In a nutshell
Codespaces is a ready-to-use, configurable VS Code development environment hosted in the cloud by GitHub.
Open a browser and a full development environment spins up in seconds. Ideal for giving everyone the exact same environment on repos with many collaborators, or as a sandbox to try AI safely.
Features
A Docker container in the cloud, where 1 session = 1 codespace. Configuration is codified in devcontainer.json inside the repo.
How to connect (from anywhere)
- 🌐 Browser — Open directly from
github.comwith a single URL - 💻 VS Code Desktop — Remote connection from local VS Code
- 🖥️ GitHub CLI (
gh codespace ssh) — Connect directly from the terminal
Container environment
- 🐳 Docker-based — Declare base image + features + post-create script in
devcontainer.json - 📦 Reproducible — Open the same repo and everyone gets the same environment
- 🔌 VS Code extensions pre-installed — Copilot, MCP servers, linters can all be pre-configured
- ⚡ Machine size — Switchable on demand (up to 32 cores / 128 GB RAM / 128 GB storage)
When you want to run heavy builds or AI agents in parallel, choose a larger size. You can also change the size after startup.
Benefits
- 🚀 Zero setup time — Just press “Open in Codespaces”
- 👥 Same environment for everyone — “It works on my machine” disappears
- 🌍 Access from anywhere — All you need is a browser
- 💪 Works on low-spec machines — Even an old PC at hand can use up to 32 cores / 128 GB RAM on the cloud side
- 🛡️ Safely isolate AI — If something breaks, throw it away and start fresh
- 🤖 AI tools pre-installed — Pre-equipped with Copilot CLI, MCP servers, and Skills