Cloud and Hybrid Developer Environments - how virtualization transforms your IDEs for embedded projects

Back in 2017 at QA&Test Bilbao, I explored how Docker and Jenkins pipelines could transform CI/CD for embedded projects. Fast forward to 2023, containerization has become the norm in embedded software QA. My recent talk focused on tools like Testcontainers and WireMock, now widely used for testing not just backend services but entire embedded systems—from SCADA to IoT—within virtualized environments powered by Kubernetes. These technologies now form the backbone of modern testing infrastructure in software, and now expand to edge and embedded systems to cover full-system virtualization and integration testing. Same happens on the developer machines.

Embedded QA Engineers are entering a new era of development enabled by Cloud Development Environments (CDEs) like GitHub Codespaces or Devcontainers, where fully configured workspaces can run on laptops, Kubernetes clusters or public clouds. Containers and VMs, often managed with tools like KubeVirt and QEMU, and wrapped by frameworks like Testcontainers, enable scalable, hardware-aware test setups that support HIL testing, firmware validation, and system modeling. It might sound like a miracle, but it’s actually possible with modern tech stacks!

This talk demonstrates how to build such “hybrid developer environments” entirely with open source tools, combining C++/SystemVerilog development, embedded hardware access, and even AI-driven test automation – showing that the modern IDE for embedded QA is now distributed, intelligent, and platform-agnostic.

