Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

CloudShell VS CodeTogether

Compare CloudShell VS CodeTogether and see what are their differences

CloudShell logo CloudShell

Cloud Shell is a free admin machine with browser-based command-line access for managing your infrastructure and applications on Google Cloud Platform.

CodeTogether logo CodeTogether

Live share IDEs and coding sessions. See changes in real time.
  • CloudShell Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-12
Not present

CodeTogether is the perfect blend of functionality and simplicity, designed by a team of remote developers that rely on collaborative development. Whether you are on an Agile team that uses pair programming as part of your regular software development flow or you just like to live share your code in the occasional troubleshooting session, CodeTogether is the best tool for pair programming, mob programming, code review, and more! If you’ve been using screen sharing or an online code editor for collaborative coding, you’ll be amazed at the difference! Seeing is believing—watch our linked videos to see CodeTogether in action.

CloudShell

Pricing URL
-
$ Details
-
Platforms
-
Release Date
-

CodeTogether

$ Details
freemium $48.0 / Annually (CodeTogether Pro)
Platforms
Windows Mac OSX Linux
Release Date
2020 May

CloudShell features and specs

  • Integrated Environment
    CloudShell provides a fully integrated development environment directly within your browser, including access to Google Cloud resources, pre-installed Google Cloud SDK, and other useful tools.
  • Convenience
    Because it's browser-based, there is no need to install or configure anything locally, which can save considerable setup time and eliminate environment inconsistencies.
  • Security
    Operating within Google's infrastructure can add layers of security, including secure connection to cloud resources and less risk of exposing local machines to vulnerabilities.
  • Access to Project Resources
    Directly connects to Google Cloud resources associated with your account, making it easy to manage and deploy applications within your cloud environment.
  • Scalability
    Seamlessly scalable environment that can handle different workloads without performance degradation.
  • Persistent Storage
    CloudShell offers persistent storage, allowing users to save their work and configurations, which are available in future sessions.
  • Pre-installed Tools
    Includes a range of pre-installed tools, such as git, gcloud SDK, and language libraries, enabling efficient development and deployment workflows.

Possible disadvantages of CloudShell

  • Resource Limits
    CloudShell has usage limits, including limited disk space and CPU, which may not be sufficient for all types of workloads, particularly resource-intensive tasks.
  • Inactive Use Timeouts
    Sessions that are inactive for a period of time may be automatically terminated, which can disrupt ongoing work.
  • Dependency on Internet Connection
    Being a cloud-based solution, a stable internet connection is required. Any disruption in connectivity can hamper development and deployment processes.
  • Latency Issues
    Depending on your geographical location, there may be latency issues which can affect performance and response times.
  • Limited Customization
    While CloudShell provides many pre-installed tools, users have limited control over the environment compared to a locally managed development setup.
  • Paid Subscription Needed for Extensive Use
    Beyond the free tier, extensive usage of CloudShell resources may incur additional costs, which can add up depending on the scale and nature of the tasks.
  • Learning Curve
    New users who are not familiar with Google Cloud's ecosystem may face an initial learning curve to fully leverage CloudShell's capabilities.

CodeTogether features and specs

  • End-to-End Encryption
  • On-Premises
    Available
  • Cross-platform support
    Across multiple IDEs and browsers, no vendor lock-in
  • Host-provided intelligence
    Advanced content assist, validation, navigation, etc.
  • Simultaneous Coding
    Code in any group (even in the same file at the same time) or on your own
  • Shared servers, terminals & consoles
    Hosts can share servers for remote access, and terminals that optionally allow guests to execute commands
  • Run Tests & Launches
    Guests can remotely run tests and analyze results. They can also execute run configurations from the host IDE.
  • Audio/Video & Screen Sharing
    Option to invite guests that aren't part of the coding session

Analysis of CloudShell

Overall verdict

  • Yes, CloudShell is a good tool, especially for those who are actively using Google Cloud Platform. It provides a user-friendly interface and a comprehensive set of tools to manage cloud resources effectively. Its convenience, combined with the power of GCP, makes it a valuable asset for cloud-based development and operations.

Why this product is good

  • CloudShell is a versatile tool offered by Google Cloud Platform (GCP) that provides a command-line environment directly in your web browser. It is particularly beneficial for developers and system administrators because it allows them to manage GCP resources easily without needing to install additional software on their local machines. CloudShell includes the Google Cloud SDK, along with other essential tools, making it a convenient and efficient option for cloud management tasks. Additionally, it offers persistent storage, allowing users to save their scripts and data between sessions. The integration with other GCP services enhances productivity by providing seamless access and control.

