FAQ and Troubleshooting
FAQ
Do I need an IDE installed on my local machine to work with a dev environment?
Yes, you need an IDE that will work as a thin client and connect to a dev environment. Currently, there are the following options available: Fleet (a new IDE with remote backend support) or IntelliJ-based IDEs through JetBrains Gateway. You can install all these products with JetBrains Toolbox App.
Does a dev environment require configuration or I can start developing right away?
You can start developing right away: simply open the project repository in Space and click . Nevertheless, most likely you won't get all benefits of using an IDE and will be limited with just code editing. Typically, a project requires that some specific tools, frameworks, and runtimes are installed on the machine. That's why we recommend that you prepare a dev environment for your project.
Are there any advantages of using a dev environment comparing to a local machine?
Dev environments provide a number of advantages:
Preconfigured reproducible environments
As dev environments run in Docker containers, you can install all the tools and libraries required by your project using a
Dockerfile. This ensures that dev environments are aligned across the team and eases the onboarding experience for new developers. They can start developing almost instantly as they don't have to prepare their local machine for the project.Quick loading of projects
Regardless of the size of a project, your IDE is always ready. A dev environment lets you perform all typical background operations beforehand. During a warm-up stage, Space can build project indexes, download project dependencies, and so on. You can start writing code, run, or debug the project right after opening the IDE.
Fully integrated with Space
As dev environments are a part of Space, they have access to other Space modules like Git hosting and Automation. This simplifies the development process: all a developer has to do to start developing is click the Start coding button for a project.
Powerful and scalable
Space offers a number of dev environment configurations up to 16 CPU cores and 64 GB RAM.
How much do dev environments cost?
What if I run out of credits? Can I still use dev environments?
We're still investigating possible solutions.
Can I use my own machines as dev environments?
No, currently, it's not possible.
What types of projects can I develop in dev environments? Are there any limitations?
Dev environments run in Docker containers, therefore, the main limitation is that you can use only Linux operating systems.
The main focus of dev environments is developing of web applications. Nevertheless, you can also develop applications with native UI by using VNC or RDP technologies.
What data is saved when a dev environment is hibernated?
During hibernation, a dev environment automatically saves the contents of the working directory /mnt/space and user home directory /root to the storage. All other data is not saved. This means that you should prepare a dev environment for work (e.g., install tools using apt get) only by using a custom dev environment image.
Can I share my dev environment with other Space users?
You can share a dev environment and use it for collaborative development with other team members. Currently, it's possible only for JetBrains Fleet. Learn more
Are dev environments secure?
Dev environments were designed with security in the first place. All virtual machines that run dev environments are isolated from each other: a virtual machine cannot run more than one environment. Virtual networks of dev environments are also isolated.