code-server Remote IDE for WSL2

Access full VS Code IDE from any device (phone, tablet, remote computer) via secure web-based code-server with ngrok, Cloudflare Tunnel, or Tailscale.

Overview

What This Skill Does:

• Sets up code-server (VS Code in browser) on WSL2
• Configures secure authentication (prevents CVE-2023-26114)
• Establishes encrypted tunnel (ngrok/Cloudflare/Tailscale)
• Manages VS Code extensions
• Optimizes WSL2 resources (memory/CPU limits)
• Provides one-command start/stop/status operations
• Automatically displays connection URL and credentials

When to Use This Skill:

• Need full IDE functionality remotely
• Coding from tablet with keyboard
• Want IntelliSense, debugging, extensions
• Serious development work while traveling
• Review/edit large codebases remotely

When NOT to Use This Skill:

• Just need quick terminal commands → Use ttyd-remote-terminal-wsl2 instead
• Need desktop VS Code features not in browser version
• Limited system resources (<4GB RAM)
• Very slow internet connection

What You'll Get:

• Full VS Code IDE in browser
• Extension support (most VS Code extensions work)
• IntelliSense, debugging, git integration
• Integrated terminal
• File explorer, search, multi-file editing
• Secure HTTPS access with authentication
• Resource usage monitoring

---

Prerequisites

System Requirements:

• WSL2 installed and working (Ubuntu 22.04 LTS recommended)
• Windows 10 version 2004+ or Windows 11
• Minimum: 4GB RAM, 2 CPU cores, 2GB disk space
• Recommended: 8GB+ RAM, 4+ CPU cores, 5GB+ disk space
• Internet connection

User Requirements:

• Comfortable with VS Code (desktop version)
• Basic command line knowledge
• Comfortable running bash scripts
• Can create free account on tunnel service

Not Required:

• Advanced networking knowledge
• systemd expertise
• Extension development knowledge
• Security expertise (skill provides secure defaults)

---

Quick Start

Get remote VS Code IDE access in <15 minutes:

1. Install

cd ~/.claude/skills/code-server-remote-ide-wsl2/scripts
./install.sh

Follow prompts to:

• Install code-server
• Choose tunnel service (ngrok recommended for beginners)
• Install chosen tunnel tool

2. Configure Authentication

./configure-auth.sh

This generates a strong hashed password and configures secure access.

3. Configure Resources (Recommended)

./configure-resources.sh

This sets WSL2 memory/CPU limits to prevent resource exhaustion.

4. Start Session

./code-server-start.sh

This will:

• Start code-server with authentication
• Start tunnel
• Display connection URL and password

Copy the URL and open in any browser (tablet, phone, computer)

5. Connect & Code

Open the displayed URL in browser → Enter password → You now have full VS Code IDE!

6. Stop Session (When Done)

./code-server-stop.sh

Done! You now have working remote IDE access.

For detailed setup, extension management, and optimization, see the full workflow below.

---

Workflow

Step 1: One-Time Setup

This step installs code-server and your chosen tunnel service. You only need to do this once.

1.1 Run the Installer

cd ~/.claude/skills/code-server-remote-ide-wsl2/scripts
./install.sh

The installer will:

1. Check for existing installations (code-server, tunnel tools)
2. Install code-server via official script (or manual if fails)
3. Ask you to choose tunnel service:
   • ngrok (recommended for beginners): 1GB/month free, ephemeral URLs
   • Cloudflare Tunnel (recommended for production): Unlimited bandwidth, persistent URLs
   • Tailscale (recommended for private access): Private VPN, no public exposure
4. Install chosen tunnel service
5. Verify installations successful
6. Check WSL2 version and resources

1.2 Choose Your Tunnel Service

ngrok - Best for beginners:

• ✅ Easiest to setup
• ✅ Free tier: 1GB/month bandwidth
• ⚠️ URLs change on each restart
• ⚠️ Data limits (IDE uses more data than terminal)

Cloudflare Tunnel - Best for production:

• ✅ Unlimited bandwidth (free)
• ✅ Persistent URLs (don't change)
• ✅ Better performance
• ⚠️ Slightly more complex setup

Tailscale - Best for private access:

• ✅ Private network (not exposed to internet)
• ✅ Unlimited bandwidth
• ✅ No public URL (only accessible to your Tailscale network)
• ⚠️ Requires Tailscale on connecting device

Recommendation: Start with Cloudflare Tunnel (unlimited bandwidth important for IDE).

