'll be able to start playing with it!!

info

The password for the admin user is test ;-)

About the Gitpod workspaces​

  • By default, all Gitpod workspaces become inactive after 30 minutes of no activity. They can be reopened from the Gitpod dashboard.
  • Workspaces are automatically deleted after 14 days.
  • You can view a list of your workspaces on the Gitpod dashboard. From there, you can open any existing workspaces, which will be resumed with the Moodle site displayed in the IDE just as it was when it became inactive.
  • It's recommended to rename workspaces manually to something more meaningful (like the tracker issue).

What can be done with this integration?​

The following list is just a sample of the things that can be done with the integration of Gitpod with Moodle:

  • Test Moodle Tracker issues easily. Especially useful for non-developers or QA testers.
  • Test third-party plugins.
  • Remote development environment.
  • Run tests (behat, PHPUnit…).

See also​