What Are the Server Requirements and Installation Steps for Atheos Cloud IDE?

Updated

Atheos runs on a minimal server stack: Apache2, PHP 7+ (with basic read/write access), and no database. To install it, upload or git clone the source into a web-accessible directory, make a few directories and a config file writable, then load the app in your browser. If your host meets those conditions, setup is essentially a file copy plus a permissions change — no database creation, no extra server components.

Server requirements

Requirement Detail
Web server Apache2
PHP PHP 7+ (active development targets PHP 7; tested to work on PHP 5.4)
File access Basic read/write access for the web server
Database None required
Other server components None required
Browser Modern browsers including Chrome, Firefox, and IE9+ (mostly developed in Chrome)

The "no database" point is the one that most changes your setup plan: there is nothing to provision in MySQL/PostgreSQL, and no connection credentials to configure before first launch.

Installation steps

  1. Get the source. Upload or git clone the latest source files into a directory your web server can access.
  2. Set write permissions. Ensure a few directories and a config file are writeable by the web server. The exact list is documented in the installation instructions inside the source.
  3. Load Atheos in your browser. Point your browser at the directory you deployed to. There is no database and no other server components to install first.

The project's own guidance is to read the installation instructions within the source for the specifics, so treat the permission list as something to confirm from the files you download rather than assume.

What you get after install

Atheos is a web-based IDE framework built on top of Codiad, designed for fast, interactive development without the overhead of larger desktop editors. Documented features include:

  • Support for 40+ languages
  • Plugin Library & Marketplace
  • Error checking & notifications
  • Multiple user support
  • Editor screen splitting
  • LocalStorage redundancy
  • Advanced searching tools
  • Smart auto-complete
  • Real-time collaborative editing
  • 20+ syntax color themes
  • i18n language support
  • Quick-download backups
  • Completely open-source and easily customized

The interface

Atheos is organized into three panels:

  • Left panel — file and project manager
  • Center panel — split-able area where editors reside
  • Right panel (hidden) — system, plugin, and other controls

Common sticking points

  • Permissions are the usual failure point. If the config file or the required directories aren't writeable, the app won't initialize correctly. Re-check this before troubleshooting anything else.
  • PHP version. PHP 7+ is where development happens; PHP 5.4 is only noted as tested. If you're on an older PHP, expect a rougher experience.
  • Browser choice. Chrome is the primary development target, so if something behaves oddly in another browser, verify in Chrome first.

Support and project status

Atheos is maintained by Liam Siira, who states it is his main coding environment with no plans to switch, and that bugs and features are addressed as quickly as possible. Support channels mentioned are GitHub Sponsors and a BuyMeACoffee page; the maintainer also welcomes emails about use cases. Latest changes and news are published on GitHub.