Free Alternative to GitHub Codespaces

DevPod creates reproducible dev environments based on devcontainer.json on any backend. Completely free and open-source from Loft Labs. Works with VS Code, JetBrains, or SSH.

Deploy to local Docker, Kubernetes, AWS, GCP, Azure, or any cloud provider. It's the closest drop-in replacement for Codespaces because it uses the exact same devcontainer standard—your existing configuration files work without modification. DevPod handles prebuild caching, workspace auto-shutdown, and resource management just like Codespaces, but without vendor lock-in or recurring charges. The architecture separates the client from the backend, meaning you can switch cloud providers or go local without changing your workflow.

The VS Code Dev Containers extension runs the same devcontainer.json files locally using Docker Desktop. Your entire development environment lives in a container with full VS Code integration, including IntelliSense, debugging, and extensions. No cloud costs, complete privacy, and it works offline.

Microsoft maintains this extension alongside Codespaces, so compatibility is excellent. The extension automatically installs extensions inside containers, forwards ports, and mounts your source code with optimal performance settings. On Apple Silicon Macs, the extension intelligently handles architecture translation when needed, ensuring broad image compatibility.

Gitpod offers cloud development environments with 50 free hours monthly on their managed cloud. They recently released Gitpod Flex, which lets you run workspaces on your own infrastructure with unlimited free hours. Browser-based VS Code with powerful workspaces, automatic prebuilds, and excellent GitHub/GitLab integration. A strong competitor that predates Codespaces and has pioneered many cloud IDE features.

Gitpod's prebuild system is particularly sophisticated, automatically building fresh environments when you push commits, ensuring workspaces start in seconds rather than minutes. The platform supports ephemeral workspaces that destroy themselves after inactivity, keeping storage costs minimal.

Coder is an open-source platform for self-hosted development environments, used by Uber, Discord, and Dropbox. Define workspaces with Terraform, deploy on your infrastructure (AWS, GCP, Azure, Kubernetes, or bare metal). Enterprise-grade features like audit logging and SSO available.

The open-source core is free for unlimited developers; you only pay for your compute. Coder excels at large-scale deployments where security, compliance, and cost control are paramount. Its Terraform-based approach means you can template any development environment imaginable, from simple containers to complex multi-VM setups with databases and networking.

For many developers, Docker Desktop plus VS Code is all you need. No special tooling required—just run your containers locally with docker-compose or Docker CLI, attach VS Code via the Docker extension, and develop inside containers. This approach works with any container configuration, not just devcontainers, and gives you complete control.

Docker Desktop is free for personal use and small businesses. The flexibility of this setup is unmatched—you're not constrained by any particular tool's conventions or specifications. Modern Docker Desktop on Apple Silicon provides near-native performance for ARM64 containers and efficient Rosetta 2 translation for x86_64 images.

JetBrains Gateway enables remote development from any JetBrains IDE (IntelliJ, PyCharm, WebStorm) to a remote machine. Combined with a self-hosted VPS or cloud VM, this provides a powerful Codespaces alternative for JetBrains users. The IDE runs locally while the project and runtime execute remotely, giving you full JetBrains functionality with cloud compute power.

Gateway supports SSH connections, Docker containers, and integrates with cloud providers. For developers committed to the JetBrains ecosystem, this offers a native experience that browser-based IDEs can't match. The thin client architecture means UI responsiveness stays excellent even on slower connections.

Eclipse Che is an open-source Kubernetes-native IDE platform from the Eclipse Foundation. It provides browser-based development environments that run on Kubernetes clusters. Each workspace is a set of containers with your tools, runtime, and IDE.

Che pioneered the concept of dev workspaces and has a strong enterprise following. The platform is particularly powerful for organizations already running Kubernetes, as workspaces integrate naturally with existing cluster resources. Red Hat's OpenShift Dev Spaces is built on Eclipse Che, bringing enterprise support and additional features.

Daytona is a relatively new open-source project that provides standardized development environments across any infrastructure. It's designed as a self-hosted alternative to Codespaces and Gitpod with a focus on simplicity and developer experience. Daytona uses a plugin architecture to support multiple cloud providers and local Docker, making it flexible for different team needs.

The project emphasizes fast workspace creation through intelligent prebuild caching and supports both CLI and web interfaces. As an emerging tool, it's actively developed with frequent updates and community contributions.

code-server is an open-source project from Coder that runs Visual Studio Code entirely in your browser. Deploy code-server on a cloud VM, home server, Raspberry Pi, or any Linux machine, then access your complete VS Code environment from any device with a browser—iPad, Chromebook, or lightweight laptop. This approach separates your development environment from your access device, enabling powerful scenarios like developing on a GPU-equipped cloud instance while using minimal local hardware. code-server supports the full VS Code extension marketplace, maintains settings sync, and includes built-in authentication and HTTPS support. For developers who want the flexibility to code from anywhere on any device without vendor lock-in, code-server provides ultimate portability.

AWS Cloud9 is Amazon's cloud-based IDE that provides a complete development environment running on EC2 instances. Supporting over 40 programming languages, Cloud9 includes sophisticated collaborative coding tools with real-time editing, integrated chat, and shared debugging sessions. The IDE runs entirely in your browser with a full Linux terminal, code editor with IntelliSense, and direct AWS service integration.

Particularly strong for AWS-centric development—directly edit Lambda functions, interact with DynamoDB tables, manage EC2 instances, or access CloudFormation stacks without leaving the IDE. Cloud9 environments use standard EC2 instances, giving you granular control over compute costs through instance type selection. The AWS Free Tier includes 750 hours monthly of t2.micro instances for the first year, after which you pay standard EC2 rates starting at $0.0116/hour for t3.micro instances—far cheaper than Codespaces for equivalent usage.

Codeanywhere offers a cloud-based development environment accessible from any device—desktop, tablet, or even smartphone. With pricing starting at just $4.80/month (significantly cheaper than Codespaces for regular full-time use) and a functional free tier for basic usage, Codeanywhere provides an affordable entry point to cloud development. The platform includes AI-powered coding assistance, real-time collaboration features, and support for numerous programming languages and frameworks.

Unlike infrastructure-focused alternatives like Coder or DevPod that require DevOps knowledge, Codeanywhere targets individual developers and small teams wanting a managed service without complexity. The IDE supports SSH connections to external servers, FTP/SFTP for legacy file management, and container-based development environments. After a complete platform rebuild in recent years, Codeanywhere now offers improved performance and reliability, addressing earlier criticisms. For developers seeking a simple, budget-friendly Codespaces alternative without self-hosting complexity or infrastructure management, Codeanywhere offers a balanced solution.

Okteto transforms the Kubernetes development experience by eliminating the traditional build-push-deploy cycle. The platform reduces build wait times by up to 97% compared to conventional approaches through instant code synchronization directly to running containers in your Kubernetes cluster. Developers write code locally or in Okteto's cloud environment, and changes appear immediately in the running application—true hot reload for Kubernetes workloads.

Okteto integrates seamlessly with GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket, automatically creating isolated preview environments for every pull request. The open-source CLI can be used standalone for free, while the Okteto Cloud platform offers team management, collaboration features, and managed Kubernetes hosting. Particularly valuable for teams building microservices architectures where local development of the complete stack becomes impractical or impossible. The platform handles service dependencies, networking, and environment configuration automatically.