1.3 Get Tunnel Authentication Token

After choosing tunnel service, you'll need to create free account and get auth token:

For ngrok:

1. Go to https://dashboard.ngrok.com/signup
2. Sign up (free)
3. Copy your authtoken from https://dashboard.ngrok.com/get-started/your-authtoken
4. Run: ngrok config add-authtoken YOUR_TOKEN_HERE

For Cloudflare Tunnel:

1. Go to https://dash.cloudflare.com/
2. Sign up (free)
3. Follow installer prompts (installer will guide you through cloudflared tunnel login)

For Tailscale:

1. Go to https://login.tailscale.com/start
2. Sign up (free)
3. Run: sudo tailscale up
4. Follow authentication link

1.4 Verify Installation

# Check code-server installed
code-server --version

# Check tunnel tool installed
ngrok version           # or: cloudflared --version  # or: tailscale version

# Run health check
./health-check.sh

Troubleshooting Installation:

• If code-server install fails, see Installation Guide
• If tunnel install fails, see Tunneling Options Guide
• For WSL2 issues, see WSL2 Configuration Guide

---

Step 2: Configure Authentication

Configure secure access with hashed password. You only need to do this once.

2.1 Run Configuration Script

cd ~/.claude/skills/code-server-remote-ide-wsl2/scripts
./configure-auth.sh

This will:

1. Generate strong password (16 characters, mixed case, numbers, symbols)
   • Or you can provide your own password
2. Hash password (SHA-256 or bcrypt)
3. Create config.yaml with hashed password and settings
4. Set file permissions (600 - owner read/write only)
5. Display password for your records (you'll need it to login)

2.2 Save Your Password

The script will display:

==================================================
code-server Remote IDE Credentials
==================================================
Password: aB3$xK9#mL2@pQ7!

Save this password securely!
You'll need it to login to VS Code in browser.

Configuration saved to:
  ~/.config/code-server/config.yaml

==================================================

Save this password - you'll need it to login from browser.

Security Notes:

• Password is hashed in config.yaml (more secure than ttyd's plain text)
• Hashed password stored in ~/.config/code-server/config.yaml with 600 permissions
• Plain password stored in ~/.code-server/.env (for scripts only)
• Never share your password
• Never commit config files to git
• Change password periodically: Re-run ./configure-auth.sh

Troubleshooting Authentication:

• Forgot password? Re-run ./configure-auth.sh to generate new one
• Want custom password? Run: ./configure-auth.sh --custom-password
• For security details, see Security Guide

---

Step 3: Configure Resources (Recommended)

Configure WSL2 resource limits to prevent code-server from consuming all memory.

3.1 Why Resource Configuration Matters

code-server resource usage:

• Base: ~200MB (no extensions)
• Light use (few extensions): ~500MB-1GB
• Heavy use (many extensions, large project): 2-4GB

Without limits: code-server can consume all available RAM, slowing down Windows.

With limits: WSL2 restricted to safe amount, system stays responsive.

