Introduction to AWS Cloud9
AWS Cloud9 is a cloud-based integrated development environment (IDE) designed to facilitate the writing, running, and debugging of code entirely from a web browser. Although it is no longer available to new customers, existing users can continue to leverage its robust features.
Key Features and Functionality
Cloud-Based Development Environment
AWS Cloud9 allows developers to work on their projects from any internet-connected device, eliminating the need to install or maintain a local IDE. This cloud-based approach enables developers to access their projects and code from anywhere, enhancing flexibility and ease of development.
Comprehensive Development Tools
The IDE comes prepackaged with essential tools for popular programming languages such as JavaScript, Python, PHP, Ruby, Go, and C . This includes a code editor, debugger, and terminal, which provide features like code hinting, code completion, and step-through debugging. The terminal offers a browser-based shell experience, allowing developers to install additional software, perform Git operations, and enter commands.
Collaboration and Pair Programming
AWS Cloud9 enhances team collaboration by enabling multiple developers to work together in real-time on the same codebase. Features include shared editing, shared terminal sessions, and collaborative debugging. Team members can see each other’s inputs in real-time and communicate through an integrated chat system within the IDE.
Serverless Application Development
The platform is particularly adept at supporting serverless application development. It preconfigures the development environment with the necessary SDKs, libraries, and plugins for AWS Lambda functions. This setup allows for local testing and debugging of serverless applications, streamlining the development and deployment process.
Integration with AWS Services
AWS Cloud9 integrates seamlessly with various AWS services, including AWS CodeStar, AWS CodeCommit, AWS CodeBuild, and AWS CodePipeline. This integration enables easy access to these services, facilitating a unified experience for building, testing, and deploying applications on AWS.
Git and SAM Support
The IDE includes default support for Git, the standard for source control management. Additionally, it offers a pre-installed Serverless Application Model (SAM) local environment and CLI, which simplifies the implementation and execution of SAM applications. Docker support is also available, allowing for local testing of container-based applications.
Direct Terminal Access to AWS
Developers have full sudo privileges and a preauthenticated AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI) when running their development environment on a managed Amazon EC2 instance. This setup makes it easy to run commands and directly access AWS services.
Pre-configured Development Environments
AWS Cloud9 provides pre-configured environments for over 40 programming languages and frameworks, reducing the setup time and simplifying the development process. This allows developers to start writing code for popular application stacks within minutes.
Extensibility
The IDE offers extensibility through plugins and customization options, allowing developers to enhance its functionality by integrating with external services or customizing the environment to suit their specific needs.
In summary, AWS Cloud9 is a powerful cloud-based IDE that streamlines development workflows, enhances collaboration, and leverages the benefits of cloud computing for coding projects, making it an invaluable tool for developers working on a variety of applications and projects.