LilyDev is a program for Windows which serves as a custom GNU/Linux OS that includes all the necessary components and instruments to compile LilyPond, a music engraving app. It is designed for LilyPond contributors and features the documentation as well as website tools.

General notes

The software comes in two variants: containers and standard disk images. For Windows users, the first method is advisable. If you prefer the GNU/Linux approach, you have the option to use both Debian and Fedora operating systems.

The containers are created to be lightweight and easily manageable, catering to users who favor a streamlined development environment. The accompanying documentation assumes you are familiar with the command line UI.

Setup and configuration

Running the program within a virtual machine is straightforward and may be done on various OSs. On Windows computers, you may use a special utility called VirtualBox. It is recommended to use this solution thanks to its compatibility and intuitive graphical interface.

You have the flexibility to configure supplementary features. It is possible to establish shared folders between your primary operating system and LilyDev. To determine which directories take up a lot of space, you may try a special tool called TreeSize.

Features

free to download and use;
compatible with modern Windows versions;
allows you to comply LilyPond on a computer;
you can run the OS inside a virtual machine;
it is possible to set up shared folders.