# Eclipse Che — Cloud Development Environments for Kubernetes

> Eclipse Che provides Kubernetes-native cloud development environments with browser-based IDEs, enabling teams to standardize and instantly provision developer workspaces.

## Install

Save as a script file and run:

# Eclipse Che — Cloud Development Environments for Kubernetes

## Quick Use
```bash
chectl server:deploy --platform k8s
chectl workspace:create --devfile=https://your-repo/devfile.yaml
chectl workspace:start
```

## Introduction
Eclipse Che is an open-source platform that runs full development environments inside Kubernetes pods. Developers get browser-based or desktop IDE access to pre-configured workspaces defined as code, eliminating "works on my machine" problems and reducing onboarding time.

## What Eclipse Che Does
- Provisions containerized developer workspaces from declarative Devfile specifications
- Serves VS Code or JetBrains IDEs through the browser with full extension support
- Manages workspace lifecycle including auto-shutdown for idle environments
- Integrates with OAuth providers for single sign-on and role-based access
- Supports multi-container workspaces with databases, runtimes, and sidecars

## Architecture Overview
Che deploys a central dashboard and workspace controller on Kubernetes. When a developer requests a workspace, the controller creates a pod from the Devfile spec, mounts persistent volumes for project files, and injects the chosen IDE as a container. A gateway routes traffic to the correct workspace pod via subdomain or path-based routing.

## Self-Hosting & Configuration
- Deploy with `chectl` CLI on any Kubernetes 1.25+ cluster
- Requires an Ingress controller and a storage class for persistent workspace volumes
- Configure identity providers via Keycloak or any OIDC-compatible service
- Devfiles define workspace images, commands, and endpoints in a YAML file
- Resource quotas per user are configurable through CheCluster custom resources

## Key Features
- Devfile-driven workspaces that version environment configuration alongside code
- Zero-install developer experience accessible from any browser
- Per-user Kubernetes namespaces with automatic resource isolation
- Plug-in registry for IDE extensions available to all workspace users
- Air-gapped deployment support for restricted enterprise networks

## Comparison with Similar Tools
- **Gitpod** — Similar concept with SaaS focus; Eclipse Che is fully self-hosted
- **GitHub Codespaces** — Vendor-locked to GitHub; Che works with any Git provider
- **DevPod** — Client-side workspace manager; Che runs entirely server-side on K8s
- **Coder** — Terraform-based provisioning; Che uses Devfile specs on Kubernetes

## FAQ
**Q: Which IDEs does Eclipse Che support?**
A: VS Code (via OpenVSX) and JetBrains IDEs (IntelliJ, GoLand, PyCharm) run inside the browser.

**Q: Can I use my local IDE instead of the browser?**
A: Yes. Che supports SSH and Gateway access so desktop IDEs can connect to remote workspaces.

**Q: How are workspace files persisted?**
A: Each workspace gets a Kubernetes PersistentVolumeClaim that survives pod restarts.

**Q: Is Eclipse Che free?**
A: Yes. Eclipse Che is open source under the Eclipse Public License 2.0.

## Sources
- https://github.com/eclipse-che/che
- https://eclipse.dev/che/docs

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Source: https://tokrepo.com/en/workflows/c09e8485-3ade-11f1-9bc6-00163e2b0d79
Author: Script Depot