# Getting Started [code-server](https://coder.com) is used by developers at Azure, Google, Reddit, and more to give them access to VS Code in the browser. ## Quickstart Guide > NOTE: If you get stuck or need help, [file an issue](https://github.com/cdr/code-server/issues/new?&title=Improve+self-hosted+quickstart+guide), [tweet (@coderhq)](https://twitter.com/coderhq) or [email](mailto:support@coder.com?subject=Self-hosted%20quickstart%20guide). This document pertains to Coder specific implementations of VS Code. For documentation on how to use VS Code itself, please refer to the official [documentation for VS Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/docs) It takes just a few minutes to get your own self-hosted server running. If you've got a machine running macOS, Windows, or Linux, you're ready to start the binary which listens on port `8443` by default. 1. Visit [the releases](https://github.com/cdr/code-server/releases) page and download the latest cli for your operating system 2. Double click the executable to run in the current directory 3. Copy the password that appears in the cli 4. In your browser navigate to `localhost:8443` 5. Paste the password from the cli into the login window > NOTE: Be careful with your password as sharing it will grant those users access to your server's file system ### Things To Know - When you visit the IP for your code-server instance, you will be greeted with a page similar to the following screenshot. Code-server is using a self-signed SSL certificate for easy setup. In Chrome/Chromium, click **"Advanced"** then click **"proceed anyway"**. In Firefox, click **Advanced**, then **Add Exception**, then finally **Confirm Security Exception**. ## Usage
code-server --help
code-server can be ran with a number of arguments to customize your working directory, host, port, and SSL certificate. ``` Usage: code-server [options] Run VS Code on a remote server. Options: -V, --version output the version number --cert --cert-key -e, --extensions-dir Override the main default path for user extensions. --extra-extensions-dir [dir] Path to an extra user extension directory (repeatable). (default: []) --extra-builtin-extensions-dir [dir] Path to an extra built-in extension directory (repeatable). (default: []) -d --user-data-dir Specifies the directory that user data is kept in, useful when running as root. -h, --host Customize the hostname. (default: "0.0.0.0") -o, --open Open in the browser on startup. -p, --port Port to bind on. (default: 8443) -N, --no-auth Start without requiring authentication. -H, --allow-http Allow http connections. --disable-telemetry Disables ALL telemetry. --socket Listen on a UNIX socket. Host and port will be ignored when set. --trust-proxy Trust the X-Forwarded-For header, useful when using a reverse proxy. --install-extension Install an extension by its ID. -h, --help output usage information ``` ### Data Directory Use `code-server -d (path/to/directory)` or `code-server --user-data-dir=(path/to/directory)`, excluding the parentheses to specify the root folder that VS Code will start in. ### Host By default, code-server will use `0.0.0.0` as its address. This can be changed by using `code-server -h` or `code-server --host=` followed by the address you want to use. > Example: `code-server -h 127.0.0.1` ### Open You can have the server automatically open the VS Code in your browser on startup by using the `code-server -o` or `code-server --open` flags ### Port By default, code-server will use `8443` as its port. This can be changed by using `code-server -p` or `code-server --port=` followed by the port you want to use. > Example: `code-server -p 9000` ### Telemetry Disable all telemetry with `code-server --disable-telemetry`. ### Cert and Cert Key To encrypt the traffic between the browser and server use `code-server --cert=` followed by the path to your `.cer` file. Additionally, you can use certificate keys with `code-server --cert-key` followed by the path to your `.key` file. > Example (certificate and key): `code-server --cert /etc/letsencrypt/live/example.com/fullchain.cer --cert-key /etc/letsencrypt/live/example.com/fullchain.key` > Example (if you are using Letsencrypt or similar): `code-server --cert /etc/letsencrypt/live/example.com/fullchain.pem --cert-key /etc/letsencrypt/live/example.com/privkey.key` > To ensure the connection between you and your server is encrypted view our guide on [securing your setup](../security/ssl.md) ### Nginx Reverse Proxy Below is a virtual host example that works with code-server. Please also pass `--allow-http` and `--trust-proxy` to code-server to allow the proxy to connect. You can also use Let's Encrypt to get a SSL certificates for free. ``` server { listen 80; listen [::]:80; server_name code.example.com code.example.org; location / { proxy_pass http://localhost:8443/; proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade; proxy_set_header Connection upgrade; proxy_set_header Accept-Encoding gzip; } } ``` ### Apache Reverse Proxy Example of a HTTPS virtualhost configuration for Apache as a reverse proxy. Please also pass `--allow-http` and `--trust-proxy` to code-server to allow the proxy to connect. You can also use Let's Encrypt to get a SSL certificates for free. ``` ServerName code.example.com RewriteEngine On RewriteCond %{HTTP:Upgrade} =websocket [NC] RewriteRule /(.*) ws://localhost:8443/$1 [P,L] RewriteCond %{HTTP:Upgrade} !=websocket [NC] RewriteRule /(.*) http://localhost:8443/$1 [P,L] ProxyRequests off RequestHeader set X-Forwarded-Proto https RequestHeader set X-Forwarded-Port 443 ProxyPass / http://localhost:8443/ nocanon ProxyPassReverse / http://localhost:8443/ ``` *Important:* For more details about Apache reverse proxy configuration checkout the [documentation](https://httpd.apache.org/docs/current/mod/mod_proxy.html) - especially the [Securing your Server](https://httpd.apache.org/docs/current/mod/mod_proxy.html#access) section ### Help Use `code-server --help` to view the usage for the CLI. This is also shown at the beginning of this section.