Remote Access¶

Remote access lets desktop IDEs (e.g. VS Code) connect directly to a workspace without going through the browser.

How it works¶

User creates a Connection with a non-web type (e.g. vscode-remote).
Extension API looks up the access strategy’s createConnectionHandlerMap for that type.
Extension API invokes the plugin handler (e.g. aws:createSession).
The plugin returns connection details — typically a session ID or tunnel endpoint.
The user’s local IDE connects using those details.

Example: VS Code Remote via AWS SSM¶

kubectl create -f - <<EOF
apiVersion: connection.workspace.jupyter.org/v1alpha1
kind: WorkspaceConnection
metadata:
  namespace: team-alice
spec:
  workspaceName: alice-workspace
  workspaceConnectionType: vscode-remote
EOF

The response contains a URL that the workspace user can paste in their web browser, which redirects them to their desktop IDE.

For example, VS Code desktop remote-SSH extension will then connect to the workspace without needing direct network access to the cluster.

Plugin dispatch¶

The access strategy maps connection types to plugin handlers:

spec:
  createConnectionHandlerMap:
    vscode-remote: "aws:createSession"

The format is plugin:action — in this example, the controller resolves aws to the plugin’s HTTP endpoint and calls the createSession action. See Plugin Architecture for details.

Pod lifecycle events¶

Some remote access methods require pod-level setup (e.g. registering with a session manager). The access strategy’s podEventsHandler field triggers plugin actions on pod start/stop:

spec:
  podEventsHandler: "aws:ssm-remote-access"