Coder

Best Self Hosted Alternatives to Coder

A curated collection of the 4 best self hosted alternatives to Coder.

Platform for provisioning secure, reproducible remote development workspaces on Kubernetes or VMs, offering browser/IDE access, centralized administration, access controls, and tooling to manage environment images and developer workflows.

Alternatives List

#1
code-server

code-server

code-server runs Visual Studio Code in your browser, providing a remote development environment you can self-host on a VM or container and access from any device.

code-server screenshot

code-server is an open source distribution of Visual Studio Code that runs on a remote machine and is accessed through a web browser. It provides a consistent development environment from anywhere while keeping compute and source access on your own infrastructure.

Key Features

  • Browser-based VS Code experience backed by a remote server
  • Remote development on Linux hosts to offload CPU/RAM-intensive tasks
  • Supports VS Code extensions and common developer workflows
  • Web access over secure connections, suitable for remote work setups
  • Multiple installation options including install script and container-based deployments

Use Cases

  • Remote development workspaces for individuals on a home server or cloud VM
  • Centralized development environments for teams needing consistent tooling
  • Low-power device development (e.g., laptops or tablets) by running workloads remotely

Limitations and Considerations

  • Requires a Linux host with WebSockets enabled and adequate CPU/RAM for editor and builds
  • Some desktop-specific VS Code features may behave differently in a browser-based environment

code-server is a practical way to standardize developer environments and access them from anywhere with a familiar VS Code interface. It fits well for personal remote setups and as a building block for larger managed remote development platforms.

75.8kstars
6.5kforks
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#2
JupyterLab

JupyterLab

JupyterLab is an extensible web-based IDE for Jupyter notebooks, code, terminals, and data exploration with rich outputs and a plugin-based interface.

JupyterLab screenshot

JupyterLab is a web-based, extensible interactive computing environment built on the Jupyter architecture. It provides a unified workspace for authoring and running notebooks, editing files, using terminals, and exploring data with rich, interactive outputs.

Key Features

  • Multi-document interface combining notebooks, text editor, terminals, file browser, and rich outputs in one workspace
  • Extension system for adding UI panels, commands, renderers, and integrations (prebuilt and source extensions)
  • Notebook authoring with executable cells, embedded narrative text, and rich visualizations
  • Kernel management for running code in different languages via the Jupyter kernel protocol
  • Workspaces and customizable UI layout, settings, and keyboard shortcuts
  • Real-time collaboration support (when configured with compatible server components)

Use Cases

  • Data exploration and visualization workflows for analytics and research
  • Reproducible reports and computational narratives shared as notebooks
  • Teaching, workshops, and interactive coding environments for teams

Limitations and Considerations

  • Advanced capabilities (for example real-time collaboration and multi-user deployments) may require additional configuration and compatible backends such as Jupyter Server/JupyterHub
  • JupyterLab 3 has reached end of maintenance; newer deployments should use JupyterLab 4

JupyterLab is a flexible choice for individuals and organizations that need an interactive, browser-based environment for notebooks and code. Its modular architecture and extension ecosystem make it suitable for both lightweight personal use and more customized, integrated deployments.

15kstars
3.9kforks
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#3
Atheos

Atheos

Atheos is a self-hosted, web-based cloud IDE and code editor with a small footprint, featuring plugins, multi-user support, and built-in Git integration.

Atheos screenshot

Atheos is a self-hosted, browser-based cloud IDE and code editor originally built as a maintained fork and major rewrite of the Codiad IDE. It focuses on a small server footprint while providing a modern in-browser development experience for teams or individuals.

Key Features

  • Web-based editor with file/project management and split editor views
  • Multi-user support with a more complete permission system
  • Built-in Git integration
  • Plugin system with a library/marketplace for extending functionality
  • Editor productivity features such as advanced search tools, autocomplete, and syntax themes
  • Error checking, notifications, and client-side resilience features (for example LocalStorage redundancy)

Use Cases

  • Lightweight, self-hosted development environment for small teams and homelabs
  • Remote editing and quick project changes on servers without installing a desktop IDE
  • Extensible web IDE platform for building custom plugins and workflows

Limitations and Considerations

  • No built-in automatic updater; upgrades typically require manually copying files while preserving config/data/workspaces
  • Designed for a classic PHP web stack and expects certain directories to be writable by the web server

Atheos is a practical option when you want an in-browser IDE that is easy to deploy, does not require a database, and can be customized through plugins. It aims to keep the simplicity of Codiad while modernizing the codebase and adding features for day-to-day development.

638stars
91forks
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#4
XRSH

XRSH

XRSH is a browser-based XR terminal/REPL that can run standalone from a single executable, optionally booting a Linux ISO and embedding into A-Frame scenes.

XRSH screenshot

XRSH is a web-based XR terminal and REPL that runs in the browser and can be served locally or hosted as static assets. It is distributed as a single cross-platform executable that bundles the app and can optionally boot an emulated Linux ISO for a shell-like experience.

Key Features

  • Browser-first terminal/REPL interface designed for XR usage
  • Single-file distribution (a bundled executable that can be unpacked like a zip)
  • Multiple run modes: local server, container image, Nix-based installs, or hosted from a forge/pages setup
  • Optional ISO boot support and file overlay mechanism to customize content
  • Embeddable “isoterminal” component for A-Frame apps
  • Built-in help/manual access from within the terminal UI

Use Cases

  • Embedding an interactive terminal/REPL into WebXR or A-Frame experiences
  • Shipping a portable “terminal-in-a-browser” environment for demos, workshops, or kiosks
  • Hosting a customizable XR terminal endpoint from your own infrastructure

Limitations and Considerations

  • ISO-based mode can increase load times and may require additional WASM assets
  • Some deployment modes assume serving over HTTPS for full browser capabilities

XRSH is a pragmatic approach to distributing an XR-capable terminal experience as simple web content, while still allowing advanced setups such as ISO booting and environment customization. It fits projects that want an interactive terminal UI in the browser and the option to integrate it directly into WebXR scenes.

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Why choose an open source alternative?

  • •Data ownership: Keep your data on your own servers
  • •No vendor lock-in: Freedom to switch or modify at any time
  • •Cost savings: Reduce or eliminate subscription fees
  • •Transparency: Audit the code and know exactly what's running