How the installation works

OpenShift Dev Spaces deploys on OpenShift as an Operator that manages a gateway, dashboard, server, and plug-in registry. The installation method you choose depends on your cluster environment and need for configuration control.

OpenShift Dev Spaces consists of an Operator, a user dashboard, a gateway, and a plug-in registry. The Operator manages the full lifecycle of all server components. You deploy OpenShift Dev Spaces by installing the Operator and creating a CheCluster custom resource.

Installation methods
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OpenShift GitOps (Argo CD)
Choose this method for production deployments where every configuration change must be tracked in Git, auditable, and automatically reconciled on the cluster. Store the Operator subscription and CheCluster configuration in a Git repository and let Argo CD manage the deployment lifecycle.
dsc command-line tool
Choose this method when you need to quickly deploy OpenShift Dev Spaces for evaluation, customize the CheCluster configuration during installation, or manage OpenShift Dev Spaces from scripts.
OpenShift web console
Choose this method when you prefer a graphical workflow through OperatorHub and do not need advanced configuration options during deployment.

All methods produce the same result: an Operator subscription and a CheCluster custom resource. For step-by-step deployment instructions, see Additional resources.

Deployment scenarios
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Standard deployment
Your OpenShift cluster has internet access. All installation methods are available. The Operator pulls container images directly from registry.redhat.io.
GitOps deployment
Your organization manages cluster configuration declaratively through Argo CD. Store the Operator subscription and CheCluster configuration in a Git repository and let Argo CD reconcile the desired state. Available for both connected and air-gapped clusters.
Air-gapped deployment
Your cluster has no internet access. Mirror the required container images and Operator catalogs to a private registry before installation. Both GitOps and CLI methods are available for air-gapped environments.
External identity provider
Your organization manages authentication through an existing identity system such as Keycloak. Deploy OpenShift Dev Spaces with an external OIDC provider instead of the default OpenShift OAuth.