PaizaCloud Cloud IDE

PaizaCloud Cloud IDE is a browser-based development environment with an editor, web server, database server and terminal. The maker says a new Linux development server starts in about three seconds. Its browser workspace includes file management, a file editor, terminal and an in-browser browser, and users can install or create additional apps. Listed environments include LAMP, PHP, Ruby on Rails, JSP, Django, Node.js, Laravel, Go, Express, MEAN stack, Jupyter Notebook and Git. Users can share a server workspace and connect to it with SSH. The cloud environment runs Linux (Ubuntu 18.04), and recommended client systems include Windows 8.1 or later, Mac OS X 10.13 or later, iOS 12 or later and Android 8 or later. The FREE plan includes one server, up to 24 hours of server lifetime, and up to four continuous running hours while the browser is open. It costs nothing. Paid plans start at $9.80/mo. Public application publishing is unavailable on FREE and LITE, but available on BASIC at $19.80 a month.

PaizaCloud brings development tools into a browser workspace and includes a free plan for limited server use. Check the plan limits if public application publishing or longer-running servers are needed.

It suits programming beginners, teachers, instructors, schools and bootcamps, as well as people who want to code without setting up an environment. Shared workspaces and SSH may also suit users collaborating around a cloud server.

Overview

PaizaCloud Cloud IDE is a browser-based development workspace for people who want to write and run code without setting up a local environment. It is especially suited to learners, educators, and web development classes that need a ready-to-share Linux server. The main tradeoff is that publishing a public application requires the BASIC plan.

Key features

The browser workspace combines file management, a code editor, a terminal, a web server, and a database server. An in-browser browser helps users view web applications in the same workspace, and users can install or create additional apps. The maker says a new Linux development server starts in about three seconds, which can help a class or coding session get underway quickly.

Listed environments include LAMP, PHP, Ruby on Rails, JSP, Django, Node.js, Laravel, Go, Express, and MEAN stack, with Jupyter Notebook and Git among the listed tools. That range gives teachers and learners several familiar starting points. PaizaCloud also supports workspace sharing and SSH connections, useful when a project needs collaboration or terminal access beyond the browser interface. The cloud environment is specified as Linux (Ubuntu 18.04).

Pricing

FREE costs nothing and includes one server, a server lifetime of up to 24 hours, up to four hours of continuous running while the browser remains open, and 1 GB of disk space. Application publishing is unavailable. It works for short exercises and experiments, but the time and storage caps make it a poor fit for persistent projects.

LITE costs $9.80 a month, billed monthly. It provides three servers, unlimited server lifetime, up to four hours of continuous running while the browser is open, and 2 GB of disk space. Publishing remains unavailable, so the extra servers and longer lifetime suit ongoing development that does not need a public application or an always-on server.

BASIC costs $19.80 a month, billed monthly. It includes one always-on server and three limited-running servers, unlimited server lifetime, 4 GB of disk space, and application publishing. Additional always-on servers cost $19.80 per month each. This is the appropriate tier for a project that must be published or kept running, though the single included always-on server may constrain a user who needs several persistent environments.

Platforms

PaizaCloud runs in a browser on Windows 8.1 or later, Mac OS X 10.13 or later, iOS 12 or later, and Android 8 or later. Its cloud development environment runs Linux (Ubuntu 18.04), while the product's platform specifications also list Linux, macOS, Windows, Android, and iOS clients. The browser-based approach suits mixed-device classrooms and people who switch between computers, with the server environment itself remaining Linux.

Who it's for

PaizaCloud is a strong fit for programming beginners, teachers, instructors, schools, and bootcamps that want participants to start coding without first configuring development tools. Workspace sharing can help groups work from a common environment, and the server, database, and stack choices support web development exercises. Individual developers can also use it when they want a browser-based Linux workspace. It is less suitable for public projects on a tight budget: the free and LITE plans cannot publish applications, and FREE also imposes short server limits.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Editor, file manager, terminal, web server, database server, and browser are brought together in one workspace, reducing the setup needed for web projects and instruction.
• Pros: Workspace sharing and SSH access support collaboration as well as command-line workflows.
• Pros: The FREE plan offers a no-cost way to start, and LITE adds three servers and unlimited server lifetime for $9.80 a month.
• Cons: FREE allows only one server, caps its lifetime at 24 hours, limits continuous running to four hours while the browser is open, and provides 1 GB of disk.
• Cons: Neither FREE nor LITE supports application publishing, so a public web application requires BASIC at $19.80 a month.
• Cons: LITE still limits continuous running to four hours while the browser is open, making it unsuitable for workloads that must stay active unattended.

Alternatives

For a directory of other browser-based development workspaces, browse Cloud Development Environments. Readers focused on PHP can compare PHP IDEs, while Coding Playgrounds is a broader category for coding practice.

ICEcoder is a better fit for someone seeking a free browser-based code editor with an MIT-licensed IDE framework; PaizaCloud adds hosted development servers and publishing on BASIC. Choose Visual Studio Code if a free editor from Microsoft is the priority. Zed offers a free Personal code editor plan with 2,000 accepted edit predictions and external-agent or API-key support, making it an option for users seeking those editor capabilities. Kate is a free text editor for Linux, Windows, and macOS. OpenIDE offers a free IDE plan. Apache NetBeans is free for commercial and non-commercial use under Apache License 2.0. Bluefish is a free desktop editor, and CodeLite is a GPLv2 IDE with an exception allowing separately developed plugins to use any license.

Verdict

Choose PaizaCloud if you want a browser-ready Linux development environment for learning, teaching, or collaborative web work, with editing and server tools in one place. Its free plan is useful for brief practice, while BASIC unlocks public application publishing. Look elsewhere if you need free publishing or longer-running server access without moving to BASIC.