code-server (VS Code)

beginner

VS Code in the browser.

Overview

Code-server is an open-source project developed by Coder that enables developers to run Visual Studio Code entirely within a web browser by hosting the IDE on a remote server. Originally created to solve the limitations of local development environments, code-server transforms VS Code into a web application that maintains full feature parity with the desktop version, including extensions, themes, and integrated terminal access. The project emerged from the need to provide consistent development environments across different devices and enable coding from anywhere with just a browser. This Docker deployment leverages the LinuxServer.io community image to containerize code-server with proper user permissions and configuration management. The stack mounts your project directories directly into the container while maintaining persistent configuration data, creating a portable development environment that can be deployed on any Docker-capable machine. The configuration includes password authentication and exposes the web interface on port 8443 for secure access. Developers working across multiple devices, teams requiring standardized development environments, or anyone needing to code from restricted devices like Chromebooks will find this deployment particularly valuable. Educational institutions can provide students with consistent coding environments, while remote teams can ensure everyone works with identical tooling and dependencies regardless of their local machine specifications.

Key Features

Complete VS Code experience running in any modern web browser
Extension support through Open VSX Registry with thousands of available packages
Built-in terminal with configurable sudo access for server administration
Multi-user support with individual workspaces and configurations
Real-time collaborative editing when combined with Live Share extensions
Automatic workspace persistence across container restarts
HTTPS support with self-signed certificates for secure remote access
Native file system integration with drag-and-drop upload capabilities

Common Use Cases

1Remote development on powerful cloud servers while using lightweight local devices
2Educational coding bootcamps providing standardized development environments for students
3Development teams maintaining consistent tooling across Windows, Mac, and Linux workstations
4Freelance developers working from client locations without installing local development tools
5IoT and embedded development requiring direct access to target hardware over SSH
6Corporate environments with locked-down workstations preventing local IDE installation
7Code review sessions where multiple team members need identical project setups

Prerequisites

Minimum 2GB RAM allocated to Docker (4GB+ recommended for larger projects)
Available port 8443 on the host system for web interface access
Valid project directory path to mount as the workspace volume
Strong password set in PASSWORD environment variable for authentication
Docker host with sufficient disk space for project files and extensions
Modern web browser with JavaScript enabled and WebSocket support

For development & testing. Review security settings, change default credentials, and test thoroughly before production use. See Terms

docker-compose.yml

1services: 
2  code-server: 
3    image: linuxserver/code-server:latest
4    container_name: code-server
5    restart: unless-stopped
6    environment: 
7      PUID: 1000
8      PGID: 1000
9      TZ: UTC
10      PASSWORD: ${PASSWORD}
11    volumes: 
12      - code_config:/config
13      - /path/to/projects:/projects
14    ports: 
15      - "8443:8443"
16
17volumes: 
18  code_config:

.env Template

.env

1PASSWORD=changeme

Usage Notes

1Docs: https://coder.com/docs/code-server/latest
2Access at http://localhost:8443 - login with PASSWORD env var
3Full VS Code experience in the browser
4Install extensions from Open VSX (not MS Marketplace)
5Mount /projects for your workspace files
6SUDO_PASSWORD env var enables sudo in terminal

Quick Start

terminal

1# 1. Create the compose file
2cat > docker-compose.yml << 'EOF'
3services:
4  code-server:
5    image: linuxserver/code-server:latest
6    container_name: code-server
7    restart: unless-stopped
8    environment:
9      PUID: 1000
10      PGID: 1000
11      TZ: UTC
12      PASSWORD: ${PASSWORD}
13    volumes:
14      - code_config:/config
15      - /path/to/projects:/projects
16    ports:
17      - "8443:8443"
18
19volumes:
20  code_config:
21EOF
22
23# 2. Create the .env file
24cat > .env << 'EOF'
25PASSWORD=changeme
26EOF
27
28# 3. Start the services
29docker compose up -d
30
31# 4. View logs
32docker compose logs -f

One-Liner

Run this command to download and set up the recipe in one step:

terminal

1curl -fsSL https://docker.recipes/api/recipes/code-server/run | bash

Troubleshooting

Extensions fail to install: Change extension gallery URL to Open VSX instead of Microsoft Marketplace in settings
Permission denied accessing mounted project files: Verify PUID and PGID match your host user ID and group ID
Container keeps restarting: Check that port 8443 is not already in use by another service
Cannot access terminal or sudo commands: Set SUDO_PASSWORD environment variable to enable privileged access
Slow performance or timeouts: Increase allocated memory and ensure stable network connection to Docker host
Lost workspace settings after restart: Verify code_config volume is properly mounted and persistent

Community Notes

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Components

code-server

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