3.2 Run Resource Configuration Script

cd ~/.claude/skills/code-server-remote-ide-wsl2/scripts
./configure-resources.sh

This will:

1. Detect total system memory
2. Recommend memory limit (50-75% of total)
3. Recommend processor count
4. Generate .wslconfig (Windows file)
5. Prompt to restart WSL (required to apply)
6. Verify new limits after restart

3.3 Recommended Resource Limits

System RAM	WSL2 Memory Limit	Processors	code-server Usage
8 GB	4 GB	2	Light use OK
16 GB	8 GB	4	Moderate use OK
32 GB+	12-16 GB	6-8	Heavy use OK

Example .wslconfig:

[wsl2]
memory=8GB
processors=4
swap=2GB

3.4 Apply Resource Limits

Restart WSL2 (PowerShell as Admin):

wsl --shutdown

Wait 8 seconds, then start WSL2:

wsl

Verify new limits (in WSL2):

# Check memory
free -h

# Check CPUs
nproc

Troubleshooting Resources:

• For resource management details, see Resource Management Guide
• For performance optimization, see Performance Optimization Guide

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Step 4: Start Session

Start code-server and tunnel, get connection URL. Do this each time you want remote access.

4.1 Start IDE Session

cd ~/.claude/skills/code-server-remote-ide-wsl2/scripts
./code-server-start.sh

The script will:

1. Check WSL2 resources available
2. Load config from config.yaml
3. Start code-server on localhost:8080 with authentication
4. Wait for code-server ready (usually <5 seconds)
5. Start tunnel (ngrok/cloudflare/tailscale)
6. Wait for tunnel connection (usually <10 seconds)
7. Extract public URL
8. Display connection information and password
9. Show resource usage baseline

4.2 Connection Information Displayed

You'll see output like this:

==================================================
code-server Remote IDE - CONNECTION READY
==================================================

🌐 Connection URL:
   https://abc123.ngrok-free.app

🔐 Login Password:
   aB3$xK9#mL2@pQ7!

💻 To connect from tablet/phone/browser:
   1. Open the URL above in any browser
   2. Enter the password above
   3. You'll see full VS Code IDE

📊 Resource Usage (baseline):
   code-server: 245 MB
   Tunnel: 24 MB
   Total: 269 MB

⚠️  Security Warnings:
   - Only share URL with trusted people
   - URL is HTTPS encrypted
   - Session is active until you stop it
   - Remember to stop when done (saves resources)

==================================================
Session running. Press Ctrl+C to stop (or use ./code-server-stop.sh)

4.3 Keep Terminal Running

Option 1: Keep terminal open (simplest)

• Leave the terminal window running
• code-server and tunnel stay active
• Press Ctrl+C to stop

Option 2: Run in background (advanced)

./code-server-start.sh &
disown

Now you can close terminal and code-server keeps running.

Troubleshooting Start:

• code-server won't start? Check port 8080 not in use: lsof -i :8080
• Tunnel won't connect? Check your auth token configured correctly
• No URL displayed? Check internet connection
• For more help, see Troubleshooting Guide

---

Step 5: Connect & Use IDE

Use the connection URL from any device with browser.

5.1 Open URL in Browser

On your tablet, phone, or remote computer:

1. Open browser (Chrome recommended for best compatibility)
2. Enter the connection URL (from Step 4.2)
3. Accept any security warnings (ngrok free tier shows warning page - click "Visit Site")

5.2 Login

You'll see code-server password prompt:

• Enter the password from Step 4.2
• Click "Enter" or "Submit"

5.3 Use Full VS Code IDE

You now see full VS Code interface in browser!

What You Can Do:

• File Explorer: Navigate your project files
• Editor: Edit code with syntax highlighting
• IntelliSense: Auto-complete, parameter hints
• Integrated Terminal: Run commands without switching apps
• Extensions: Install VS Code extensions (most work)
• Git Integration: Commit, push, pull
• Debugging: Set breakpoints, debug code
• Search: Find in files, replace across project
• Multi-file editing: Split editor, multiple tabs

First Time Setup:

1. Open Folder: File → Open Folder → Select your project directory
2. Install Extensions: See Step 6 below
3. Configure Settings: Settings → Preferences (same as desktop VS Code)

5.4 Using on Mobile/Tablet

Tablet (iPad/Android with keyboard):

