ROS or ROS2 for Robotics Beginner?

answered 2019-02-13 18:37:54 -0500

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ROS 2 is perfectly usable for building robots, but it does not yet have the wide range of libraries and nodes that are available for ROS 1. So if you are a beginner at robotics and just want to get a robot moving, ROS 1 will get you there faster and with less pain.

On the other hand, if you want to focus on learning what will eventually be the commonly-used version of ROS, you can access the functionality of existing ROS 1 libraries and nodes by using the ROS 1 bridge. However it's an added complexity that you probably don't want if you are just beginning.

As an additional point, you can run both ROS 1 (thanks to Microsoft) and ROS 2 on Windows natively. I can't remember if the Windows support for Gazebo is working or not, though, so you might still need the VM if you don't have any hardware.

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Geoff, Thank you for such a clear answer, although it still leaves an interesting decision point. Maybe it'd be worth trying first ROS 1, then ROS 2.

As for ROSn on Windows natively ... who knew?

https://janbernloehr.de/2017/06/10/ros-windows  -- Running ROS on Windows 10

Thanks again, JoeB

JoeB ( 2019-02-14 09:58:38 -0500 )edit

@JoeB: note that the blog you linked does not discuss the port of ROS 1 to Windows by MS. That may be found here instead.

The blog discusses running ROS 1 in WSL on Windows 10, which is something else entirely.

gvdhoorn ( 2019-02-14 10:09:31 -0500 )edit

Wow, thank you! BTW, that notice ends: "We’re targeting end of 2018 for the core porting effort." I have a lot of tasks targeted for end of 2018 too ... JoeB

JoeB ( 2019-02-14 10:17:47 -0500 )edit

Well, "Ubuntu bash shell" from MS Store on Win10 subsystem was pretty easy to set up on my little MS Surface - once I found the instruction trail. So far: no Ubuntu desktop, don't know about application windows such as Gazebo. Anyone know the next step, to get a GUI beyond the shell? Thanks! JoeB

JoeB ( 2019-02-15 12:14:13 -0500 )edit

OK, just google it ...
https://askubuntu.com/questions/99322...
JoeB

JoeB ( 2019-02-15 13:33:05 -0500 )edit

Given the limitations of WSL, I think you would be better off using the native version of ROS 1 (or ROS 2) wherever possible.

Thankfully the distributed nature of ROS applications means you can run parts of one natively in Windows and parts of one under WSL, if necessary.

Geoff ( 2019-02-17 17:07:43 -0500 )edit

Geoff, Yes well thank you, I had the same feeling that WSL is a pleasant anomaly, maybe someday useful - like the odd Python interpreter built into MacOS long ago. But I did go back to ROS (1) "guest-native" on Ubuntu on VirtualBox, and eventually got it running including its built-in Gazebo. JoeB

JoeB ( 2019-02-17 17:23:39 -0500 )edit

Great to hear you got something going. If it works for you, keep using it! :)

Geoff ( 2019-02-17 17:41:43 -0500 )edit

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