Transcript

1. Cloud and Hybrid Developer Environments How virtualization transforms your IDEs for embedded projects Oleg Nenashev, PhD Independent Consultant QA&Test 2025 Bilbao
3. Disclaimer • I am at this conference as independent, #OpenToWork • Opinions are my own • I am not talking about any my past or current companies speakerdeck.com/onenashev
4. > whoami @oleg_nenashev oleg-nenashev Dr. Nenashev / Mr. Jenkins Community Builder, Dev Tools DevRel & DevOps Consultant #RussiansAgainstPutin #StandWithUkraine
5. @oleg_nenashev oleg-nenashev > whoami --automotive --embedded --hardware 5 CloudBees Embedded & Automotive Day in Stuttgart LibreCores CI
6. IEEE Spectrum Research among members 6 https://spectrum.ieee.org/top-progra mming-languages-2021 Today
7. Today 7 Most of demos are for the Testcontainers for C/C++ project - https://github.com/testcontainers/testcontainers-native Not an embedded project, but created for Embedded/Automotive projects
8. Embedded Developers Can Have Nice Things 8
9. My Previous Presentations 9 • Developer Tools & Containers • Jenkins, Docker, WireMock, Testcontainers
10. Today • Hybrid and Remote Developer Environments • Dev Containers • Cloud Developer Environments (CDEs) • Brief: DIY CDEs Demos - coffee breaks 10
11. Is your laptop enough to work on the main project? 11
13. Your DevEnv is already elsewhere 13
14. What does engineer use daily? • CI Systems • Issue Trackers • Chats • Zoom / Google Meet / … • Email • Calendar • … 14
15. CloudBees Office, Neuchatel, ~2015
16. Local Development 16 In Containers
17. Why containers? • Configuration Management as Code • Reusability • Fast provisioning • Clean environments • Disposability • Clustering
18. My Previous Presentations 18 • Developer Tools & Containers • Jenkins, Docker, WireMock, Testcontainers
19. Docker in Embedded Prototypes, Dev Tools Test Infrastructures, CI/CD Docker Swarm Cluster on Raspberry Pi
20. 20 WireMock for Google Test / C++ github.com/testcontainers/te stcontainers-c/tree/main/de mo/google-test
21. Containerized IDEs 21 https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/ devcontainers/containers
22. Local Dev Environments in containers, too 22 Local Container Engine or Cloud
23. 23 + IDE Integrations https://containers.dev/
24. Dev Containers 101 24 https://hub.docker.com/r/microsoft/devcontainers-cpp
25. Dev Containers 101 .devcontainer/ devcontainer.json - Configuration JSON Docker image, container parameters, IDE plugins containers.dev/ implementors/spec/ 25
26. Quick Start 1. Clone https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-remote-try-cpp 2. Open the project in VSCode 3. Install the Dev Containers extension 4. Reopen the project in a container 26
27. 27 Sample: https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-remote-try-cpp
28. 28 Sample: https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-remote-try-cpp 1 4 3 5 1. Environment runs in a container 2. The workspace is mapped 3. Tools are accessible 4. IDE plugins, including Git, Intellisense & Co 5. AI Agent works, too
29. Dev Containers are not just simple containers 29
30. Dev Containers 1. Stock images 2. Single container From image registry or Dockerfile 30 containers.dev/guide/dockerfile
31. Dev Containers 1. Stock images 2. Single container 3. Multi-container systems 31 containers.dev/guide/dockerfile#docker-compose
32. Dev Containers for your dev environments Supported in: • Visual Studio Code (link) • Visual Studio (link) • IntelliJ Platform IDEs (link) • Cloud IDEs and Services • CI/CD Systems 32 https://containers.dev/ Your developer tools and environments, packaged as containers. With proper developer experience
33. Add-ons • Templates 33 https://containers.dev/templates
34. C++ Template https://github. com/devcont ainers/templa tes/tree/main/ src/cpp 34
35. Add-ons • Templates • Features 35 https://containers.dev/features
36. Dev Containers 36 https://containers.dev/features
37. Add-ons • Templates • Features • IDE Plugins 37
38. 38 Example - CMake in a Dev Container https://github.com/testcontainers/ testcontainers-native
39. 39 Example - GoogleTest in a Dev Container https://github.com/testcontainers/ testcontainers-native
40. Dev Containers Reuse 40 Source: https://containers.dev/overview#De velopment-vs-production
41. Reuse Dev Containers can be shared as a part of your project Dev Containers can be reused in CI/CD pipelines 41 https://github.com/testcontainers/testcontainers-native/blob/main/.github/workflows/ci.yml
42. FPGAs and Simulators 42
43. Testing with hardware VM, container or bare-metal Power Reset when it hangs Deploy bit-files, Blasting cables Debugging cables, firmware upload We don’t change them, huh? Your Developer Machine Drivers Tools Peripherals Attached peripherals Runtime
44. Docker & FPGA - HOWTO 44 • USB/Ethernet Ports can be exposed to a container • Docker image can include tools and drivers • https://github.com/halfmanhalftaco/fpga-docker • https://www.starwaredesign.com/index.php/blog/ 64-fpga-meets-devops-xilinx-vivado-and-jenkins-with-docker
45. Hardware tests with containers? • It works • You can run containers in privileged mode • You can use drivers from host OS • It works on a success path • BUT: software errors, timeouts, access conflicts, device hanging when switching containers • BUT: you still need special test equipment and drivers Expectations Reality There are limitations, but doable
