Amazon WorkSpaces vs Cloud9 IDE: What are the differences?

Introduction

Amazon WorkSpaces and Cloud9 IDE are two cloud-based services offered by Amazon Web Services (AWS) that provide different functionalities for developers and businesses. While both services aim to enhance collaboration and productivity, they have key differences that distinguish them from each other.

1. WorkSpaces for Virtual Desktops: Amazon WorkSpaces is primarily focused on providing virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) solutions. It allows users to access a fully managed cloud desktop environment from anywhere and on any device. WorkSpaces provides users with a complete Windows experience, enabling them to run Windows applications and access their files and data securely.

2. Cloud9 IDE for Integrated Development: On the other hand, Cloud9 IDE is an integrated development environment (IDE) that enables developers to write, run, and debug code directly from a web browser. It offers a collaborative coding platform that allows multiple developers to work on the same project simultaneously. Cloud9 IDE supports multiple programming languages and provides developers with features such as code editor, terminal, and project management tools.

3. Pricing Model: Another significant difference is the pricing model. Amazon WorkSpaces charges users based on the number of desktops provisioned and the duration they are used, with different pricing tiers depending on the performance requirements. In contrast, Cloud9 IDE follows a usage-based pricing model, where users pay for the compute and storage resources consumed during coding and development activities.

4. Managed Service vs Self-Managed: While both services are managed by AWS, Amazon WorkSpaces is a fully managed service, meaning that AWS takes care of infrastructure management, security updates, and maintenance. Cloud9 IDE, on the other hand, provides a development environment where users have more control and flexibility to configure the runtime, install additional software, and manage the development environment.

5. Collaboration Features: Collaboration features differ between the two services. Amazon WorkSpaces emphasizes collaboration through shared file storage, enabling users to access and collaborate on files stored in Amazon S3 or Amazon EFS. Cloud9 IDE, on the other hand, emphasizes real-time collaboration within the IDE itself, allowing multiple developers to edit and contribute to the same codebase simultaneously.

6. Target User Base: While both services can be useful for developers, they target different user bases. Amazon WorkSpaces is primarily aimed at businesses and organizations that need to provide virtual desktop environments to their employees, offering a centralized and secure solution. Cloud9 IDE, on the other hand, is more focused on individual developers and small teams working on software development projects.

In summary, Amazon WorkSpaces is a virtual desktop infrastructure solution aimed at businesses, while Cloud9 IDE is an integrated development environment focused on providing collaborative coding capabilities for individual developers and small teams.