Using Visual Studio Code in Docker

Introduction

Prerequisites

Create a Docker Compose File

Start the Code Server Container

Access VS Code in Your Browser

Start Coding!

Conclusion

Introduction

Visual Studio Code (VS Code) is a versatile and popular code editor used by developers worldwide. Running VS Code in a Docker container allows you to create a consistent development environment across different machines. In this guide, we will walk you through setting up and using VS Code in a Docker container.

Prerequisites

Before we begin, ensure you have the following:

Docker and Docker Compose installed on your machine

Basic understanding of Docker and Docker Compose

Step 1: Create a Docker Compose File

To get started, create a file named docker-compose.yml in your desired directory. Copy and paste the following content into the file:

    version: "2.1"
    services:
      code-server:
        image: lscr.io/linuxserver/code-server:latest
        container_name: code-server
        environment:
          - PUID=1000
          - PGID=1000
          - TZ=Etc/UTC
          - PASSWORD=password #optional
          - SUDO_PASSWORD=password #optional
          - DEFAULT_WORKSPACE=/config/workspace #optional
        volumes:
          - /path/to/appdata/config:/config
        ports:
          - 8443:8443
        restart: unless-stopped

Step 2: Start the Code Server Container

Open a terminal and navigate to the directory containing your docker-compose.yml file. Run the following command to start the Code Server container:

    docker-compose up -d

This command will download the Code Server image and initiate a container named code-server.

Step 3: Access VS Code in Your Browser

Once the container is up and running, you can access the VS Code interface by opening a web browser and navigating to http://localhost:8443. You will be prompted to enter the password you provided in the PASSWORD environment variable (or the hashed password if you used HASHED_PASSWORD).

Step 4: Start Coding!

You now have VS Code running in a Docker container. You can create, edit, and debug your code just like you would with a local VS Code installation. Any changes you make will be saved to the container's workspace directory, which you can configure using the DEFAULT_WORKSPACE environment variable.

Conclusion

Running Visual Studio Code in a Docker container provides you with a flexible and isolated development environment. This approach ensures consistent coding experience across different systems and simplifies environment setup. Remember, Docker is a powerful tool that can enhance your development workflow by containerizing various applications.

Disclaimer

This guide is intended for educational purposes only. Always ensure you have the necessary permissions and rights before utilizing any software in your environment.