# Coder — Self-Hosted Cloud Development Environments

> Deploy secure, reproducible dev environments on your own infrastructure with Coder. Supports Kubernetes, Docker, AWS, GCP, and Azure.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# Coder — Self-Hosted Cloud Development Environments

## Quick Use
```bash
curl -L https://coder.com/install.sh | sh
coder server
# Open http://localhost:3000 and create your first workspace
```

## Introduction
Coder moves development from local laptops to centralized servers you control. It provisions reproducible cloud workspaces defined as Terraform templates, so every developer gets a consistent environment that spins up in seconds and shuts down when idle.

## What Coder Does
- Provisions dev environments as code using Terraform templates
- Supports Kubernetes, Docker, AWS EC2, GCP, Azure, and bare metal
- Gives each developer a full Linux workspace with SSH, VS Code, and JetBrains access
- Enforces resource quotas, idle shutdown, and organization-wide policies
- Integrates with OIDC, LDAP, and GitHub for single sign-on

## Architecture Overview
Coder runs a Go control plane (coderd) backed by PostgreSQL. When a developer requests a workspace, coderd executes a Terraform template that provisions the compute resource and installs an agent inside it. The agent maintains a persistent WireGuard tunnel back to coderd, enabling SSH, port forwarding, and IDE connectivity without exposing ports on the workspace itself.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Deploy via Helm chart on Kubernetes or a single binary on Linux and macOS
- Set CODER_PG_CONNECTION_URL for the PostgreSQL backend
- Write Terraform templates to define workspace images, resources, and startup scripts
- Configure OIDC or GitHub OAuth for authentication
- Use coder dotfiles and personalize scripts for per-user shell preferences

## Key Features
- Template-driven environments with full Terraform ecosystem support
- Built-in SSH gateway and WireGuard mesh for zero-port-exposure connectivity
- First-class VS Code Remote and JetBrains Gateway integration
- Automatic workspace shutdown and resource scheduling to cut cloud costs
- Audit logging, RBAC, and quota management for enterprise compliance

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Gitpod** — SaaS-first with a self-hosted option; Coder is self-hosted-first with full infra control
- **GitHub Codespaces** — Locked to GitHub and Azure; Coder runs on any cloud or on-prem
- **DevPod** — Client-side tool without a central control plane; Coder adds governance and multi-user management
- **Vagrant** — Provisions VMs locally; Coder provisions cloud workspaces with remote IDE access

## FAQ
**Q: Can Coder run air-gapped without internet access?**
A: Yes. You can mirror the Terraform providers and container images internally and run coderd behind a firewall.

**Q: How does Coder differ from a plain Docker Compose dev environment?**
A: Coder adds multi-user access control, workspace lifecycle management, IDE integration, and infrastructure-as-code templates on top of containers.

**Q: What IDEs does Coder support?**
A: VS Code Desktop (via Remote SSH), VS Code in the browser (code-server), JetBrains Gateway, Jupyter, and any tool reachable over SSH.

**Q: Is Coder free?**
A: The open-source edition is free for unlimited users. An enterprise tier adds high availability, premium support, and advanced governance.

## Sources
- https://github.com/coder/coder
- https://coder.com/docs

---
Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/333a1243-3974-11f1-9bc6-00163e2b0d79
Author: Script Depot