code-server
VS Code in the browser, hosted on a remote server.
code-server vs Coder
Two self-hosted Software Development - IDE & Tools apps, compared on the facts we track: GitHub popularity and activity, license, language, Docker images and a rough hosting estimate.
Side by side
| code-server | Coder | |
|---|---|---|
| Description | VS Code in the browser, hosted on a remote server. | Remote development machines on your own infrastructure. |
| GitHub stars | 79,770 | 17,275 |
| Forks | 6.9k | – |
| Open issues (incl. PRs) | 150 | – |
| Commits (12 months) | 349 | 6k |
| Last activity | 2026-11-04 | 2026-11-04 |
| Latest release | v4.145.0 (2026-11-04) | v2.39.0 (2026-11-03) |
| Maintenance health | Active | Active |
| License | MIT | AGPL-3.0 |
| Language / platform | Nodejs, Docker | Go, Docker, K8S, deb |
| Docker Hub image | – | – |
| Docker pulls | – | – |
| Est. server size | ~2 GB, 1 vCPU | ~2 GB, 1 vCPU |
| Est. hosting from | $10/mo | $10/mo |
| Categories | Software Development - IDE & Tools | Software Development - IDE & Tools |
| Links | Website · Source | Website · Source |
What the numbers say
- code-server is more popular on GitHub: 79.8k stars vs 17.3k for Coder.
- Coder had more commits in the last 12 months (5,998 vs 349).
- code-server published a release more recently (v4.145.0 on 2026-11-04; Coder's latest is v2.39.0 on 2026-11-03).
- code-server is licensed under MIT, Coder under AGPL-3.0. code-server's license is permissive; Coder's is copyleft (changes you distribute must stay open).
- code-server is written in Nodejs; Coder in Go.
- Deployment options listed upstream: code-server: Docker; Coder: Docker, K8S, deb.
Summary: code-server leads on GitHub popularity; Coder leads on commit activity. The right choice depends on the features you need — read both project descriptions and docs.
This summary is generated from GitHub, Docker Hub and awesome-selfhosted data as of 2026-11-05. It does not rate features or quality.
Frequently asked questions
Is code-server or Coder more popular?
code-server has more GitHub stars (79,770 vs 17,275 for Coder, as of 2026-11-05). Stars measure interest, not quality.
Which is more actively maintained, code-server or Coder?
Coder had more commits over the last 12 months (5,998 vs 349). Both had repository activity on 2026-11-04. Releases in the past year: code-server 10+, Coder 10+. Our health labels: code-server is “Active”, Coder is “Active”.
What licenses do code-server and Coder use?
code-server: MIT. Coder: AGPL-3.0. code-server's license is permissive; Coder's is copyleft (changes you distribute must stay open).
Can I run code-server and Coder with Docker?
We did not detect a Docker Hub image for either app. The upstream listing mentions Docker as a deployment option for code-server and Coder. Check each project's documentation for install options.
Read more
Coder
Remote development machines on your own infrastructure.
Browse all self-hosted Software Development - IDE & Tools apps.