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DevX - Developer Environment Framework

A modular, layered framework for building secure, reproducible developer environments at scale.

Overview

The Developer Environment Framework provides a three-tier architecture for managing developer environments, from hardened base OS images to project-specific configurations. Built with Vagrant and Ansible, it enables organizations to maintain consistent, secure, and highly customizable development environments.

Key Features

  • Layered Architecture: Three-tier model (Base → Organization → Program) for progressive customization
  • App Store: Curated catalog of developer tools with version control and security vetting
  • FOSS Management: Complete ecosystem for managing vetted open-source packages
  • Security First: Hardened OS images with CIS compliance and airgap support
  • REST API: Modern API for package management and automation
  • CLI Tools: Command-line interface for easy package discovery and management

Architecture Overview

graph TB
    Program["Program Layer (Tier 3)<br/>Project-specific configs & toolchains"]
    Org["Organization Layer (Tier 2)<br/>App Store, FOSS packages, Org spins"]
    Base["Base Layer (Tier 1)<br/>Hardened OS images & core security"]

    Program --> Org
    Org --> Base

Quick Start

Prerequisites

Basic Usage

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/dotbrains/devx.git
cd devx

# Build base image
make build-base

# Build organization spin
make build-org-standard

# Run tests
make test

Use Cases

For Organizations

  • Maintain consistent developer environments across teams
  • Enforce security policies and compliance requirements
  • Manage approved tooling and packages centrally
  • Support airgapped or restricted network environments

For Teams

  • Quickly spin up project-specific environments
  • Inherit organization standards while customizing for project needs
  • Version control environment configurations alongside code
  • Onboard new team members faster

For Individuals

  • Reproducible development environments
  • Experiment with different tool versions safely
  • Keep development isolated from host system

Core Components

Base Layer

Provides hardened Rocky 9 images with:

  • CIS security benchmarks
  • SELinux enforcement
  • Minimal package set
  • Airgap compatibility

Learn more about the Base Layer →

Organization Layer

Includes:

  • App Store: 17+ curated developer tools (Docker, Kubernetes, Python, Node.js, etc.)
  • FOSS Packages: Vetted open-source packages with security scanning
  • Organization Spins: Pre-configured environments for common use cases

Learn more about the Organization Layer →

Program Layer

Enables:

  • Project-specific tool versions
  • Custom application stacks
  • Team workflows and configurations
  • CI/CD integration

Learn more about the Program Layer →

FOSS Package Ecosystem

Complete package management system with:

  • REST API: Programmatic access to package registry
  • CLI Tool: Easy package discovery and submission
  • Security Scanning: Automated vulnerability detection
  • License Management: Compliance tracking and approval workflows

Explore FOSS Packages →

Getting Help

Contributing

We welcome contributions! See our Contributing Guide for details.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.