• Works great for serious coding
• Keyboard shortcuts work
• Mouse/trackpad supported
• Multi-touch gestures

Phone:

• Possible but challenging
• Recommend for:
  • Quick edits
  • Code review
  • Running commands in terminal
• Not recommended for:
  • Long coding sessions
  • Complex debugging

Tips:

• Landscape mode for more screen space
• Split editor carefully (small screen)
• Use terminal for quick tasks
• File search (Ctrl+P) faster than file explorer

5.5 Disconnect

To disconnect (without stopping code-server):

• Simply close browser tab
• code-server keeps running (can reconnect anytime using same URL)
• Your work is saved on WSL2

To fully stop (free up resources):

• See Step 7 below

---

Step 6: Manage Extensions & Resources

Manage VS Code extensions and monitor resource usage.

6.1 Install Extensions

Method 1: Via UI (easiest)

1. Click Extensions icon (sidebar)
2. Search for extension
3. Click "Install"
4. Wait for installation
5. Reload if prompted

Method 2: Via CLI

# Use our helper script
./manage-extensions.sh

# Or manually:
code-server --install-extension EXTENSION_ID

Popular Extensions:

• Python: ms-python.python
• ESLint: dbaeumer.vscode-eslint
• Prettier: esbenp.prettier-vscode
• GitLens: eamonn.gitlens
• Docker: ms-azuretools.vscode-docker

Example:

# Install Python extension
code-server --install-extension ms-python.python

6.2 Extension Compatibility

Most extensions work, but some don't:

✅ Work Well:

• Language support (Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Go, Rust, etc.)
• Linters (ESLint, Pylint)
• Formatters (Prettier, Black)
• Git tools (GitLens)
• Themes, icons
• Snippets

⚠️ May Not Work:

• Extensions requiring desktop integration
• Extensions needing native modules
• Some debuggers (check extension docs)

Check compatibility: See extension's marketplace page for web/remote support.

6.3 Monitor Resource Usage

# Check current status
./code-server-status.sh

This shows:

• code-server memory usage
• Tunnel memory usage
• Total CPU usage
• Session duration
• Number of extensions loaded

If resource usage high:

• Remove unused extensions
• Close unused editor tabs
• Restart code-server session

6.4 Manage Extensions Script

./manage-extensions.sh

Interactive menu:

1. List installed extensions
2. Search marketplace
3. Install extension
4. Update all extensions
5. Remove extension
6. Show extension resource impact (if available)

Example:

$ ./manage-extensions.sh
1) List installed
2) Install extension
3) Remove extension
Enter choice: 1

Installed Extensions:
- ms-python.python (Python)
- dbaeumer.vscode-eslint (ESLint)
- esbenp.prettier-vscode (Prettier)

For detailed extension management, see Extension Management Guide.

---

Step 7: Stop Session

Stop code-server and tunnel when you're done. This frees up resources.

7.1 Stop IDE Session

cd ~/.claude/skills/code-server-remote-ide-wsl2/scripts
./code-server-stop.sh

This will:

1. Find tunnel process and kill gracefully
2. Find code-server process and kill gracefully
3. Confirm both stopped
4. Report final resource usage
5. Report session ended

7.2 Verify Stopped

The script will show:

Stopping code-server remote IDE session...
✓ Tunnel stopped
✓ code-server stopped

Final resource usage:
  code-server: 1.2 GB (peak)
  Session duration: 2 hours 15 minutes

Session ended successfully.

Verify Nothing Running:

./code-server-status.sh

Should show: code-server is not running

7.3 Why Stop?

• Saves resources (200MB-4GB memory freed)
• Saves data (ngrok free tier: 1GB/month limit)
• Security (no active tunnel means no way to connect)
• Best practice (only run when actively using)

Troubleshooting Stop:

• Process won't stop? See running processes: ps aux | grep code-server
• Forcefully kill: pkill -9 code-server && pkill -9 ngrok

---

Step 8: Check Status

Check if code-server session is running and get connection info.

