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

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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)

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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.

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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 (

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