DDEV Coder Templates

Coder workspace template for DDEV-based development with Docker-in-Docker support, Node.js, and Git.

📚 Documentation: docs.coder.ddev.com

Get started (recommended paths):

• Drupal.org issue or project → Drupal Issue Picker (auto-detects core vs contrib and prefills sensible defaults)
• Multiple DDEV projects in one workspace → DDEV Freeform
• Clean Drupal core without an issue fork → Guided Drupal core (short context page, then the same manual template)
• Browse all templates → coder.ddev.com/templates

Advanced: open the manual Drupal core template directly if you already know every parameter you need.

Features

• Custom Base Image: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS with essential development tools
• Docker-in-Docker: Full Docker support for DDEV (using Sysbox runtime)
• DDEV: Pre-installed and ready to use
• VS Code for Web: Browser-based IDE with full extension support

Configuration

Container:

• User: coder (UID 1000)
• Runtime: sysbox-runc (for secure Docker-in-Docker)
• Docker daemon: Runs inside the container

Installed Tools:

• Docker CLI and daemon (latest stable)
• ddev (latest stable)
• Git, vim, build tools

Docker Image and Template Management

Building and Deploying

The base Docker image is built from the image/Dockerfile and shared by all templates. Use the provided Makefile to manage everything:

# Full deployment (build image, push image, push a template)
make deploy-drupal-core
make deploy-drupal-contrib
make deploy-freeform

# Image operations
make build              # Build the image with cache
make build-no-cache     # Build without cache (useful for clean builds)
make push               # Push to Docker Hub
make build-and-push     # Build and push in one command

# Template operations
make push-template-drupal-core       # Push drupal-core template to Coder
make push-template-drupal-contrib    # Push drupal-contrib template to Coder
make push-template-freeform          # Push freeform template to Coder
make push-all-templates              # Push all templates (no image build)

# Utility commands
make test               # Test the built image
make info               # Show version and configuration
make help               # See all available commands

Version Management

The VERSION file in the root directory controls the image tag. The Makefile passes it to every template as --variable image_version=... at push time, so no edits to template.tf are needed.

To release a new version:

1. Update the VERSION file (e.g., v0.7)
2. Run make build-and-push to build and push the image, then make push-all-templates to update the templates

Quick deployment:

make deploy-all                # Build with cache, push image, and push all templates
# or
make build-and-push-no-cache && make push-all-templates  # Clean build and deploy

Documentation

📚 User documentation: docs.coder.ddev.com, built with Zensical from docs/content/ and published by Read the Docs, the same way as docs.ddev.com.

• Getting started: access, sign-in, choosing a template
• Freeform workspaces: running your own DDEV projects
• Drupal quickstart
• Self-hosting: server setup, operations, user management

Preview the docs locally with pip install -r docs/requirements.txt and make zensical-serve. Developer and contributor guidance is in AGENTS.md.

The landing pages at start.coder.ddev.com (docs/*.html) are a separate Jekyll site deployed to GitHub Pages.

Template Structure

coder-ddev/
├── freeform/           # Multi-project, general-purpose DDEV template
│   ├── template.tf
│   └── README.md
├── drupal-core/        # Drupal core development template
│   ├── template.tf
│   └── README.md
├── drupal-contrib/     # Drupal contrib module/theme development template
│   ├── template.tf
│   └── README.md
├── image/              # Shared Docker image
└── Makefile            # Build and deploy automation

Available Templates

freeform (General Purpose)

DDEV development environment for one or more projects of any type, each reachable at its own stable URL via ddev-router Host-header routing.

• Resources: 4 cores, 8 GB RAM (default)
• Setup: Manual (clone your own repository)
• Use Case: Any DDEV-compatible project (Drupal, WordPress, Laravel, etc.); multiple projects can coexist in one workspace
• Start Time: < 1 minute
• Template Directory: freeform/

Create workspace:

coder create --template freeform my-workspace

drupal-core (Drupal Core Development)

Fully automated Drupal core development environment, including issue fork support.

• Setup: Automatic (Drupal core cloned and installed)
• Use Case: Drupal core development, contribution, patch testing
• Template Directory: drupal-core/
• Issue Picker: start.coder.ddev.com/drupal-issue — paste any drupal.org issue URL; the picker auto-detects core vs. contrib and routes to the right template
• Includes:
  • Pre-cloned Drupal core (main branch by default)
  • Issue fork checkout with automatic Composer dependency resolution (Drupal 10, 11, and 12/main)
  • Configured DDEV with automatic PHP version selection
  • Installed demo_umami site (or standard/minimal via parameter)
  • Admin account (admin/admin)

Create workspace:

coder create --template drupal-core my-drupal-dev

drupal-contrib (Drupal Contrib Development)

Automated environment for developing Drupal contrib modules and themes, with optional issue branch support.

• Setup: Automatic (module/theme cloned, Drupal installed as dev dependency via ddev-drupal-contrib)
• Use Case: Contrib module/theme development, issue queue work on any drupal.org project
• Template Directory: drupal-contrib/
• Issue Picker: start.coder.ddev.com/drupal-issue — paste a drupal.org issue or project URL; auto-detects contrib
• Includes:
  • Any drupal.org project cloned (modules and themes)
  • Issue fork checkout via issue_fork + issue_branch parameters
  • DDEV with ddev-drupal-contrib addon (adds ddev phpunit, ddev phpcs, ddev phpstan)
  • Drupal installed as a dev dependency (module/theme auto-symlinked into web root)

Create workspace:

coder create --template drupal-contrib my-contrib-dev \
  --parameter project_name=token \
  --parameter drupal_version=11

Choosing a Template

• Use freeform for:

  • Site building and custom site projects
  • General Drupal/PHP projects
  • Multiple DDEV projects in one workspace
  • Maximum flexibility

• Use drupal-core for:

  • Drupal core patches and issue queue work
  • Testing Drupal core changes
  • Learning Drupal internals

• Use drupal-contrib for:

  • Contrib module or theme development
  • Working on drupal.org contrib issue queues

Usage

Create a new workspace using your chosen template:

# General-purpose DDEV environment
coder create --template freeform <workspace-name>

# Drupal core development environment
coder create --template drupal-core <workspace-name>

# Drupal contrib module/theme development
coder create --template drupal-contrib <workspace-name> \
  --parameter project_name=token --parameter drupal_version=11

Access your project:

• Open Coder dashboard
• Find your workspace
• Click on port 80 or 443 under "Apps"

📖 Full Getting Started Guide

For Administrators

Deploy template and manage infrastructure:

# Build and push Docker image
cd image
docker build -t ddev/coder-ddev:v0.1 .
docker push ddev/coder-ddev:v0.1

# Deploy template to Coder
coder templates push --directory freeform freeform --yes

# Or use Makefile
make build-and-push       # Build + push image
make deploy-freeform       # Push freeform template (uses existing image)

📖 Full Operations Guide