code-server/doc/install.md

Install

• install.sh
• Debian, Ubuntu
• Fedora, CentOS, RHEL, SUSE
• Arch Linux
• yarn, npm
• macOS
• Static Releases
• Docker

This document demonstrates how to install code-server on various distros and operating systems.

install.sh

We have a script to install code-server for Linux or macOS. It tries to use the system package manager if possible.

First run to print out the install process:

curl -fsSL https://code-server.dev/install.sh | sh  -s -- --dry-run

Now to actually install:

curl -fsSL https://code-server.dev/install.sh | sh

The script will print out how to run and start using code-server.

• For Debian, Ubuntu and Raspbian it will install the latest deb package.

• For Fedora, CentOS, RHEL and openSUSE it will install the latest rpm package.

• For Arch Linux it will install the AUR package.

• For any unrecognized Linux operating system it will install the latest static release into ~/.local

  • Add ~/.local/bin to your $PATH to run code-server.

• For macOS it will install the Homebrew package.

  • If Homebrew is not installed it will install the latest static release into ~/.local
  • Add ~/.local/bin to your $PATH to run code-server.

• If ran on an architecture with no binary releases, it will install the npm package with yarn or npm.

  • We only have binary releases for amd64 and arm64 presently.

Pass --dry-run to echo the commands for the install process without running them.

Pass --static to install a static release into ~/.local.

Pass --static=/usr/local to install a static release system wide.

Pass --version=X.X.X to install version X.X.X instead of latest.

Pass --help to see full usage docs.

If you believe an install script used via curl is insecure, please give this wonderful blogpost by sandstorm.io a read.

If you'd still prefer manual installation despite the above explanations and --dry-run then continue for docs on manual installation. The install.sh script runs the exact same commands depicted in the rest of this document.

Debian, Ubuntu

curl -fOL https://github.com/cdr/code-server/releases/download/v3.3.1/code-server_3.3.1_amd64.deb
sudo dpkg -i code-server_3.3.1_amd64.deb
systemctl --user enable --now code-server
# Now visit http://127.0.0.1:8080. Your password is in ~/.config/code-server/config.yaml

Fedora, CentOS, RHEL, SUSE

curl -fOL https://github.com/cdr/code-server/releases/download/v3.3.1/code-server-3.3.1-amd64.rpm
sudo rpm -i code-server-3.3.1-amd64.rpm
systemctl --user enable --now code-server
# Now visit http://127.0.0.1:8080. Your password is in ~/.config/code-server/config.yaml

Arch Linux

# Installs code-server from the AUR using yay.
yay -S code-server
systemctl --user enable --now code-server
# Now visit http://127.0.0.1:8080. Your password is in ~/.config/code-server/config.yaml

# Installs code-server from the AUR with plain makepkg.
git clone https://aur.archlinux.org/code-server.git
cd code-server
makepkg -si
systemctl --user enable --now code-server
# Now visit http://127.0.0.1:8080. Your password is in ~/.config/code-server/config.yaml

yarn, npm

We recommend installing with yarn or npm if:

1. You aren't using amd64 or arm64.
2. glibc < v2.17

note: Installing via yarn or npm builds native modules on install and so requires C dependencies. See ./doc/npm.md for installing these dependencies.

You will need at least node v12 installed. See #1633.

yarn global add code-server
# Or: npm install -g code-server
code-server
# Now visit http://127.0.0.1:8080. Your password is in ~/.config/code-server/config.yaml

macOS

brew install code-server
brew services start code-server
# Now visit http://127.0.0.1:8080. Your password is in ~/.config/code-server/config.yaml

Static Releases

We publish self contained .tar.gz archives for every release on github. They bundle the node binary and node_modules.

1. Download the latest release archive for your system from github.
2. Unpack the release.
3. You can run code-server by executing ./bin/code-server.

You can add the code-server bin directory to your $PATH or link to it from a directory in your $PATH to easily execute code-server without the full path every time.

Here is an example script for installing and using a static code-server release on Linux:

mkdir -p ~/.local/lib ~/.local/bin
curl -fL https://github.com/cdr/code-server/releases/download/v3.3.1/code-server-3.3.1-linux-amd64.tar.gz \
  | tar -C ~/.local/lib -xz
mv ~/.local/lib/code-server-3.3.1-linux-amd64 ~/.local/lib/code-server-3.3.1
ln -s ~/.local/lib/code-server-3.3.1/bin/code-server ~/.local/bin/code-server
PATH="~/.local/bin:$PATH"
code-server
# Now visit http://127.0.0.1:8080. Your password is in ~/.config/code-server/config.yaml

Docker

# This will start a code-server container and expose it at http://127.0.0.1:8080.
# It will also mount your current directory into the container as `/home/coder/project`
# and forward your UID/GID so that all file system operations occur as your user outside
# the container.
docker run -it -p 127.0.0.1:8080:8080 \
  -v "$PWD:/home/coder/project" \
  -u "$(id -u):$(id -g)" \
  codercom/code-server:latest

Our official image supports amd64 and arm64.

For arm32 support there is a highly popular community maintained alternative:

https://hub.docker.com/r/linuxserver/code-server