What Coder offers
Coder provisions workspaces as code with Terraform on containers or VMs, works with VS Code, JetBrains, and SSH, shuts down unused resources, and supports air-gapped environments with WireGuard encryption and SSO.
Alternatives / Microsoft Dev Box
1 open-source alternative
1 Best Open Source Microsoft Dev Box Alternatives in 2026
Looking for an open source Microsoft Dev Box alternative? Only one project we verified fits: Coder, a self-hosted platform for remote development environments defined with Terraform.
Written by Maxime DERAME
Last updated:
Best Microsoft Dev Box alternatives at a glance
| Alternative | Best for | License |
|---|---|---|
| Coder | Terraform-defined remote workspaces | AGPL-3.0 + enterprise directory |
How we chose these Microsoft Dev Box alternatives
We looked for open-source cloud development environment platforms. We verified Coder's license, recent activity, stars, and deployment in its repository. See our methodology for the full criteria.
Important: enterprise parts
Coder is AGPL-3.0 with an enterprise directory under a separate license, and some features need a paid plan.
Maintenance status
Coder had commits within days of this update.
Why look for a Microsoft Dev Box alternative?
Dev Box is a proprietary Azure service billed by compute. Coder lets you run workspaces on your own infrastructure, but you operate the platform.
coder.com
Coder is a self-hosted development platform that provisions remote development environments defined as code, on infrastructure you control, with support for VS Code, JetBrains, and SSH, plus cost controls, security features, and SSO. The main license is AGPL-3.0, and code in the enterprise directory is under a separate Coder enterprise license.
17.1K1.6KAGPL-3.0 + enterprise directorySelf-hosted
Pricing: Free to self-host the open-source parts; enterprise features are paid.
- Environments defined as code on your own infrastructure
- Works with VS Code, JetBrains, and SSH
- Independent of the Git host
- You operate and secure the platform
- Some advanced features need an enterprise license
Compare Microsoft Dev Box alternatives
| Alternative | Type | License | Self-hosted | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coder | Dev environments | AGPL-3.0 + enterprise directory | Yes | Platform teams |
Which one should you choose?
Want self-hosted cloud workstations
Coder defines workspaces with Terraform and supports air-gapped setups.