Google launches Cloud Code to simplify development of cloud native apps

Google has launched a set of plugins for popular development environments such as IntelliJ and Visual Studio Code. The plugins should make it easier to develop cloud-native applications. The set of plugins is called Cloud Code.

The focus of Cloud Code is on helping developers build, debug and deploy their code to a cubic net cluster from their IDE, writes TechCrunch.

Google states that developers normally modify, compilate and debug their code locally. This is often fine, but it can cause problems if the production environment does not fully match the local variant. However, building containers comes with its own challenges and, according to Google, no one likes to write YAML files by hand just to test code.

The company now promises that developers will no longer have to write a line of YAML. Instead, the developer can continue to develop his code as usual, while Cloud Code takes care of all the work to turn it into a cloud-native application. The tools are also integrated with Google’s DevOps tools such as Cloud Build and Stackdriver.

Open source tools

Cloud Code combines a number of existing open source tools, including Kubectl, the command-line tools needed to work with the kubernetes API; Jib, which can be used to build containers for Java applications; and Skaffold, which can be used to set up the continuous deploying pipeline for kubernetes applications.

The service works according to Google for almost all popular programming languages, including Microsoft’s .NET Core. “This actually gives you turbocharged, cloud-native app development in your IDE,” said Pali Bhat, VP of product and design at Google Cloud. “It unlocks the power of all the developers and lets them build for cubernets and cloud-native, without worrying about all the different pieces they had to learn.”