8.1 Check Current Status

cd ~/.claude/skills/code-server-remote-ide-wsl2/scripts
./code-server-status.sh

If Running, you'll see:

==================================================
code-server Remote IDE - STATUS
==================================================

Status: RUNNING ✓

🌐 Connection URL:
   https://abc123.ngrok-free.app

🔐 Login Password:
   aB3$xK9#mL2@pQ7!

⏱️  Session Duration: 1 hour 23 minutes

📊 Resource Usage:
   code-server: 856 MB
   Tunnel: 24 MB
   Total: 880 MB

💻 System Resources:
   WSL2 Memory Limit: 8 GB
   Currently Used: 2.1 GB (26%)
   Available: 5.9 GB

📦 Extensions Loaded: 8

To stop session: ./code-server-stop.sh
==================================================

If Stopped, you'll see:

==================================================
code-server Remote IDE - STATUS
==================================================

Status: NOT RUNNING

To start session: ./code-server-start.sh
==================================================

8.2 Use Cases for Status

Check before starting: Avoid starting duplicate sessions

./code-server-status.sh && ./code-server-start.sh

Get URL when you forgot it: Status shows current URL

./code-server-status.sh  # Copy URL from output

Monitor resource usage: See if memory is getting high

./code-server-status.sh  # Check memory usage

Check if forgotten session running: See if you left it running

./code-server-status.sh  # If running, consider stopping

---

Security Essentials

Security-First Design: This skill implements defense-in-depth security to protect your WSL2 development environment.

Default Security Features

✅ Authentication Required

• All connections require password
• Password is hashed (SHA-256 or bcrypt)
• Prevents CVE-2023-26114 (WebSocket origin validation)

✅ HTTPS Encryption

• All traffic encrypted via tunnel (ngrok/Cloudflare/Tailscale)
• Prevents eavesdropping
• Browser shows secure padlock

✅ Localhost Binding

• code-server binds to 127.0.0.1 only (not 0.0.0.0)
• Cannot be accessed directly from network
• Must go through authenticated tunnel

✅ Secure Credential Storage

• Hashed password in config.yaml (600 permissions)
• Plain password in .env for scripts only (600 permissions)
• Not committed to git (.gitignore recommended)

✅ WebSocket Origin Validation

• Prevents CSRF attacks
• Mitigates CVE-2023-26114

Security Best Practices

Do:

• ✅ Use strong passwords (default generator creates these)
• ✅ Stop sessions when not in use
• ✅ Keep code-server and tunnel tools updated
• ✅ Only share URLs with trusted people
• ✅ Monitor active sessions (use ./code-server-status.sh)
• ✅ Review tunnel logs periodically
• ✅ Use WSL2 resource limits (.wslconfig)

Don't:

• ❌ Share your password publicly
• ❌ Use weak custom passwords (<12 characters)
• ❌ Leave sessions running indefinitely
• ❌ Expose code-server directly without tunnel
• ❌ Bind to 0.0.0.0 on public networks
• ❌ Disable authentication

Threat Model

Protected Against:

• ✅ Unauthorized access (password required)
• ✅ Eavesdropping (HTTPS encryption)
• ✅ Network scanning (localhost binding)
• ✅ Weak passwords (strong generation)
• ✅ Credential theft from filesystem (600 permissions)
• ✅ WebSocket CSRF (origin validation)

Not Protected Against (out of scope):

• ⚠️ Compromised WSL2 system (if system compromised, IDE access is too)
• ⚠️ Malicious code execution (if you run malicious code in terminal)
• ⚠️ Social engineering (sharing password with attacker)
• ⚠️ Browser vulnerabilities (keep browser updated)

Security Warnings

⚠️ code-server Has Full Access:

• Can read/write all files in WSL2
• Can execute commands as your user
• Can access git credentials
• Treat code-server password like SSH key

⚠️ Extensions Can Execute Code:

