AWS Cloud9 is a cloud-based integrated development environment (IDE) that enables developers to write, run, and debug their code from any machine with just a browser. Here’s a detailed overview of what the product does and its key features:
What it Does
AWS Cloud9 is designed to provide a comprehensive development environment that eliminates the need for installing and configuring local IDEs. It allows developers to work on their projects from anywhere, using any internet-connected machine, making it highly versatile and accessible.
Key Features and Functionality
Cloud-Based Development
- Cloud9 runs on a managed Amazon EC2 instance or any existing Linux server that supports SSH, allowing developers to use a browser as their primary interface for coding, running, and debugging applications.
Code Editor and Debugger
- The IDE includes a robust code editor with features such as code hinting, code completion, and step-through debugging. It also supports syntax highlighting for various programming languages, including JavaScript, Python, PHP, Ruby, Go, and C .
Terminal Access
- Cloud9 provides a browser-based terminal with full sudo privileges to the managed EC2 instance and a preauthenticated AWS Command Line Interface (AWS CLI). This allows developers to install additional software, perform Git operations, and execute commands directly from the IDE.
Collaboration
- The platform facilitates real-time collaboration by enabling developers to share their development environment with team members. This allows for pair programming, real-time typing visibility, and instant chat communication within the IDE.
Serverless Application Development
- Cloud9 is optimized for developing serverless applications, particularly with AWS Lambda. It preconfigures the development environment with necessary SDKs, libraries, and plugins, and allows for local testing and debugging of Lambda functions.
Integration with AWS Services
- Cloud9 integrates seamlessly with other AWS services, such as AWS CodeStar, to provide a complete toolset for deploying applications to AWS. This integration enhances the overall development and deployment process.
Preconfigured Tooling
- The environment comes prepackaged with tooling for over 40 programming languages, eliminating the need to install or configure files, SDKs, and plugins. This streamlines the process of starting new projects and maintaining multiple development environments.
Version Control and Git Integration
- Cloud9 supports integration with Git repositories, allowing developers to manage their code versions directly within the IDE. This includes features like creating branches, executing Git commands, and resolving merge conflicts.
In summary, AWS Cloud9 offers a powerful, cloud-based IDE that simplifies the development process by providing a fully configured environment, robust collaboration tools, and seamless integration with AWS services, all accessible from a web browser. However, it is important to note that as of July 25, 2024, AWS announced that Cloud9 is no longer available to new customers, although existing customers can continue to use the service.