Recommended for

  • Developers who frequently work with Google Cloud Platform
  • System administrators managing GCP resources
  • New users of Google Cloud who need an easy introduction to command-line tools
  • Teams collaborating on GCP projects, as it supports session sharing

CloudShell videos

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CodeTogether videos

CodeTogether: The Complete Overview to Live Sharing your IDE

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to CloudShell and CodeTogether)
Text Editors
100 100%
0% 0
Code Collaboration
0 0%
100% 100
IDE
72 72%
28% 28
Programming Tools
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, CloudShell should be more popular than CodeTogether. It has been mentiond 12 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

CloudShell mentions (12)

  • Intro to the YouTube APIs: searching for videos
    Command-line (gcloud) -- Those who prefer working in a terminal can enable APIs with a single command in the Cloud Shell or locally on your computer if you installed the Cloud SDK which includes the gcloud command-line tool (CLI) and initialized its use. If this is you, issue this command to enable the API: gcloud services enable youtube.googleapis.com Confirm all the APIs you've enabled with this command:... - Source: dev.to / 10 months ago
  • Explore the world with Google Maps APIs
    Gcloud/command-line - Finally, for those more inclined to using the command-line, you can enable APIs with a single command in the Cloud Shell or locally on your computer if you installed the Cloud SDK (which includes the gcloud command-line tool [CLI]) and initialized its use. If this is you, issue the following command to enable all three APIs: gcloud services enable geocoding-backend.googleapis.com... - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Getting started with the Google Cloud CLI interactive shell for serverless developers
    While you might find that using the Google Cloud online console or Cloud Shell environment meets your occasional needs, for maximum developer efficiency you will want to install the Google Cloud CLI (gcloud) on your own system where you already have your favorite editor or IDE and git set up. - Source: dev.to / over 2 years ago
  • Cloud desktops aren't as good as you'd think
    Here is the product https://cloud.google.com/shell It has a quick start guide and docs. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • I do not have a personal laptop. Should I use my school's library computers to start learning or just wait until I get a laptop?
    If you are worried about creating other accounts etc - you can just use your gmail account with https://cloud.google.com/shell and that gives you a very small vm and a coding environment (replit or colab are way better than this though). Source: over 3 years ago
View more

CodeTogether mentions (4)

  • Hey! Are there any coding platforms where you can share a simple link with other people to use an app? I keep wanting to find something other than code.org (which makes sharing pretty easy and accessible to anyone)
    Looking for collaboration and advanced features? Most decent ones cost money ... Start with replit.com, also look at codeanywhere.com, and also codetogether.com (requires download, free+paid plans). Source: over 3 years ago
  • QUESTION: How to manage pair programming?
    Are you using the right tools? Screen sharing isn't great for longer sessions, and you need a code focused tool like Live Share, or one we make - CodeTogether, especially if you need to work across IDEs. Source: about 4 years ago
  • dual keyboard / mouse input?
    Just addressing the pair programming aspect of this - if you were doing this remotely, you could use something like codetogether.com Each of you would have your own machines and screens, but be looking at the same piece of code (if you want) or investigate / code in different areas of the project too. Source: about 4 years ago
  • PhpStorm 2021.1 Released: Preview for PHP and HTML Files, 20+ New Inspections, Improvements in All Subsystems, and Pair Programming via Code With Me
    If any of you are looking for a pair/mob programming solution that works across IDEs, do try codetogether.com. Host in IntelliJ, join from VS Code or Eclipse if you want. We just added the support for writeable shared terminals. Video covering all the features is here: https://youtu.be/OgCWc3hTBc0. Source: about 4 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing CloudShell and CodeTogether, you can also consider the following products

GitHub Codespaces - GItHub Codespaces is a hosted remote coding environment by GitHub based on Visual Studio Codespaces integrated directly for GitHub.

CodeShare.io - Realtime code sharing for developers

CodeTasty - CodeTasty is a programming platform for developers in the cloud.

Visual Studio Live Share - Real-time collaborative development

Dirigible - Dirigible is a cloud development toolkit providing both development tools and runtime environment.

Teletype for Atom - Collaborate in real time in Atom