When comparing GitHub Codespaces vs Koding, the Slant community recommends Koding for most people. In the question“What are the best cloud IDEs?” Koding is ranked 3rd while GitHub Codespaces is ranked 18th. The most important reason people chose Koding is:
All languages, databases, and command-line tools are supported. Most machines are already set up with web project basics like Apache, PHP, MySQL, Ruby, Node.js, Perl, and Python and anything else can be installed via the SSH root access.
Specs
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Pros
Pro Preferences are synced
Your Visual Studio local preferences and extensions are saved within GitHub, allowing you to use your configurations on the go.
Pro One-click experience
Designed to make contributing to a repository easier, all it takes to start the cloud IDE is its dedicated button within the repository page.
Pro Visual Studio Codespaces extensions works as-is
If you are a customer for Visual Studio Codespaces, your extension to control GitHub Codespaces will also work and you will be able to use your Visual Studio Code to interact to the Codespace instead of using the Web IDE if need be.
Pro Extensible and configurable
Borrowing from its bigger sister, Visual Studio Codespaces, which is also based on Visual Studio Code, any VS Code extensions work outside the box, no gotchas.
Pro Customizable environments
Environments can be customized in the user-level or the repository using a container declaration file, allowing the environments to be tailored according to the user and the target project
Pro Everything is supported
All languages, databases, and command-line tools are supported. Most machines are already set up with web project basics like Apache, PHP, MySQL, Ruby, Node.js, Perl, and Python and anything else can be installed via the SSH root access.
Pro Ability to signup with Github
And link account to oDesk and Facebook.
Pro Great community
Koding has a community feature that makes it easy to collaborate and share ideas with like minded developers all over the world. And the community itself is very active and helpful community.
Pro Real-time collaboration
Real-time code and terminal collaboration with integrated chat abilities.
Pro Built-in terminal
With 256-color support.
Pro Various file upload options
Koding supports drag & drop, Dropbox, clone from Github, FTP and the ability to access them using SSH.
Pro Built-in package manager
The Koding Package Manager (a successor to Apps) is command line tool for installing packages like nginx, Redis, VNC, Wordpress and many others. It consists of officially supported and user-built packages.
Pro Communities
Ability to create different sized communities that can be public or private.
Pro Social Stream
There's a built-in social network with developers from all over the world.
Pro Unlimited domains and subdomains
Unlimited user-defined domains and subdomains for private or shared VMs can be set up.
Pro Capable editor
Koding uses the Ace editor that's developed by Cloud9. Besides the basics, it covers most important advanced code editor features such as code folding, converting cases, auto-completion, code analysis and refactoring, regex search and offers easy access to relevant documentation.
It also gives access to the CLI, has support for Vim and Emacs keybindings, includes multiple cursors and zen coding mode that removes all distractions and allows focusing on code.
Cons
Con Limited to GitHub
As this is a GitHub Product, do not expect it to work with the likes of GitLab or BitBucket. If you want to use third party VCS providers, you might want to use Visual Studio Codespaces instead.
Con Limited to 5 Codespaces instances
GitHub Codespaces currently limits you to 5 concurrent working codespaces. You have to delete another to start another codespace.
Con Early-Access Software
Currently invite-only, expect GitHub Codespaces to have some bugs until its GA release.
Con Not a cloud IDE
Have to provide your own IDE, so not a cloud IDE.
Con No real individual user support
While they do have plans available for 1-10 users, they are not focused on individual developers, so much as teams.