Eclipse Che vs OpenVSCode Server
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted ides & code editors options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Eclipse Che
Kubernetes-native cloud developer workspaces
VS
OpenVSCode Server
Run VS Code in the browser on your own server
| Feature | Eclipse Che | OpenVSCode Server |
|---|---|---|
| Category | IDEs & Code Editors | IDEs & Code Editors |
| License | EPL-2.0 | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 4,096 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | kubernetes, helm | docker, binary |
| GitHub stars | ★ 7,153 | ★ 6,144 |
| First released | 2016 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Gitpod, GitHub Codespaces | GitHub Codespaces |
Why pick each one
Choose Eclipse Che if…
- Released under the EPL-2.0 license
- Kubernetes-ready with Helm charts available
- Mature project with 7.2k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
Choose OpenVSCode Server if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 6.1k GitHub stars
Frequently asked questions
Is Eclipse Che or OpenVSCode Server better?
Neither is universally better. Eclipse Che has the larger community, while OpenVSCode Server is simpler to set up (easy difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Eclipse Che and OpenVSCode Server free and open-source?
Yes. Eclipse Che is licensed under EPL-2.0 and OpenVSCode Server under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Eclipse Che and OpenVSCode Server with Docker?
Eclipse Che: check the project docs for container support. OpenVSCode Server: yes.