code-server
Run Visual Studio Code in the browser on your own server
78.5k stars 6.8k forks last commit first released MIT
Actively maintained
Last commit 24 Jul 2026.
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.
Categories:
Tags:
Tech Stack:
Similar to code-server
JupyterLab
Web-based interactive computing environment for notebooks and code
JupyterLab is an extensible web-based IDE for Jupyter notebooks, code, terminals, and data exploration with rich outputs and a plugin-based interface.
Element
Matrix-based secure messaging and collaboration client
Element is a Matrix client for secure team messaging and collaboration, offering end-to-end encrypted chats and calls with interoperability across the Matrix network.
Eclipse Che
Kubernetes-native cloud development environments with a web IDE
Eclipse Che provides Kubernetes-based cloud development environments (CDEs) with containerized workspaces, a web IDE, and Devfile-based project configuration for teams.
Coder
Self-hosted cloud development environments for teams and agents
Open-source platform to provision secure, self-hosted developer workspaces (VMs, containers, Kubernetes) defined in Terraform, with IDE integrations and AI agent support.
CryptPad
End-to-end encrypted collaborative office and document suite
CryptPad is an end-to-end encrypted collaboration suite with real-time editors, file storage, and sharing, designed to keep document contents private from servers and admins.
WBO
Real-time collaborative online whiteboard
WBO is a lightweight, real-time collaborative whiteboard where multiple users can draw simultaneously, with persistent boards and optional JWT-based access control.