Member Avatar for hwoarang69

i write alot of program in C. and it really helpful if i write them in unix or linux. so is there a way for me to use unix or linux without downloading onto my computer? may be i can download unix, linux on CD or some program that let me do this.

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Short summary and context: asked how to use Unix/Linux without installing it. Several good answers already covered virtual machines (), live CDs (), running a distro from removable media () and VirtualBox setup details (). Those are solid choices. Below are additional, complementary approaches (modern and low‑friction) that weren't spelled out in the thread, with quick pros/cons and a tiny, copy‑able example for C work.

If you use Windows often, Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) gives a real Linux userland you can install from Microsoft without dual‑booting; WSL2 runs in a lightweight VM but integrates with Windows tools and file system, so you can run bash, apt, gcc, gdb, etc., almost like a native Linux shell. (learn.microsoft.com)

If you prefer reproducible local environments, “devcontainers” (Docker + VS Code Remote/Dev Containers) let you define an entire toolchain once and open the project inside that container. That avoids installing toolchains globally and makes sharing easy. You can also run a disposable GCC container directly to compile and test C code, for example: 

docker run --rm -v "$(pwd)":/src -w /src gcc:14 bash -lc "gcc hello.c -o hello && ./hello"

The devcontainer docs and the official gcc packaging are good references. (code.visualstudio.com)

If you want zero local install and immediate browser access, cloud IDEs and online REPLs spin up full Linux environments in the cloud (editors, terminals, compilers preinstalled). GitHub Codespaces is a full cloud dev environment tied to repos; Replit offers fast, free browser compiles for small C projects. These are ideal for quick tests, demos, or coding from devices that can’t run VMs. (docs.github.com)

Quick practical tips: pick WSL/devcontainers for serious local development (repeatability + performance); use Codespaces/Gitpod/Replit for zero‑setup browser work or demos; enable CPU virtualization in BIOS/UEFI if you plan WSL2/Docker. For longer projects, consider a small cloud VM or a self‑hosted code-server instance so your environment follows you between machines.

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Member Avatar for JorgeM

Why not install VMware or another virtual app on your host computer, then install Linux, etc as virtual guest operating systems so you don't disrupt your host computer's OS. When you are do e with the guest, you simply delete the VM files.

Member Avatar for Obat

how are that? i want know this clue

Member Avatar for deceptikon

may be i can download unix, linux on CD or some program that let me do this.

There are distros of Linux (such as Knoppix) that can be run from a live CD. Do a google search for "Linux live CD" and you'll get plenty of hits.

Member Avatar for CimmerianX

To run a virtual host on your machine, you need the software.
Start by downloading 'Virtual Box'. It's free software and works very well. I use it every day.

In VirtBox, you can create a new virtual machine using the wizard. Setup the memory, hard drive size, etc. You'll need to download a Linux ISO from whatever distro you want to try. In the VirtBox CDRom for that new virtual host, mount the ISO. Then start the virtual host. It would boot from CD and start loading the ISO just like a normal machine.

Try this for help:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9-DiPRrE3Bg

Member Avatar for ORAfreak

You can install linux on USB memory stick. I did it long time ago with Ubuntu, then boot PC from USB... So if you want you can boot your linux (with dev. environment) on any computer, office, home...

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