Notice: AWS Cloud9 is no longer actively developed by AWS. For new projects, AWS recommends migrating to AWS CloudShell, Visual Studio Code with AWS Toolkit, or Cloud9 in AWS CodeCatalyst. AWS recommends switching to an alternative for new projects.
What is AWS Cloud9?
AWS Cloud9 is a cloud-based integrated development environment (IDE) that runs directly in the browser. The IDE provides a full code editor, debugger, and terminal with pre-installed AWS CLI. Cloud9 runs on an EC2 instance in your AWS account, providing full control and security.
Key Features
- Browser-based code editor with syntax highlighting
- Integrated terminal with pre-installed AWS CLI
- Debugger for multiple programming languages
- Real-time collaboration for pair programming
- Automatic shutdown during inactivity
Common Use Cases
Serverless Development: Cloud9 offers native integration with AWS SAM and Lambda. Test functions locally and deploy directly from the IDE. AWS credentials are automatically configured.
Team Onboarding: New team members get a fully configured development environment in minutes. No local setup time, identical environment for all developers.
Pair Programming: Developers can collaborate in real-time, review code, and share knowledge. Particularly valuable for remote teams and distributed development.
Benefits
- No local installation or configuration required
- Consistent development environment for the entire team
- Direct access to AWS services without credential management
- Automatic cost management through instance stop during inactivity
Integration with innFactory
As an AWS Reseller, innFactory supports you with AWS Cloud9: setting up team development environments, integration into CI/CD pipelines, and configuration for serverless development.
Typical Use Cases
Frequently Asked Questions
What does AWS Cloud9 cost?
Cloud9 itself is free. You only pay for the EC2 instance hosting the IDE. The instance is automatically stopped during inactivity. A t2.micro instance (Free Tier eligible) is often sufficient for development.
Which programming languages does Cloud9 support?
Cloud9 supports JavaScript, Python, PHP, Ruby, Go, C++, and many other languages out-of-the-box. You can install any tools and runtimes on the EC2 instance.
Can I connect Cloud9 to my own server?
Yes, Cloud9 can connect to any Linux server via SSH. You can use on-premises servers, other cloud VMs, or existing EC2 instances.
How does pair programming work in Cloud9?
Cloud9 enables real-time collaboration: Multiple developers can work simultaneously in the same environment, edit code, and share the terminal. Everyone sees cursors and changes from others.
Note: All product information on this page has been compiled with care, but is provided without guarantee and may be outdated or incomplete. Cloud services evolve rapidly — features, pricing, SLAs, and availability change frequently. Authoritative and up-to-date information can only be found on the official product page of AWS (official documentation). This page does not represent an offer by AWS.