Codeanywhere really does allow you to Code Anywhere, but it could be better about editing code elsewhere.
Use Cases and Deployment Scope
I use Codeanywhere as a fully online IDE to make edits to live websites. Using Codeanywhere, I can edit the files directly on the server without having to download and keep versions on a local drive. This allows me to have the same editing experience on Mac, PC, and Chromebook, as well as have the portability to be able to edit on the fly. I have also used it to spin up development environments to crunch SCSS and do minor tasks.
Pros
- Run development containers with backend and frontend access.
- Allow for multiple users to collaborate and share containers and connections.
- Manage multiple connections to different servers.
Cons
- Since some updates a couple of years ago, using Codeanywhere as a remote code editor rather than a container-based development environment has been more cumbersome and difficult.
- The modular nature of connections and containers seems like a good idea, but they don't always work properly.
- It's difficult sometimes to share a connection or container together with a collaborator.
Likelihood to Recommend
If you're looking for a VS Code-like online environment with containers to spin up a dev environment or execute code and scripts it is a good fit. The environments are very customizable, and, all said and done, the price is fair. If you're looking for a remote code editor that allows you to connect via SFTP/SSH and edit the remote files, it isn't quite as seamless as it used to be. I still haven't found any all-cloud alternative, but it could be better.
