Cloudomation DevStack:
The CodeSandbox Alternative
Cloudomation DevStack is a platform to deploy and manage cloud development environments. Test DevStack up to 1 year for free.
Cloudomation DevStack vs. CodeSandbox
| Feature | Cloudomation DevStack | CodeSandbox |
|---|---|---|
Hosting | Self-Managed, Managed On-Premise, Managed Cloud (SaaS) | SaaS |
USP | Code stays local, supports “weird” deployment models | Fast spin-up of CDEs, collaboration |
Focus | Supports complex software, for front and back-end developers | Low-code dev tools, focus on front-end developers |
Pricing* | € 80,60 / month Infrastructure: € 28,70; Licence: € 41,95; Support flat rate: € 9,95 | € 57.95 / month https://codesandbox.io/pricing, cost for 1 Pro Seat billed monthly + 4000 Devbox credits = 62 USD/month (for 160 hours with a 4-core computer with 8 GB RAM, 3200 credits are needed, and this was the cheapest option), conversion to Euro in June 2024. |
Supported IDEs | All IDEs (z.B. Visual Studio Code, Jetbrains with and without SSH, Eclipse, Netbeans, Web IDEs) How it works: Sources are shared with the RDE via a file mount. The local mount can be accessed by any local editor. SSH-capable IDEs can also be operated on the RDE. | VS Code, proprietary in-browser editor |
CDE Configuration | Devfile, devcontainer or custom | devcontainer |
Applicable for the development of which type of software | Agnostic: (Almost) any type of software is supported. | Multi-container (without Kubernetes, containers running directly in Docker) |
CLI | No There is a CLI for the ‘Sandbox’ product, but not for the ‘Devbox’ product. | |
Working offline possible | Yes Source code can be mirrored on developer laptop to enable offline work | No |
Sources: https://codesandbox.io/docs/, https://codesandbox.io/, The comparison table focuses on the Devbox product from Codesandbox – more on this in the summary.
*Cost estimates were based on the following assumptions: Pricing estimates calculated for 8 core, 16GB ram machine type and 160 hours of CDE runtime / month
CodeSandbox or Cloudomation DevStack - summarised
CodeSandbox
At the time of writing this (July 2024), Codesandbox supports two types of CDE products:
- Devboxes, which are based on microVMs and support running multi-container Docker-based applications
- Sandboxes, which run purely in the browser, with a severely limited feature set (e.g. only JavaScript projects and no Docker support). At the end of 2023, Codesandbox deprecated their “legacy sandboxes”, but continue to support Sandboxes in their new platform.
The feature comparison table as well as the rest of this section will focus only on the Devboxes product.
Codesandbox has a clear focus on frontend developers. Its documentation heavily features examples from frontend development. It provides a set of dev tools within their custom built in-browser IDE which are tailored to work on visual elements, supporting the work of designers and frontend developers.
Codesandbox is best for:
- Frontend teams or teams working on software with a strong focus on user experience and design
- Dev teams that have no established toolsets or working practices yet (e.g. who are starting a new project) or who are explicitly looking to change their existing workflows and tools
Cloudomation DevStack
With Cloudomation DevStack, the standard deployment is based on fully-fledged VMs. Developers can therefore deploy almost anything on the CDE. They can run multiple containers – one of which can optionally be a development container – or deploy software directly on the VM. If required, a complete Kubernetes cluster or Kubernetes development tools such as minikube or kind can also run on the CDE.
The source code can be synchronised with the developers’ local computer so it’s possibble to work locally with any IDE. Optionally, ssh-enabled IDEs such as VS Code or JetBrains IDEs can also be used, with the IDE backend running on the CDE. Developers have full SSH access to the CDE.
This setup is very similar to local development environments. When working with such a CDE, the developers’ workflows hardly need to be adapted.
Cloudomation DevStack is best for:
- Development teams that work on complex software and need to deploy it to validate code changes.
- Development teams that want a high degree of flexibility (working with individually favored developer tools, full access to VM by default, access to the Cloudomation Engine automation platform)
Features
Cloudomation DevStack features at a glance.
Managed Cloud and On-Premise
Decide on your preferred hosting: Self-hosted on premise, managed on-premise or managed cloud (SaaS).
CDEs based on VMs
VM-based development environments in which the software to be developed and all the necessary tools are available.
DevEx first
Built to integrate seamlessly with existing workflows and tool stacks of developers.
Central Configuration
Configure CDEs and which tools are available for your developers.
Powerful CLI
In addition to a web portal, developers can manage their CDEs via the terminal.
Automation Platform
Access to the flexible Python-based automation tool Cloudomation Engine.
Learn more about Cloudomation DevStack
Cloudomation DevStack
- Low barrier to adoption
- Cloud and self-hosting possible
- High flexibility in deployment models
Get to know Cloudomation DevStack
- Developers continue to work as usual and keep their work routine.
- Use DevStack as SaaS or host DevStack on your own infrastructure
- Customise DevStack for all deployment models.