# Setup the development environment

The first step is to setup a good and viable development environment. Using Vagrant and Virtualbox, you'll be able to compile and test your OS from all the OSs (Linux, Windows or Mac).

## Install Vagrant

> Vagrant is free and open-source software for creating and configuring virtual development environments. It can be considered a wrapper around VirtualBox.

Vagrant will help us create a clean virtual development environment on whatever system you are using. The first step is to download and install Vagrant for your system at <http://www.vagrantup.com/>.

## Install Virtualbox

> Oracle VM VirtualBox is a virtualization software package for x86 and AMD64/Intel64-based computers.

Vagrant needs Virtualbox to work, Download and install for your system at <https://www.virtualbox.org/wiki/Downloads>.

## Start and test your development environment

Once Vagrant and Virtualbox are installed, you need to download the ubuntu lucid32 image for Vagrant:

```
vagrant box add lucid32 http://files.vagrantup.com/lucid32.box
```

Once the lucid32 image is ready, we need to define our development environment using a *Vagrantfile*, [create a file named *Vagrantfile*](https://github.com/SamyPesse/How-to-Make-a-Computer-Operating-System/blob/master/src/Vagrantfile). This file defines what prerequisites our environment needs: nasm, make, build-essential, grub and qemu.

Start your box using:

```
vagrant up
```

You can now access your box by using ssh to connect to the virtual box using:

```
vagrant ssh
```

The directory containing the *Vagrantfile* will be mounted by default in the */vagrant* directory of the guest VM (in this case, Ubuntu Lucid32):

```
cd /vagrant
```

### Build and test our operating system

The file [**Makefile**](https://github.com/SamyPesse/How-to-Make-a-Computer-Operating-System/blob/master/src/Makefile) defines some basics rules for building the kernel, the user libc and some userland programs.

Build:

```
make all
```

Test our operating system with qemu:

```
make run
```

The documentation for qemu is available at [QEMU Emulator Documentation](http://wiki.qemu.org/download/qemu-doc.html).

You can exit the emulator using: Ctrl-a.


---

# Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation

If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question.

Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter:

```
GET https://samypesse.gitbook.io/how-to-create-an-operating-system/chapter-2.md?ask=<question>
```

The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language.
The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation.

Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.