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
2. 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 Developer Tools Hacker #RussiansAgainstPutin #StandWithUkraine
5. @oleg_nenashev oleg-nenashev > whoami --automotive --embedded --hardware 5 CloudBees Embedded & Automotive Day in Stuttgart LibreCores CI
6. My Previous Presentations 6 • Developer Tools & Environments • Containers
7. IEEE Spectrum Research among members 7 https://spectrum.ieee.org/top-progra mming-languages-2021
8. Embedded Developers Can Have Nice Things 8
10. Today • Hybrid and Remote Developer Environments • Dev Containers • Kubernetes • KubeVirt 10
11. Is your laptop enough to work on the main project? 11
12. Your DevEnv is already elsewhere 12
13. What does engineer use daily? • CI Systems • Issue Trackers • Chats • Zoom / Google Meet / … • Email • Calendar • … 13
14. CloudBees Office, Neuchatel, ~2015
15. Local Development 15 In Containers
16. Why containers? • Configuration Management • Fast provisioning • Clean environments • Disposability • Clustering
17. Docker in Embedded Prototypes, Dev Tools Test Infrastructures, CI/CD Docker Swarm Cluster on Raspberry Pi
18. 18 WireMock for Google Test / C++ github.com/testcontainers/te stcontainers-c/tree/main/de mo/google-test
19. Containerized IDEs 19 https://code.visualstudio.com/docs/ devcontainers/containers
20. Local Dev Environments in containers, too 20 https://containers.dev/
21. Local Environments in containers, too Supported in: • Visual Studio Code (link) • Visual Studio (link) • IntelliJ Platform IDEs (link) • Cloud IDEs and Services • CI/CD Systems 21 https://containers.dev/ Your developer tools and environments, packaged as containers. With proper developer experience
22. Dev Containers • Single container • Multi-container systems 22 https://containers.dev/guide/dockerfile
23. Dev Containers are not just simple containers 23
24. Add-ons • Templates 24 https://containers.dev/templates
25. C++ Template https://github. com/devcont ainers/templa tes/tree/main/ src/cpp 25
26. Add-ons • Templates • Features 26 https://containers.dev/features
27. Dev Containers 27 https://containers.dev/features
28. Add-ons • Templates • Features • IDE Plugins 28
29. Reuse Dev Containers can be shared as a part of your project Dev Containers can be reused in CI/CD pipelines 29 https://github.com/oleg-nenashev/oleg-nenashev/ blob/main/.github/workflows/ci.yml
30. QEMU • Multi-platform execution on a single machine • Container adapters are available 30 https://github.com/qemus
31. FPGAs and Simulators 31
32. 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
33. Docker & FPGA - HOWTO 33 • https://github.com/halfmanhalftaco/fpga-docker • https://www.starwaredesign.com/index.php/blog/ 64-fpga-meets-devops-xilinx-vivado-and-jenkins-with-docker
34. 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
35. 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.) 35
36. Dev Container for Simulations 36 • Most Simulators already have Docker images • Docker images can be quickly converted to Dev Containers
37. Example - Verilator 37
38. And AI? 38
39. LLM Runtimes
40. LLM Runtimes Backends https://github.com/ggml-org/llama.cpp# supported-backends
41. llm-d for Kubernetes-native and distributed LLM inference 41 https://developers.redhat.com/articles/2025/05/2 0/llm-d-kubernetes-native-distributed-inferencing
42. Local Development 42 is closer to the cloud, now
43. CloudBees Office, Neuchatel, ~2015 IDEs
44. We were doing CDEs before they were a mainstream 44 Image source: https://www.combell.com/en/blog/w hat-is-rdp-remote-desktop-protocol/
45. Cloud Developer Environments • Most of the functionality runs in the cloud • SaaS or self-hosted • Local Tools are just wrappers • Resources and licenses can be shared 45
46. Existing CDEs • GitHub Codespaces • Eclipse Che / Theia • Ona (fka Gitpod) • AWS Cloud9 • Strong Network (Citrix) • Coder • Cloudomation • … • Web based AI IDEs 46 Source: https://discord.com/blog/how-discord-moved-engin eering-to-cloud-development-environments
47. 47 Embedded Projects DYI CDE suitable for your projects
48. Example - GitHub Codespaces 48
49. Example - GitHub Codespaces 49
50. Developer Experience Matter 50
51. 51 Embedded Projects DYI CDE suitable for your projects
52. Existing CDEs, but for Embedded Projects 52 • IDE Extensions • Dev Container(s) for… ◦ Build Tools ◦ Simulators ◦ Verification tools • Testcontainers
53. Alternative Approach 53 Source: https://medium.com/@elliotgraebert/laptop-development-is-dead -why-remote-development-is-the-future-f92ce103fd13 Your Cloud
54. 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 54 Source: https://coder.com/
55. DYI CDEs • Container Engines (e.g. Docker) and Kubernetes for the environment • Device Plugins for FPGA (e.g. one for Xilinx) • KubeVirt for virtual machines 55
56. 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 56
57. THE END?
58. My Example - Testcontainers for C/C++ 58 github.com/testcontainers/testcontainers-c
59. 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
60. Quick Win 1. Create a Dev Container for your project 2. Share it with the Team 60
61. Contacts: E-mail: o.v.nenashev@gmail.com GitHub: oleg-nenashev Twitter: @oleg_nenashev QUESTIONS? 61 #OpenToWork
62. Abstract 62 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!