Project IDX
idx.dev
Project IDX is an entirely web-based workspace for full-stack application development, complete with the latest generative AI (powered by Codey and PaLM 2), and full-fidelity app previews, powered by cloud emulators.

What if your dev experience was entirely in the cloud?

These days, launching applications means navigating an endless sea of complexity. We felt this pain at Google, so we started Project IDX, an experimental new initiative aimed at bringing your entire full-stack, multiplatform app development workflow to the cloud.

Project IDX gets you into your dev workflow in no time, backed by the security and scalability of Google Cloud.

Project IDX lets you preview your full-stack, multiplatform apps as your users would see them, with upcoming support for built-in multi-browser web previews, Android emulators, and iOS simulators.

As a Vim fanatic, I can’t say I’ll ever feel comfortable working in a browser, but some parts of IDX seem interesting. I wonder what the implications are for proprietary code.

I do think it solves an interesting problem where you’re working on your desktop and decide to move to your laptop and continue working on the same codebase, but don’t want to commit early so you can pull down the changes to your laptop.

It reminds me vaguely of Shells.

  • shinobizilla@lemm.eeEnglish
    4·
    1 year ago

    Hell no, no way I’d trust Google with my code. Personal or otherwise. Let me guess this would work only in Chrome.

  • Blackmist@feddit.ukEnglish
    2·
    1 year ago

    What if your dev experience was entirely in the cloud?

    What if your dev environment could disappear completely one day when we get bored of maintaining it after it doesn’t immediately displace github?

  • Sonotsugipaa@lemmy.dbzer0.comEnglish
    2·
    1 year ago

    These days, launching applications means navigating an endless sea of complexity.

    • Meta + D
    • “vsco”
    • Enter

    Damn, I’m exhausted, why does launching an application have to be so hard?

  • pythoneer@programming.dev
    1·
    1 year ago

    Even if it’s very cool, the problem I have with newer google products is that they might just kill it at any time, even if it’s successful.

    • jim_stark@programming.dev
      0·
      1 year ago

      Aren’t we past that point?

      VS Code is Electron based and it can even be deployed in the cloud. We are talking about one of the most popular IDEs.

      • Sigmatics@lemmy.ca
        0·
        1 year ago

        You are talking about transmitting every bit of code you write to the internet. Go ahead if you want that, I don’t

          • Ethan@programming.devEnglish
            0·
            1 year ago

            Yes. It is still entirely possible to run VSCode or VSCodium locally without any of that cloud crap.

            • jim_stark@programming.dev
              0·
              1 year ago

              True, I myself prefer VS Codium but how many people use it? And some site like Coursera have VSCode on the web and it can’t be changed to VSCodium.

              • Ethan@programming.devEnglish
                1·
                1 year ago

                My entire point is that you aren’t forced into using that cloud crap for normal development. And you aren’t forced into any specific IDE. You can choose whatever IDE you want unless your employer mandates something specific.

  • tatterdemalion@programming.dev
    0·
    1 year ago

    I do think it solves an interesting problem where you’re working on your desktop and decide to move to your laptop and continue working on the same codebase, but don’t want to commit early so you can pull down the changes to your laptop.

    This has been a solved problem for decades. SSH.

    • Mikina@programming.dev
      0·
      1 year ago

      Ever since I’ve discovered Parsec (or any other remote desktop streaming solution that isn’t TeamViewer), I’ve switched from having to drag around a heavy laptop that still can barely run Unreal to just having a Surface, remotely WoL my desktop at home through a pooling solution that does not require any public facing service (my NAS is just pooling a website API for a trigger. Not efficient, but secure), and just connecting through Parsec.

      RDP could also work I’d wager, but then I’d have to set up a VPN and I’m not really that comfortable with anything public facing. But if anyone asks me now for good laptop recommendations, I always recommend going the “better desktop for the same price, and small laptop for remote”.

      I’ve yet to find a place where I couldn’t work comfortably through Parsec, it being optimized for gaming means the experience is pretty smooth, and it works pretty well even at lower network speeds. You still need at least 5-10Mbps, but if you have unlimited mobile data you’re good to go almost anywhere.

        • Mikina@programming.dev
          0·
          1 year ago

          I’ve never had any issues, it’s pretty well optimized and it’s miles ahead of TeamViewer. So, in my experience, it is pretty fast - if your net can handle it. And if you have lower bandwidth then it’s pretty good at optimizing for speed instead of quality, if that’s what you want.