• Extensions run with your privileges
• Only install trusted extensions
• Review extension permissions
• Check extension ratings/reviews

⚠️ ngrok Free Tier Warning: ngrok free tier URLs are public. However:

• URL is random and hard to guess
• Authentication still required (password)
• HTTPS encrypted
• Recommendation: Don't share ngrok URLs publicly

Advanced Security (Optional)

For enhanced security, see Security Guide:

• OAuth integration (Google/GitHub login)
• IP whitelisting (Cloudflare Tunnel)
• Access logging and monitoring
• Extension security scanning

---

Performance Tips

Optimize for Speed

1. Choose Fast Tunnel:

• Cloudflare often faster than ngrok
• Tailscale fastest (direct peer connection)

2. Limit Extensions:

• Only install extensions you use
• Disable unused extensions
• Remove extensions you don't need

3. Close Unused Tabs:

• Each open file uses memory
• Close files when done editing
• Use "Close All" periodically

4. Optimize Settings:

{
  "files.watcherExclude": {
    "**/node_modules/**": true,
    "**/.git/objects/**": true
  },
  "search.exclude": {
    "**/node_modules": true,
    "**/bower_components": true
  }
}

5. Use Search Wisely:

• Use .gitignore to exclude files
• Don't search in node_modules
• Use specific file patterns

Monitor Performance

# Check resource usage
./code-server-status.sh

# If high:
# - Remove extensions
# - Close tabs
# - Restart session

For detailed optimization, see Performance Optimization Guide.

---

Troubleshooting Quick Fixes

code-server Won't Start

Error: code-server: command not found Fix:

# Reinstall code-server
./install.sh

Error: Address already in use (port 8080) Fix:

# Find what's using port
lsof -i :8080

# Kill the process
kill <PID>

# Or use different port
CODE_SERVER_PORT=8081 ./code-server-start.sh

Can't Login (Wrong Password)

Error: "Incorrect password" or password doesn't work

Fix:

# Reset password
./configure-auth.sh

# Get new password
./code-server-status.sh

WebSocket Connection Failed

Error in browser console: WebSocket connection failed

Fix:

1. Check code-server running: ./code-server-status.sh
2. Restart session: ./code-server-stop.sh && ./code-server-start.sh
3. Try different browser (Chrome recommended)

High Memory Usage

Issue: code-server using >2GB memory

Fix:

1. Check extensions: Remove unused
2. Close unused tabs
3. Restart session
4. Configure WSL2 limits: ./configure-resources.sh

Extensions Not Loading

Issue: Installed extension doesn't appear

Fix:

1. Reload window: Command Palette → "Reload Window"
2. Check compatibility (see Extension Management)
3. Check logs: Developer → Toggle Developer Tools → Console

Slow Performance / Lag

Issue: IDE feels sluggish, typing delayed

Fix:

1. Check network: ping 8.8.8.8 (should be <100ms)
2. Try different tunnel (Cloudflare usually faster)
3. Close unused tabs/extensions
4. Check WSL2 resources: htop

For more issues, see Troubleshooting Guide.

---

Reference Guides

Comprehensive guides for deeper understanding:

Installation & Setup

• Installation Guide - Detailed installation for code-server + all tunnel options, version management, verification

Security

• Security Guide - CVE-2023-26114 analysis, authentication methods, password hashing, defense in depth

Extensions

• Extension Management Guide - Install/update/remove extensions, compatibility, performance impact

Resources & Performance

• Resource Management Guide - WSL2 .wslconfig, memory limits, CPU allocation, monitoring
• Performance Optimization Guide - Settings, extension selection, search optimization, monitoring

Tunneling

• Tunneling Options Guide - Comprehensive comparison of ngrok vs Cloudflare vs Tailscale, setup for each

Configuration

• WSL2 Configuration Guide - .wslconfig examples, systemd support, resource limits

Troubleshooting

• Troubleshooting Guide - Extensive error catalog, debugging techniques, solutions