46. Containers for Simulations • We avoid using Hardware when possible • Low overhead and startup time • Resource quota management ◦ CPU/RAM ◦ Prioritization for users ◦ Licenses • Multi-instance tests (Docker Compose, Kubernetes Pods, etc.) 46
47. QEMU • Multi-platform execution on a single machine • Container adapters are available 47 https://github.com/qemus
48. Dev Container for Simulations 48 • Most Simulators already have Docker images • Docker images can be quickly converted to Dev Containers
49. Example - Verilator 49
50. And AI? 50
51. LLM Runtimes
52. LLM Runtimes Backends https://github.com/ggml-org/llama.cpp# supported-backends
53. Example - Ollama as a DevContainer Feature 53 https://github.com/prulloac/devcontainer-features/tree/main/src/ollama
54. Local Development 54 is closer to the cloud, now
55. CloudBees Office, Neuchatel, ~2015 IDEs
56. We were doing CDEs before they were a mainstream 56 Image source: https://www.combell.com/en/blog/w hat-is-rdp-remote-desktop-protocol/
57. Cloud Developer Environments • Most of the functionality runs in the cloud • Local Tools / IDEs are just wrappers • SaaS, public cloud or self-hosted • Resources and licenses can be shared 57
58. 58 Embedded Projects DYI CDE suitable for your projects
59. Existing CDEs • GitHub Codespaces • Eclipse Che / Theia • Ona (fka Gitpod) • AWS Cloud9 • Strong Network (Citrix) • Coder • Cloudomation • … • Web based AI IDEs 59 Source: https://discord.com/blog/how-discord-moved-engin eering-to-cloud-development-environments
60. Example - GitHub Codespaces 60
61. Example - GitHub Codespaces 61
63. Developer Experience 63 May require a custom CDE
64. Existing CDEs, but for Embedded Projects 64 • IDE Extensions • Dev Container(s) for… ◦ Build Tools ◦ Simulators ◦ Verification tools • Testcontainers
65. 65 Embedded Projects DYI CDE suitable for your projects
66. DIY CDE Cluster 66 Source: https://medium.com/@elliotgraebert/laptop-development-is-dead -why-remote-development-is-the-future-f92ce103fd13 Your Cloud FPGA as a service
67. DYI CDEs • You can build a CDE on your own • IDEs with CDE plugins • Control planes • Workspaces & Cloud • Storage / Data (!) Security aspect is an area for commercial CDEs 67 Source: https://coder.com/
68. DYI CDEs • Dev Containers and compatible IDEs • Container Engines (e.g. Docker) and Kubernetes for the environment • Device Plugins for FPGA (e.g. one for Xilinx) • KubeVirt for virtual machines 68
69. llm-d for Kubernetes-native and distributed LLM inference 69 https://developers.redhat.com/articles/2025/05/2 0/llm-d-kubernetes-native-distributed-inferencing
70. Example - Xilinx Tools FPGA grids can be served and used in Kubernetes CDEs can be provisioned accordingly https://github.com/Xilinx/FP GA_as_a_Service 70
71. THE END?
72. Demos 72 • Quickstart: ◦ https://github.com/microsoft/vscode-remote-try-cpp • My Example - Testcontainers for C/C++ ◦ github.com/testcontainers/testcontainers-c ◦ Testcontainers can run in Dev Containers ◦ You can use GitHub Codespaces too
73. Takeaways 1. Consider using Dev Containers 2. There are tools and frameworks for embedded projects, but a lot of DYI 3. For common software stacks, the existing IDEs are at your service 4. CDEs may mean local, too
74. One First Step FOR YOU After the talk: 1. Run demos locally or in Codespaces 2. Create a Dev Container for your project 3. Share it with your team(s) 74
75. Contacts: E-mail: o.v.nenashev@gmail.com GitHub: oleg-nenashev Twitter: @oleg_nenashev QUESTIONS? 75 #OpenToWork
76. Abstract 76 Back in 2017 at QA&Test Bilbao, I explored how Docker and Jenkins pipelines could transform CI/CD for embedded projects. Fast forward to 2023, containerization has become the norm in embedded software QA. My recent talk focused on tools like Testcontainers and WireMock, now widely used for testing not just backend services but entire embedded systems—from SCADA to IoT—within virtualized environments powered by Kubernetes. These technologies now form the backbone of modern testing infrastructure in software, and now expand to edge and embedded systems to cover full-system virtualization and integration testing. Same happens on the developer machines. Embedded QA Engineers are entering a new era of development enabled by Cloud Development Environments (CDEs) like GitHub Codespaces or Devcontainers, where fully configured workspaces can run on laptops, Kubernetes clusters or public clouds. Containers and VMs, often managed with tools like KubeVirt and QEMU, and wrapped by frameworks like Testcontainers, enable scalable, hardware-aware test setups that support HIL testing, firmware validation, and system modeling. It might sound like a miracle, but it’s actually possible with modern tech stacks! This talk demonstrates how to build such “hybrid developer environments” entirely with open source tools, combining C++/SystemVerilog development, embedded hardware access, and even AI-driven test automation – showing that the modern IDE for embedded QA is now distributed, intelligent, and platform-agnostic. Stay a while and listen, I have a PoC ready!