Virtualization is everywhere, and there are many hypervisor and other tools to exploit it on various processors and operating systems. There are several frameworks, such as OpenStack, for managing virtual environments. Vagrant, an open-source project started by developer Mitchell Hashimoto in 2010, is one such system for automating the creation and use of virtual machines. It includes a scripting language for interacting with virtualization programs such as Oracle’s VirtualBox, VMware Fusion, Microsoft’s Hyper-V, and several others. It runs on Linux, Windows, and OS X, and can configure a collection of hypervisors, operating systems, and applications into a unified package, making it ideal for certain types of cloud computing development tasks.

This book introduces readers to the Vagrant environment, and is written for those looking for effective DevOps tools. The author is an experienced open-source advocate, developer, and trainer. His prose is quite readable and informal, suitable for those new to the Vagrant technology. He includes “Test Yourself” questions and exercises at the end of each chapter to review and emphasize what was covered.

The book starts, naturally, with how to obtain and install the software on various operating systems and virtualization types. The author then introduces Vagrant usage through a basic example that he elaborates and expands on in later chapters. Code for the examples is available from the Apress website. The concluding chapter provides best practice advice on developing Vagrant solutions and includes discussions of typical errors, or anti-patterns, to avoid.

There are several books available on Vagrant, including one by the software’s author, Hashimoto. But for those just learning or exploring this virtualization management tool, Pro Vagrant offers a clear and concise introduction. And since Vagrant is quite easy to install and to try out, web developers should add this tool to their repertoire.