Cloud development
Cloud development environments: how they compare with a local setup, what they cost, and the alternatives to Codespaces and Gitpod.
12 posts
VS Code Remote SSH: Develop on a Remote Server as if It Were Local
The Remote - SSH extension lets VS Code edit files, run terminals and debug on a remote Linux server. How it works, setup step by step, SSH config and keys, extensions and port forwarding, and fixes for the common connection problems.
Codespaces vs Coder vs Ona: Cloud Development Environments Compared (2026)
An honest comparison of the main cloud development environments in 2026 — GitHub Codespaces, Coder, Ona (formerly Gitpod) and DevPod-style tools — by who runs them, pricing model, environment definition, persistence, and what each is actually for.
Claude Code on the Web, Desktop, or Terminal: Which One Should You Use?
Claude Code runs in a terminal, a desktop app, VS Code, and in the cloud at claude.ai/code. Where each version runs, what happens when you close your laptop, how --cloud and --teleport move work between them, and the limits of cloud sessions.
What Is a Dev Container? devcontainer.json Explained
A dev container defines your development environment as code — the tools, versions, services, and settings a project needs — so it runs the same on every machine and in the cloud. What goes in devcontainer.json, how it differs from a Dockerfile, and where it falls short.
Self-Hosted Cloud IDEs in 2026: code-server, Coder, and What Running One Really Takes
You can run VS Code in a browser on your own server in ten minutes. Running it well — for a team, securely, with backups — is a different project. An honest map of the self-hosted options, from a single code-server to Coder and Eclipse Che, and the work each one hands you.
How to Get a New Developer Productive on Day One
The first week of a new developer's job is often spent installing things and fighting a setup guide that stopped being true a year ago. What a day-one-ready project looks like — a reproducible environment, seed data, a short honest README — and how to test it without hiring anyone.
How Much Does GitHub Codespaces Actually Cost?
Codespaces bills by the hour for compute and by the GB-month for storage, with a free allowance on personal accounts. How the meter works, three worked examples from occasional to full-time use, and the settings that stop the bill surprising you.
GitHub Codespaces Alternatives in 2026: An Honest Shortlist
Codespaces is a strong product, but not the right fit for everyone — usage billing, GitHub lock-in, and no path from dev environment to running app. The alternatives worth considering in 2026, what each is actually good at, and which ones have quietly changed direction.
Can You Really Code on an iPad or Chromebook?
The keyboard is fine. The problem is that tablets and Chromebooks can't run your project's toolchain like a laptop. The approaches that work — SSH to a remote machine, browser editors, cloud workspaces, and AI agents doing the heavy lifting — and where each falls short.
Leaving Gitpod: Where Cloud Dev Environments Went in 2026
Gitpod Classic shut down in October 2025 and the product became Ona, an AI-agent platform on a new runtime. If that broke your workflow, here's an honest map of the alternatives and what to check before you migrate.
The Real Cost of a Cloud Development Environment
Sticker price is the smallest part of what a cloud development environment costs — and the laptop it replaces was never free either. A model for working out whether the numbers actually favour you.
Cloud Development Environments vs Local Setup: An Honest Comparison
Cloud development environments fix onboarding, parity, and machine sprawl — and introduce latency, cost, and offline problems. A practical breakdown of when each one wins, without the vendor spin.