---

Automation Scripts

All automation scripts are in scripts/ directory:

Installation

./install.sh              # Interactive installer for code-server + tunnel
./install.sh --ngrok      # Non-interactive: install with ngrok
./install.sh --cloudflare # Non-interactive: install with Cloudflare
./install.sh --tailscale  # Non-interactive: install with Tailscale

Configuration

./configure-auth.sh                    # Interactive: generate hashed password
./configure-auth.sh --custom-password  # Interactive: use your password
./configure-resources.sh               # Interactive: configure WSL2 limits

Session Management

./code-server-start.sh   # Start code-server + tunnel, display URL
./code-server-stop.sh    # Stop both gracefully
./code-server-status.sh  # Check status, show URL + resources

Extension Management

./manage-extensions.sh   # Interactive extension manager

Health Check

./health-check.sh  # Verify installation and configuration

---

Templates

Configuration templates for advanced users:

code-server Configuration

File: templates/config.yaml.template

Example config.yaml (created automatically by configure-auth.sh):

bind-addr: 127.0.0.1:8080
auth: password
password: HASHED_PASSWORD_HERE
cert: false

WSL2 Resource Configuration

File: templates/.wslconfig.template

Example .wslconfig for Windows (created by configure-resources.sh):

[wsl2]
memory=8GB
processors=4
swap=2GB

systemd Service

File: templates/code-server.service

For auto-start on WSL2 boot (requires systemd support):

# Copy template
cp templates/code-server.service ~/.config/systemd/user/

# Enable auto-start
systemctl --user enable code-server
systemctl --user start code-server

Environment Variables

File: templates/.env.template

Example .env configuration (created by configure-auth.sh):

CODE_SERVER_PASSWORD=strongpassword
TUNNEL_TYPE=cloudflare
CLOUDFLARE_TUNNEL_TOKEN=your_token_here

---

Comparison: code-server vs ttyd

When to use code-server (this skill):

• ✅ Full IDE functionality needed
• ✅ IntelliSense, debugging, extensions
• ✅ Editing large codebases
• ✅ Long development sessions
• ✅ Tablet with keyboard
• ✅ Serious coding work

When to use ttyd:

• Quick command execution
• Lightweight (<50MB vs 200MB-4GB)
• Simple terminal tasks
• Low resource usage acceptable
• Mobile phone (not tablet)

Can use both: Install both skills, use ttyd for quick tasks, code-server for serious coding.

---

Next Steps

After Setup:

1. ✅ Test connection from tablet/computer
2. ✅ Install your favorite extensions
3. ✅ Configure settings (same as desktop VS Code)
4. ✅ Open your project folder
5. ✅ Bookmark connection URL
6. ✅ Practice start/stop workflow

Advanced Setup:

• Configure systemd auto-start (see templates/)
• Setup Cloudflare Tunnel for persistent URLs
• Optimize WSL2 resources for your workflow
• Configure VS Code settings sync

Explore More:

• Extension Management - Manage extensions
• Resource Management - Optimize resources
• Performance Optimization - Speed up IDE
• Security Guide - Advanced security

---

Success Checklist

You've successfully setup remote IDE access when:

• [x] code-server installed and verified
• [x] Tunnel service installed (ngrok/Cloudflare/Tailscale)
• [x] Authentication configured (strong hashed password)
• [x] WSL2 resources configured (.wslconfig)
• [x] Can start session (./code-server-start.sh)
• [x] Connection URL displayed
• [x] Can access VS Code from browser (tablet/phone/computer)
• [x] Can login with password
• [x] Full VS Code functionality works (edit, IntelliSense, terminal)
• [x] Can install extensions
• [x] Can stop session (./code-server-stop.sh)
• [x] Can check status (./code-server-status.sh)

Congratulations! You now have secure remote VS Code IDE access from any device.

---

code-server-remote-ide-wsl2 - Full VS Code IDE, anywhere you go.