Building the product · Independent · 19 Oct 2026

eclipse-theia/theia

Eclipse Theia is a cloud & desktop IDE framework implemented in TypeScript.

← Building the product
Eclipse Theia: IDE framework. Build custom code editors for web and desktop.

In simple English

This tool lets you build your own software editor. It looks and acts like popular coding programs you already know. You can run it inside a web browser window or install it as a desktop application. It supports many programming languages right out of the box. You can also add extra plugins to give it new powers.

What it is

Eclipse Theia is an extensible software framework written in TypeScript (a programming language that adds rules to JavaScript) for creating multi-language cloud and desktop development environments. It uses web technologies to deliver an interface that works identically on local computers and remote servers.

What it is good for

Solo builders who want to create a branded coding tool for their customers or a custom development environment for their team will find this useful.

Stars22k
LicenceEPL-2.0
Latestv1.76.0 (2026-09-24)checked 19 Oct 2026
Last code change2026-10-19
Written inTypeScript
Setup effort
4 / 5
Payoff
4 / 5
Good
  • Runs both as a desktop application and inside a web browser.
  • Supports many existing code editor extensions without changes.
  • Backed by a large open-source foundation with regular updates.
Watch for
  • Requires deep programming knowledge in TypeScript to customize effectively.
  • Large codebase with heavy resource usage during compilation.
  • Complex build process for non-developers attempting deep changes.
Replaces

building a code editor from scratch using raw web components

Works well with

Electron (a framework for building desktop apps using web technologies)

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Install
git clone https://github.com/eclipse-theia/theia.git
cd theia
npm install
npm run prepare

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