Accessing your Container from VSCode

When managing an entire repository, many developers prefer to work in an IDE, such as VSCode, rather than a terminal/shell. This guide walks you through setting up VSCode Remote SSH to connect directly to your Proxmox container for seamless development.

Prerequisites

Before getting started, ensure you have:

• VSCode installed on your local machine
• Container created with Proxmox Launchpad (either Path 1 or Path 2)
• Container access details from your deployment output (SSH port, hostname, etc.)

1: Install Remote SSH Extension

Install the Extension

1. Open VSCode on your local machine
2. Access Extensions: Click the Extensions icon in the sidebar (or press Ctrl+Shift+X)
3. Search for Remote SSH: Type "Remote - SSH" in the search box
4. Install: Click "Install" on the "Remote - SSH" extension by Microsoft

Extension Details

The full extension name is "Remote - SSH" published by Microsoft. This is the official extension for SSH connections.

2: Configure SSH Connection

Access SSH Configuration

1. Open Command Palette: Press Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+P (Mac)
2. Search for SSH Config: Type "Remote-SSH: Open SSH Configuration File"
3. Select Configuration File: Choose your SSH config file (usually the first option)

SSH Config Location

• Windows: C:\Users\{username}\.ssh\config
• macOS/Linux: ~/.ssh/config

If the file doesn't exist, VSCode will create it for you.

Add Your Container Host

Add the following configuration to your SSH config file, replacing the values with your container details:

Host my-container
    HostName opensource.mieweb.org
    User <your-proxmox-username>
    Port <your-proxmox-port>

Configuration Details

Field	Description	Example
Host	Name for your container connection	my-container, my-app-dev
HostName	Server address (always use opensource.mieweb.org)	opensource.mieweb.org
User	Your Proxmox username	john.doe, jane.smith
Port	SSH port from your container output	2344, 2387

Example Configuration

Based on typical container output, your config might look like:

Host my-fullstack-app
    HostName opensource.mieweb.org
    User demouser
    Port 2348

Important

• Replace your-proxmox-username with your actual Proxmox account username
• Replace 2344 with the SSH port from your container deployment output
• Choose a descriptive Host name that helps you identify the container

3: Connect to Your Container

Establish SSH Connection

1. Open Command Palette: Press Ctrl+Shift+P (Windows/Linux) or Cmd+Shift+P (Mac)
2. Connect to Host: Type "Remote-SSH: Connect to Host..."
3. Select Your Host: Choose the host you just configured (e.g., my-container)
4. Select Platform: Choose "Linux" when prompted for the platform

Accept Host Key

When connecting for the first time:

1. Host Key Warning: You'll see a security warning about the host's authenticity
2. Accept Key: Click "Continue" or type "yes" to accept the host key
3. Trust Permanently: This adds the host to your known hosts file

Security Note

This warning appears only on the first connection. The host key fingerprint is stored to verify future connections.

Authentication

Depending on your container setup:

If You Provided a Public Key

• Automatic Login: VSCode should connect automatically using your SSH key
• No Password Required: The connection will be seamless

If You Did NOT Provide a Public Key

1. Password Prompt: Enter your Proxmox account password when prompted
2. Connection Established: VSCode will connect to your container

Password Management

If you're frequently entering passwords, consider setting up SSH key authentication for a better experience. You can add your public key to the container later by appending it to the ~/.ssh/authorized_keys file. If you do not have

4: Open Your Project Folder

Navigate to Your Project

1. Open Folder: Once connected, click "Open Folder" or press Ctrl+K Ctrl+O
2. Navigate to Home: Go to /root/
3. Select Project: Choose your project directory (usually matches your repository name)
4. Confirm: Click "OK" to open the folder

Tip

If you can't access /root, run sudo su in your VSCode terminal. It may prompt you for your password. This will be your proxmox password.

Note

If you did not choose to automtically deploy your application during container setup, the /root directory is likely empty. In that case, it is recommended to create all project files inside your /home/proxmox-username/ directory.

Example Directory Structure

Your container typically contains:

/root
├── your-repository-name/     # Your project files
│   ├── src/
│   ├── package.json
│   └── README.md
├── .bashrc
└── other-files

Project Location

If you used automatic deployment, your repository is cloned to /home/your-proxmox-username/repository-name/.

5: Working in VSCode

Integrated Terminal

1. Open Terminal: Press `Ctrl+`` (backtick) or go to Terminal > New Terminal
2. Container Terminal: You now have a terminal running inside your container
3. Full Access: Run commands, install packages, start services directly

Using Sudo

When you need administrator privileges:

sudo command-here

Password: Use your Proxmox account password (same as your SSH password)

Sudo Password

The sudo password is always your Proxmox account password, not a separate root password.

Development Workflow

You can now:

• Edit Files: Directly modify your project files
• Run Commands: Execute build, test, and start commands
• Install Extensions: Use VSCode extensions that work with remote connections
• Debug Applications: Set breakpoints and debug your code
• Version Control: Use Git integration for commits and pushes

Multiple Containers

For multiple containers, add separate entries:

Host main-branch
    HostName opensource.mieweb.org
    User john.doe
    Port 2344

Host feature-branch
    HostName opensource.mieweb.org
    User john.doe
    Port 2387

Host dev-environment
    HostName opensource.mieweb.org
    User john.doe
    Port 2401

Troubleshooting

Connection Issues

Cannot connect to host:

• Verify the SSH port matches your container output
• Ensure your container is running and accessible
• Check that opensource.mieweb.org is reachable

Permission denied:

• Double-check your Proxmox username
• Verify your password is correct
• Ensure your SSH key is properly configured (if using keys)

Host key verification failed:

• Remove the old host key: ssh-keygen -R [opensource.mieweb.org]:2344
• Reconnect and accept the new host key

Container Access

Sudo password not working:

• Always use your Proxmox account password for sudo
• If you changed your Proxmox password, use the new password

Project files not found:

• Check /home/your-username/ or /root for your repository
• Verify automatic deployment completed successfully
• SSH into the container directly to check file locations

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Next Steps: With VSCode connected to your container, you can now develop directly in your remote environment. Consider exploring container deployment guides for automatic application setup.