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Closes [DOCS-351](https://linear.app/codercom/issue/DOCS-351). > [!WARNING] > **DO NOT MERGE** until [DOCS-349](https://linear.app/codercom/issue/DOCS-349) ([coder.com#877](https://github.com/coder/coder.com/pull/877)) has shipped to production and baked for at least one Vercel cycle. > > Without DOCS-349, the relative links in this PR resolve to broken docs-route URLs (`/docs/helm/coder/values.yaml` -> 404) instead of GitHub URLs tagged with the displayed docs version. DOCS-349 fixes the rewriter to classify these as GitHub blob/tree URLs with the page's resolved ref. ## TL;DR Converts 121 absolute `https://github.com/coder/coder/(blob|tree)/main/<path>` links across 39 docs markdown files to relative paths. After this lands AND DOCS-349 deploys, every one of these links will follow the displayed docs version (mainline tag on bare URLs, explicit tag on `/@vX.Y.Z/`, `main` on `/@main/`) instead of always pointing to `main`. ## Why Today a reader on `/docs/@v2.30.0/install/docker` follows a `compose.yaml` link and arrives at `main`'s `compose.yaml`, which doesn't necessarily match what the docs page describes. Helm values, Terraform templates, and source-code references in particular drift across versions. The fix is to let the coder.com rewriter substitute the page's resolved ref into the URL; that only works on relative links. ## Example payoff (post-DOCS-349) | URL | Today (absolute, always `main`) | After (relative + rewriter) | |---|---|---| | `/docs/install/docker` | `https://github.com/coder/coder/blob/main/compose.yaml` | `https://github.com/coder/coder/blob/v2.34.1/compose.yaml` (today's mainline) | | `/docs/@v2.30.0/install/docker` | same as above | `https://github.com/coder/coder/blob/v2.30.0/compose.yaml` | | `/docs/@main/install/docker` | same as above | `https://github.com/coder/coder/blob/main/compose.yaml` | ## Scope - **121 conversions** across **39 files**. - Verb breakdown: `tree/main` (directories) and `blob/main` (files), both flipped to relative paths. - Line anchors (`#L23-L24`) and query strings preserved verbatim. - Conversion is mechanical: relative path computed from the doc file's directory to the target via `os.path.relpath`. Any path starting at the same directory or below gets a `./` prefix; otherwise `../` chains. ## Rebased on main The branch was rebased onto `main` after the DOCS-350 hotfix ([#26339](https://github.com/coder/coder/pull/26339)) merged. The hotfix repointed 3 `docs-backend-contrib-guide` refs in `backend.md` to `main`, which then needed the same `main` -> relative conversion this PR is doing for the other 121 links. The conflict was resolved by reapplying the mechanical conversion to `backend.md` after taking the hotfix's content. Net result: those 3 links land here as relative, same as everything else. New HEAD `3f501cb622`. ## Inline fix folded in: dead `nix` link - `docs/about/contributing/CONTRIBUTING.md:7` -> `../../../nix` The original absolute URL `https://github.com/coder/coder/tree/main/nix` already returned 404 today. Repointed to `flake.nix` (modern Nix entrypoint, what the prose "Nix environment" semantically refers to). Closes [DOCS-357](https://linear.app/codercom/issue/DOCS-357) here since the `check-docs` Linkspector job surfaced it during rebase; cheaper to fix inline than in a separate single-line PR. ## Out of scope (filed separately) - [DOCS-350](https://linear.app/codercom/issue/DOCS-350): 3 dead `docs-backend-contrib-guide` branch refs in `backend.md` ([#26339](https://github.com/coder/coder/pull/26339), merged). - [DOCS-352](https://linear.app/codercom/issue/DOCS-352): 10 SHA-pinned `(blob|tree)/<sha>` links pending intent review. - [DOCS-355](https://linear.app/codercom/issue/DOCS-355): code-server analog (4 absolute `(blob|tree)/main` links in `coder/code-server`). - [DOCS-356](https://linear.app/codercom/issue/DOCS-356): 2 upstream content bugs in `coder/code-server/docs/CONTRIBUTING.md` (independent of this PR). ## Not triggering `/coder-agents-review` Docs-only edit; per `AGENTS.md` the bot review is reserved for product/CI changes. ## Pre-mortem | Concern | Mitigation | |---|---| | Merging before DOCS-349 deploys regresses ~120 currently-working links into 404s on coder.com | Clear DO-NOT-MERGE banner; tracked as blocker in Linear. | | Relative path computed incorrectly (off-by-one `..`) | Verified all 114 newly-relative non-md/non-image paths resolve to existing files in the repo (only exception is the pre-existing dead `nix` link above). | | Line anchors stripped during conversion | Preserved by the substitution regex; verified `#L<n>-L<m>` cases in `airgap.md` and `speed-up-templates.md`. | | Future code reorgs change file locations | Relative links will start pointing to nothing. Same failure mode as absolute links pointing to renamed files; can be caught with a future link-checker job. | ## Validation ``` $ grep -rE 'github\.com/coder/coder/(blob|tree)/main' docs --include="*.md" | wc -l 0 $ git diff --stat origin/main | tail -1 39 files changed, 118 insertions(+), 118 deletions(-) ``` 114 newly-relative paths verified to resolve to existing repo files (Python `os.path.exists` check on each computed target). <details> <summary>Decision log + planning context</summary> **Why relative over `(blob|tree)/{{currentDocsVersion}}/...` templating**: relative paths require zero markdown-system support and zero upstream churn beyond this one PR. Templating would require a preprocessor on `coder.com` side AND a convention upstream authors have to remember; relative paths just work in a plain editor and `github.com`'s own renderer too. **Why `./` prefix on same-directory targets**: makes the conversion grep-able later (`grep -E '\((\.\./|\./)'`). **Why preserve `#L<n>-L<m>` anchors verbatim**: the anchor is meaningful to the linked file's content, not to the URL form; keeping it as-is preserves authorial intent. If the file later changes such that the line range drifts, that's a different problem the SHA-pin audit ([DOCS-352](https://linear.app/codercom/issue/DOCS-352)) will surface. </details> --- *Generated by Coder Agents on @nickvigilante's behalf.* ## Drive-by external link fix folded in `docs/about/contributing/CONTRIBUTING.md:296` cited `https://reflectoring.io/meaningful-commit-messages/` which is returning HTTP 503 (the host appears to be down site-wide right now). `check-docs` Linkspector flagged it after the rebase. Replaced with `https://cbea.ms/git-commit/` (Chris Beams' canonical "If applied, this commit will..." article, confirmed 200), which is the original source of the rule the prose recites anyway.
