Gitpod provides flexible options for running your development environments, either locally on your machine or securely in your own cloud infrastructure (VPC) or hardware.

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Deployment Options

Choose the option that best fits your workflow and infrastructure requirements:
OptionDescriptionBest for
Gitpod DesktopRun environments locally with built-in Linux virtualizationIndividual developers or teams without cloud infrastructure
AWS RunnerRun in your own AWS VPC with full controlTeams needing enterprise-grade compute resources and GPU support
Linux RunnerRun directly on your Linux machine with simple setupSmall teams wanting direct local network access

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Detailed Comparison

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Gitpod Desktop

  • Infrastructure: Runs locally on your machine using built-in virtualization
  • Cost: No additional infrastructure costs
  • Compute Resources: Limited to your local hardware
  • Collaboration: Project sharing only available with other Gitpod Desktop users
  • Get Started with Gitpod Desktop →

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AWS Runner (Bring Your Own Cloud)

  • Infrastructure: Runs securely in your own AWS VPC
  • Cost: Pay only for the AWS resources you use (can be covered by AWS free tier)
  • Compute Resources: Scale up to 896 vCPUs and 12TB RAM with GPU support
  • Collaboration: Environments can be shared with everyone in your organization
  • Get Started with AWS Runner →

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Linux Runner (On Your Hardware)

  • Infrastructure: Runs directly on your Linux machine
  • Cost: Fixed costs based on your existing hardware
  • Compute Resources: Support for up to 10 concurrent environments
  • Collaboration: Direct local network access for your team
  • Get Started with Linux Runner →

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Next Steps

After selecting your deployment option:
  1. Configure your development environment
  2. Set up authentication (via Personal Access Token or OAuth)
  3. Configure maintenance and update strategies