newsnowlabs/dockside

What it solves

Dockside provides a self-hosted platform for teams to instantly launch isolated, browser-accessible development environments (called "devtainers") for every git branch, task, or AI agent session. It eliminates the need for manual environment setup, branch-switching overhead, and cloud lock-in associated with managed services like GitHub Codespaces.

How it works

Dockside manages Docker containers on your own infrastructure, provisioning each with a browser-based IDE (OpenVSCode Server or Theia), SSH access, and a dedicated HTTPS reverse proxy with per-service subdomains. It allows users to launch environments from stock or custom Docker images and supports various runtimes for different isolation levels, including runC, Sysbox, gVisor, and RunCVM.

Who it’s for

• Developers who want reproducible, isolated environments and the ability to work from any browser or remote IDE (VS Code, JetBrains).
• AI Coding Agent Users who need secure, sandboxed environments where AI tools like Claude Code, OpenAI Codex, and GitHub Copilot can run natively and safely.
• Code Reviewers and Product Managers who need instant access to running versions of feature branches for review and feedback without waiting for staging deployments.

Highlights

• AI-Ready Sandboxing: Native support for AI CLIs and extensions, with upcoming network firewall management to restrict AI agent outbound access.
• Self-Hosted Privacy: Keeps all data and code on your own infrastructure without per-seat cloud fees.
• Flexible IDE Access: Integrated browser IDEs plus first-class SSH support for local VS Code and JetBrains remote development.
• Automated Infrastructure: Automatic provisioning of HTTPS reverse proxies, SSL certificates (via Let's Encrypt), and SSH authorized_keys.
• Runtime Agnostic: Supports multiple container runtimes for varying levels of kernel isolation or full VM capabilities.