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# About
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<!-- Warning for docs contributors: The first route in manifest.json must be titled "About" for the static landing page to work correctly. -->
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Coder is a self-hosted platform for running AI coding agents and cloud
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development environments on infrastructure you control. It works with any
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cloud, IDE, OS, Git provider, and IDP.
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## Coder Workspaces
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[Coder Workspaces](./user-guides/index.md) are cloud development environments
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defined with Terraform, connected through a secure Wireguard tunnel, and
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automatically shut down when not in use. Agents and developers share the same
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workspace infrastructure.
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- **Defined in Terraform**: Templates describe the infrastructure for each
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workspace, from EC2 VMs and Kubernetes Pods to Docker containers.
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- **Any architecture and OS**: Support ARM and x86-64 across Windows, Linux,
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and macOS from a single deployment.
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- **Managed by admins**: Platform teams create and maintain templates that
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enforce approved images, resource limits, and security policies.
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- **Accessed from any IDE**: Connect through VS Code, JetBrains, Cursor,
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a web terminal, remote desktop, or SSH.
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- **Automatic shutdown**: Idle workspaces stop automatically to reduce
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cloud spend, and restart in seconds when needed.
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## Coder Agents
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[Coder Agents](./ai-coder/agents/index.md) is a native AI coding agent built
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into Coder. The agent loop runs in the Coder control plane on your
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infrastructure, not in the workspace and not in a vendor's cloud. Developers
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interact with agents through the web UI or the REST API for programmatic and
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CI-driven workflows.
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- **Self-hosted agent loop**: The control plane handles planning, model
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calls, and tool dispatch. Workspaces have zero AI awareness.
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- **No API keys in workspaces**: LLM credentials stay in the control plane.
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- **Any model**: Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Bedrock, or self-hosted
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endpoints. Switching is a configuration change.
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- **Governance and cost controls**: Centralized model approval, per-user
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spend limits, and audit logging.
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- **Open source and inspectable**: The full platform is available to audit
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and extend.
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## IDE support
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You can use:
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- Any Web IDE, such as
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- [code-server](https://github.com/coder/code-server)
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- [JetBrains Projector](https://github.com/JetBrains/projector-server)
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- [Jupyter](https://jupyter.org/)
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- And others
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- Your existing remote development environment:
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- [JetBrains Gateway](https://www.jetbrains.com/remote-development/gateway/)
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- [VS Code Remote](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/remote/ssh-tutorial)
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- [Emacs](./user-guides/workspace-access/emacs-tramp.md)
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- A file sync such as [Mutagen](https://mutagen.io/)
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## Why remote development
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Provisioning consistent development environments for a large engineering team
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is difficult. Each developer has preferences for operating systems, editors,
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and toolchains, and ensuring a reliable build environment across all of them
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is a maintenance burden. A missed step during onboarding or an unsupported
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local configuration can cost hours of debugging.
