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OpenCodeShare

Introducing OpenCodeShare: Real-Time Collaborative Code Editor

I’m excited to announce the release of OpenCodeShare, a free and open-source real-time collaborative code editor that supports over 15 programming languages!

What is OpenCodeShare?

OpenCodeShare is a web-based collaborative code editor that allows multiple developers to write and edit code together in real-time. Whether you’re pair programming, teaching coding, or working on Arduino projects with your team, OpenCodeShare makes collaboration seamless and instant.

✨ Key Features

  • Real-Time Collaboration – See your teammates’ code changes and cursor positions live
  • 15+ Programming Languages – Support for C++/Arduino, JavaScript, Python, Java, TypeScript, HTML, CSS, Go, Rust, PHP, Ruby, SQL, Shell, JSON, and Markdown
  • Monaco Editor – Powered by the same editor engine that runs VS Code
  • Project Sharing – Save projects as public or private and share them with the community
  • Public Gallery – Browse and remix projects shared by other developers
  • Admin Panel – Built-in admin interface for managing projects
  • Docker Ready – Deploy anywhere with Docker in minutes
  • Mobile Friendly – Responsive design that works on all devices

🎯 Perfect For

  • Arduino Enthusiasts – Share and collaborate on Arduino sketches
  • Educators – Teach programming with real-time code collaboration
  • Remote Teams – Pair programming and code reviews made easy
  • Code Sharing – Share code snippets with syntax highlighting
  • Learning Communities – Build a library of shared code examples

💻 How It Works

Getting started with OpenCodeShare is incredibly simple:

  1. Visit the website and select your programming language
  2. Click “Start New Session”
  3. Share the session link with your collaborators
  4. Start coding together in real-time!

You can save your projects as public (visible in the gallery) or private (accessible only via direct link). The editor includes features like:

  • 💾 Save projects server-side
  • 🌐 Toggle public/private visibility
  • 🔗 Copy shareable session links
  • 📥 Download code with proper file extensions
  • 👥 See active users in your session

🐳 Easy Deployment

OpenCodeShare is available as a Docker image, making deployment incredibly simple:

docker pull bacon8t0r/opencodeshare:latest
docker-compose up -d

That’s it! Your collaborative code editor will be running and ready to use.

🔒 Admin Features

OpenCodeShare includes a password-protected admin panel that lets you:

  • View all projects (public and private)
  • Monitor project statistics
  • Delete projects as needed
  • Manage your community

Simply set your admin password via environment variable and access the admin panel at /admin.

🛠️ Technology Stack

OpenCodeShare is built with modern web technologies:

  • Frontend: React 18, Monaco Editor, Socket.io Client
  • Backend: Node.js, Express.js, Socket.io
  • Deployment: Docker, Docker Compose

🌟 Open Source & Free for Non-Commercial Use

OpenCodeShare is open source and available under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. You can:

  • Host your own instance for personal or educational use
  • Customize it for your needs
  • Contribute to the project
  • Use it for free for non-commercial purposes
  • Share and remix with proper attribution

CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

🚀 Try It Now

Ready to start collaborating on code?

📚 Documentation

The project includes comprehensive documentation covering:

  • Installation and setup
  • Deployment options
  • API endpoints
  • WebSocket events
  • Security best practices
  • Troubleshooting guides

Check out the README for full documentation.

💖 Support the Project

If you find OpenCodeShare useful, please consider:

  • ⭐ Starring the project on GitHub
  • 🐛 Reporting bugs and suggesting features
  • 🤝 Contributing code or documentation
  • ☕ Buying me a coffee

🎓 Use Cases

Here are some ways people are using OpenCodeShare:

Arduino Development

Share Arduino sketches with your maker community. Perfect for robotics clubs, hackathons, and collaborative hardware projects.

Coding Education

Teachers can work through code examples with students in real-time. Students can share their work and get instant feedback.

Remote Pair Programming

Work with remote teammates as if you were sitting next to each other. See changes instantly and collaborate seamlessly.

Code Review

Walk through code together during reviews. Point out issues and suggest improvements in real-time.

Interview Practice

Practice coding interviews with a friend or mentor. Share the session and work through problems together.

🔮 What’s Next?

This is just the beginning! Future updates may include:

  • Persistent database storage
  • User authentication
  • Version history
  • Code execution capabilities
  • Built-in chat
  • Multiple file support per project

🤝 Get Involved

OpenCodeShare is a community project and contributions are always welcome! Whether you’re a developer, designer, or just have ideas to share, we’d love to hear from you.

  • GitHub Issues: Report bugs or request features
  • Pull Requests: Contribute code improvements
  • Documentation: Help improve the docs
  • Feedback: Share your experience using OpenCodeShare

📝 Final Thoughts

OpenCodeShare was created to make code collaboration as simple and accessible as possible. Whether you’re teaching, learning, or building together, I hope OpenCodeShare makes your coding experience more collaborative and enjoyable.

Give it a try and let me know what you think! I’d love to hear your feedback and see what you build with it.

Happy Coding! 🚀

OpenCodeShare is free, open-source software released under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Built with React, Monaco Editor, and Socket.io.