z2-Environment

h1. Install and run Z2 in 5 minutes

[[Step_1_-_What_is_z2|« Step 1 - What is z2]]

h2. Prerequisites

{{include(Java Version Requirements)}}

It is beneficial to use the Eclipse IDE (Ganymed, Helios, Indigo, Kepler work all fine). There's a small Eclipse plug-in called "Eclipsoid" which makes it easier to develop z2 applications within Eclipse (see [[Step 3 - First steps with Z2 on Git]] for more details). That plugin is also available for Intellij. However you can use any IDE (including vi and notepad) together with z2.

h2. Creating a _home_ for Z2

This is a best practice approach (and other approaches are possible). We recommend to keep the repositories and the IDE workspace close together. This way we don't need to adjust the path settings in the Z2 configuration files and they can remain relative paths.

Create a folder called z2-base inside your favorite/home/development/what-ever directory and enter it:

<pre><code class="bash">

mkdir z2-base

cd z2-base

</code></pre>

h2. Installing the z2-base Distribution

The fastest way to start with z2 is by installing the z2-base distribution that contains the z2-core and complete copy of the z2-base.base component repository in one installable archive and requires no access to remote repositories (see also [[How_to_create_your_own_system]] for more details).

In order to install, "download":https://redmine.z2-environment.net/projects/z2-environment/files from the web site and unpackage. 

On Mac-OS or Linux run:

<pre><code class="bash">

wget https://redmine.z2-environment.net/attachments/download/428/z2-base-v2.6.zip

unzip z2-base-v2.6.zip

</code></pre>

On Windows download the archive and unpack using the Windows explorer. Make sure to unpack into the z2-base folder we created before.

This will create a folder z2-base.core that contains the complete version 2.6 z2-base installation.

h2. Starting

Make sure to have a Java Development Kit (JDK) or a Java Runtime Environment of version 9 or 10 installed and executable. Test this by running

<pre><code class="bash">

java -version

</code></pre>

Start Z2 by running 

<pre><code class="bash">

z2-base.core/bin/gui.sh

</code></pre>

on Mac-OS or Linux, or

<pre><code class="bash">

z2-base.core/bin/gui.bat

</code></pre>

on Windows. 

That's it.

h2. What's Next

This tutorial will continue by showing you how to develop with Z2. If you ask yourself how to add remote repositories, please check out  [[How_to_create_your_own_system]].

* [[Step 3 - First steps with Z2 on Git|» Step 3 - First steps with Z2 on Git]]