Apache NetBeans vs Eclipse Che

Apache NetBeans is a development environment, tooling platform, and application framework for Linux, macOS, and Windows. Its editor highlights code by syntax and meaning and supports refactoring. Editors, wizards, and templates cover Java, PHP, and other languages, with plugins and linked support for JavaFX and JavaScript. The NetBeans Platform is a modular framework for Swing applications, with state saving, menus, toolbars, keyboard shortcuts, and window management. The IDE and Platform are free for commercial and non-commercial use under the Apache License; the listed plan is free. Apache NetBeans 31, dated August 10, 2026, supports running on JDK 26, 25, or 21, with initial support for JDK 27. Downloads include platform-independent binary and source ZIPs, plus linked installers for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Those installers are provided by committers for convenience, not as Apache Software Foundation releases. The release page provides SHA-512 hashes and PGP signatures. Windows/ARM is not fully supported, and older releases are no longer supported.

Eclipse Che is an open-source development environment that runs IDEs in Kubernetes. Users create workspaces from a Git repository or sample, then access them online through a browser. Visual Studio Code and JetBrains IDEs are available. Workspace definitions use Devfiles, YAML files that can be versioned with application source code, and a devcontainer configuration is listed. GitHub, GitLab, and Bitbucket identities can connect through OAuth. Teams can share a development setup by URL, and Che can run on public or private Kubernetes clusters, including self-hosted deployments. Access uses OIDC authentication and Kubernetes RBAC authorization. Enterprise support includes air-gapped networks, TLS certificates, proxies, and FIPS. Code is cloned to persistent storage by default, but other file changes disappear when a workspace stops unless stored on a persistent volume. Che is free, with no stated usage limits.