erikmd/gitpod-workspace-emacs-nw

Self-contained repo: Dotfiles config for Gitpod workspaces (CDE) using a Docker-Coq image and Emacs+PG in (browser) terminal

Usage

Important

This repository essentially serves as a Gitpod Dotfiles repository for Emacs-in-Browser-Terminal.

It also serves as a ready-to-use demo (cf. steps 2., 3. and 4. below) for OCaml and Coq experiments.

It should be unneeded to fork this repository for reusing its content in other projects: it suffices to follow step 2. below, and add a .gitpod.yml file in your own repository (see this repository template).

1. Log in Gitpod Classic using your GitHub account
2. Open your Gitpod Preferences
   • Set your Dotfiles Repository URL: https://github.com/erikmd/gitpod-workspace-emacs-nw
3. Open your Gitpod Environment Variables
   • Add a new variable named XTERM_CONFIRM_BROWSER_EXIT with value true and scope */*
     (this setting ensures the usual Emacs keystroke Ctrl+W won't unexpectedly close your browser tab)
4. Open this Gitpod URL (or manually create a workspace) with the Terminal browser IDE
   • If ever the loading takes too much time, try to reload the tab once (Ctrl+R)
5. Run emacs in the workspace shell (based on tmux)
6. Note the existence of the (?) special menu in Emacs, also:
   • type Alt+F1 or Ctrl+F1 to get some help on the main key bindings;
   • type F7 to disable xterm-mouse-mode and thus allow copy-and-paste with the mouse.
7. You may also be interested in the Gitpod Browser Extension to create workspaces more easily from other repositories.

Summary

This self-contained GitHub repository contains three branches:

• docker: to prebuild a Debian-based Docker image for the Gitpod workspace
• emacs: to prebuild an .emacs.d folder from the tapfa-init.el setup for OCaml and Coq
• master: to gather the setup.sh script and an example .gitpod.yml file

Limitation

This approach relies on the Gitpod Classic plans which are intended to be replaced with Gitpod Flex after September 2025.