Try our new research platform with insights from 80,000+ expert users

Codespaces vs Docker comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Jul 14, 2024

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Codespaces
Ranking in Development Platforms
5th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
6.4
Number of Reviews
4
Ranking in other categories
IDE (1st)
Docker
Ranking in Development Platforms
1st
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
56
Ranking in other categories
Container Management (5th), Software Supply Chain Security (6th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Development Platforms category, the mindshare of Codespaces is 10.5%, up from 4.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Docker is 43.9%, up from 37.9% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Development Platforms
 

Featured Reviews

Yshay Yaacobi - PeerSpot reviewer
Enabling a consistent remote environment with seamless integration and a consistent developer experience
We use Codespaces as a remote working environment as it provides a consistent working environment and compatibility across devices. Initially, I started using it because I was working on an Apple Silicon device, and my tools weren't compatible with that architecture. The remote environment offered…
Rikin Parekh - PeerSpot reviewer
Useful to create sandbox environments to run applications and makes it easy to test them
Overall, setting up the Docker environment is quite easy. Many methods exist, such as using Docker Compose and Docker networks to communicate between containers. The main challenge lies in designing the architecture and integrating different frameworks and microservices. I would rate the ease of setting up the tool at around nine out of ten. The time it takes to deploy depends on the scale of the system. For the early-stage startup I'm currently working with, it doesn't take much time. It's just me handling the deployment. In our early-stage startup, we have a couple of teams with around four to five backend APIs and two front-end services. Deploying these doesn't take much time. My focus is more on minimizing costs due to our lean startup structure.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The product allows us to implement feature-related changes or improvements on time. Whenever I write a section of the code or create a new code, it automatically integrates with the former code."
"The integration with Visual Studio Code offers a good and fast user experience that feels like a local experience."
"Codespaces' most valuable feature is the repository, which helps the developers to work together. Its data commands are also useful."
"The most valuable features of the solution are Copilot and Advanced Security."
"The developer experience is consistent, and its pricing makes sense since it optimizes the resources."
"The solution's customer service is good."
"There are ways of using Docker where you have absolutely no dependencies on the environment that you work in. This allows us to deploy Docker anywhere anytime and this has been most valuable."
"Docker allows you to create small applications and containerize them. You can create multiple such application containers that can run simultaneously on the Linux operating system. In a DevOps environment where multiple teams are creating applications, developing new versions, and deploying applications frequently, Docker is very helpful. The greatest benefit of the solution is that you can create applications and multiple versions of the same application, distributing them across various Linux platforms. Setting up Docker is very quick; whereas setting up a Linux operating system can take five to ten minutes, you can set up a Docker-based Linux OS container within minutes. For developers who frequently create and deploy applications, Docker makes it easy to quickly develop, deploy, and run the latest versions. The solution’s stability is great. I rate it a nine out of ten. Regarding scalability, Docker doesn't require any separate configuration for multiple users. If you are trying to create an application quickly for testing or development purposes, Docker is the best tool available."
"Docker is convenient and easy to use."
"The most valuable feature of Docker is its integration with other solutions, such as KVM and AlmaLinux."
"The most valuable feature of Docker is the dedicated QA environment for connecting the team members. Additionally, there are many core features available and it is highly secure when we are imaging a client's server."
"We use Docker to facilitate deployment, updates, and management."
"The scalability of Docker is good."
 

Cons

"We get merge conflict errors and need to resolve them."
"The technical support could respond faster."
"The product indicates incorrect statistics."
"The main issue is related to state preservation on a disconnection. When I close the laptop and open it in a different place, the state of the environment disappears, and I need to rerun several commands."
"When I close the laptop and open it in a different place, the state of the environment disappears, and I need to rerun several commands. This context switch affects productivity."
"The vendor should release a monitoring tool or include monitoring capabilities in Docker"
"In terms of communication between services, perhaps the configuration within networks between containers could be improved."
"The solution is not easy to manage and it is one of the reasons why people introduce orchestration tools to manage it."
"Owing to a few shortcomings in its stability, I would say that its stability can be improved."
"The command line interface could be more intuitive. I constantly struggle with it."
"Docker management is very difficult when we have a large number of nodes."
"I want to see if new architectures have been incorporated in Docker or if we have to wait for another release."
"Stability is an area with a shortcoming."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"From what I've seen, the solution doesn't seem like it's overly expensive for what you get."
"I am using the product’s free version."
"The solution offers an open-source version that is free and includes a lot of functionality."
"Docker is a free tool."
"Since Docker is an open-source solution, it is free of cost."
"It's free."
"I use the solution's open-source version."
"Docker has made some changes and there is an enterprise version that is affordable."
"Docker is a free-to-use solution. However, Docker Enterprise is not free."
"The current cost for us is nothing as an open source."
report
Use our free recommendation engine to learn which Development Platforms solutions are best for your needs.
844,944 professionals have used our research since 2012.
 

Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
14%
Financial Services Firm
13%
Educational Organization
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Computer Software Company
17%
Insurance Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
No data available
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Codespaces?
The most valuable features of the solution are Copilot and Advanced Security.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Codespaces?
Using Codespaces for a single station is cost-effective. However, I am not well-versed in the broader licensing considerations.
What needs improvement with Codespaces?
The main issue is related to state preservation on a disconnection. When I close the laptop and open it in a different place, the state of the environment disappears, and I need to rerun several co...
What do you like most about Docker?
We are using Docker to host applications.
What needs improvement with Docker?
In terms of communication between services, perhaps the configuration within networks between containers could be improved.
 

Comparisons

 

Overview

Find out what your peers are saying about Codespaces vs. Docker and other solutions. Updated: March 2025.
844,944 professionals have used our research since 2012.