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Remote development solves this by moving the environment off the developer's
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machine and into managed infrastructure. The developer's laptop becomes a
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portal into the actual compute where work happens. If a device is lost or
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replaced, access is simply revoked; no source code or credentials are stored
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locally.
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This approach provides:
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- **Speed**: Server-grade hardware accelerates builds, tests, and large
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workloads without requiring expensive local machines.
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- **Consistency**: Infrastructure tools such as Terraform, nix, Docker, and
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Dev Containers produce identical environments for every developer.
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- **Security**: Source code stays on private servers. Users and groups are
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managed through [SSO](./admin/users/oidc-auth/index.md) and
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[RBAC](./admin/users/groups-roles.md#roles).
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- **Compatibility**: Workspaces share infrastructure configurations with
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staging and production, reducing configuration drift.
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- **Accessibility**: Browser-based IDEs and remote IDE extensions let
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developers work from any device, including lightweight laptops,
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Chromebooks, and tablets.
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Read more on the [Coder blog](https://coder.com/blog), the
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[Slack engineering blog](https://slack.engineering/development-environments-at-slack),
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or from [Alex Ellis at OpenFaaS](https://blog.alexellis.io/the-internet-is-my-computer/).
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## Why Coder
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The key difference between Coder and other platforms is that the entire system,
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agent loop, control plane, model routing, and workspace provisioning, runs on
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infrastructure you control.
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For agents, this means platform teams can:
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- Run the entire agent loop on their infrastructure, with no SaaS
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dependency for orchestration.
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- Define MCP servers, skills, and system prompts centrally so every agent
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session starts with the same tools, policies, and context.
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- Keep LLM credentials out of workspaces entirely.
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- Tie every agent action to an authenticated user identity.
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- Support air-gapped and restricted-network deployments with self-hosted models.
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For workspaces, this means admins can:
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- Support any architecture (ARM, x86-64) and operating system
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(Windows, Linux, macOS).
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- Modify pod/container specs, such as adding disks, managing network policies, or
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setting/updating environment variables.
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- Use VM or dedicated workspaces, developing with Kernel features (no container
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knowledge required).
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- Enable persistent workspaces, which are like local machines, but faster and
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hosted by a cloud service.
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## Pricing
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Coder is free and open source under the
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[GNU Affero General Public License v3.0](../LICENSE).
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All developer productivity features are included in the open source version.
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A [Premium license](https://coder.com/pricing#compare-plans) is available for
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enhanced support and custom deployments.
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## How Coder works
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Coder workspaces are represented with Terraform, but you do not need to know
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Terraform to get started. The
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[Coder Registry](https://registry.coder.com/templates) provides production-ready
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templates for AWS EC2, Azure, Google Cloud, Kubernetes, and other providers.
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_Providers and compute environments_
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Workspaces can include more than just compute. Terraform can add storage
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buckets, secrets, sidecars, and
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[other resources](https://developer.hashicorp.com/terraform/tutorials).
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See the [templates documentation](./admin/templates/index.md) for details.
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## What Coder is not
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- Coder is not an infrastructure as code (IaC) platform.
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- Terraform is the first IaC _provisioner_ in Coder, allowing Coder admins to
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define Terraform resources as Coder workspaces.
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- Coder is not a DevOps/CI platform.
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- Coder workspaces can be configured to follow best practices for
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cloud-service-based workloads, but Coder is not responsible for how you
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define or deploy the software you write.
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- Coder is not an online IDE.
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- Coder supports common editors, such as VS Code, vim, and JetBrains,
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all over HTTPS or SSH.
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- Coder is not a collaboration platform.
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- You can use Git with your favorite Git platform and dedicated IDE
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extensions for pull requests, code reviews, and pair programming.
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- Coder is not a SaaS/fully-managed offering.
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- Coder is a [self-hosted](<https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-hosting_(web_services)>)
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solution.
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You must host Coder in a private data center or on a cloud service, such as
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AWS, Azure, or GCP.
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## Learn more
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- [Coder Agents](./ai-coder/agents/index.md)
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- [Templates](./admin/templates/index.md)
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- [Installing Coder](./install/index.md)
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- [Quickstart tutorial](./tutorials/quickstart.md)
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