Eclipse Plans to Challenge Microsoft's VS Code Dominance with Theia Code Editor

The Eclipse foundation has introduced a new cross-platform IDE named Theia IDE to challenge Microsoft's VS Code dominance. The Theia IDE is based on the Eclipse Theia platform and is powered by the Language Server Protocol, Debug Adapter Protocol, and the Monaco Editor. It is offered under the Eclipse Public License 2.0, emphasizing its open and flexible nature without proprietary components. The development of Theia IDE is supported by a coalition of stakeholders including SAP, ARM, Red Hat, and others, ensuring vendor-neutral governance. Key features of Theia IDE include cloud hostability, extensibility, and disabled telemetry by default. Users can customize the interface with color themes and file icon themes. The IDE supports various ways of expanding functionality through plugins and extensions, including compatibility with VS Code extensions. The Theia IDE is available for Linux, Windows, and macOS, with source code on GitHub and official documentation provided. A cloud-hosted demo is available for testing, with live collaboration features planned for the future. This new IDE offers a solid open-source alternative for individuals and enterprises seeking to reduce dependence on Microsoft's tools.