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eclipse-che/che

7,164TypeScriptAudience · ops devopsComplexity · 4/5LicenseSetup · hard

TLDR

Eclipse Che is an open-source cloud IDE that runs developer workspaces entirely in Kubernetes containers, so every team member gets the same pre-configured coding environment from any browser, no local setup required.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((Eclipse Che))
    What it does
      Cloud IDE platform
      Browser-based coding
      Reproducible workspaces
    How it works
      Devfile config in repo
      Containers on Kubernetes
      VS Code in browser
    Deployment
      Kubernetes
      Red Hat OpenShift
    Audience
      Dev teams
      Platform engineers
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Things people build with this

USE CASE 1

Onboard new developers instantly by letting them open a Git repo URL and get a fully configured workspace in seconds.

USE CASE 2

Eliminate environment differences by defining your project's exact tools in a devfile checked into the repository.

USE CASE 3

Give remote teams a browser-accessible coding environment running on your existing Kubernetes or OpenShift cluster.

USE CASE 4

Standardize VS Code extensions and developer images across all projects in your organization.

Tech stack

TypeScriptKubernetesDockerVS CodeOpenShift

Getting it running

Difficulty · hard Time to first run · 1day+

Requires a running Kubernetes or OpenShift cluster, significant infrastructure setup before first workspace opens.

Use and self-host freely, if you distribute modified versions you must share those changes under the same Eclipse Public License 2.0.

In plain English

Eclipse Che is an open-source platform that gives development teams a coding environment that lives entirely in the cloud. Instead of each developer installing tools and dependencies on their own laptop, Che packages everything a project needs, including the code editor, runtimes, and dependencies, into containers that run on Kubernetes. Any team member can open a workspace directly from a Git repository URL and get a fully configured setup in seconds. The core idea is that workspaces are defined in code, using a format called a devfile. A devfile is a configuration file you check into your project alongside the source code. It describes which tools, editors, and container images the workspace should include. Because the definition lives in the repository, every contributor who opens the project gets the same environment, with no 'works on my machine' surprises. Che uses VS Code as its browser-based editor by default, and it supports VS Code extensions, meaning the tooling ecosystem most developers already know transfers over. Administrators can configure which extensions are available, customize the default developer image, and add getting-started samples for their organization. The platform runs on standard Kubernetes or on Red Hat OpenShift, so teams already using either of those can add Che without switching infrastructure. The project is governed by the Eclipse Foundation and released under the Eclipse Public License 2.0. It has an active open community: a public Slack channel, a mailing list, and biweekly community meetings where the roadmap is discussed and shaped. Bug reports, feature requests, and contributions are handled through GitHub issues. If your team spends time onboarding new contributors or debugging environment differences between machines, Eclipse Che is aimed at solving exactly that problem. It trades the flexibility of local setup for consistent, reproducible workspaces that anyone can reach from a browser.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
I want to add a devfile to my repository so anyone who opens it in Eclipse Che gets a pre-configured environment. Show me a minimal devfile.yaml for a Node.js project.
Prompt 2
Our team runs OpenShift and wants to try Eclipse Che. What is the quickest way to install it and open a test workspace from a GitHub URL?
Prompt 3
How do I configure Eclipse Che to use a custom developer container image for my Python project, including specific VS Code extensions?
Prompt 4
I want to host Eclipse Che for my team on Kubernetes. What are the infrastructure requirements and what does the install process look like?
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