Automic VaultAutomic Vault

brew

Install code-server with Homebrew, Nix

Access VS Code through the browser. Version 4.112.0 via Homebrew; verified 2026-06-15.

Install commandSecurity notes

install

Additional install commands

macOS

Homebrewverified · 100%
brew install code-server

local Homebrew formula metadata

Linux

Nixverified · 92%
nix profile install nixpkgs#code-server

nixpkgs package indexes · pkgs/by-name/co/code-server/package.nix · source: api.github.com

overview

Package summary

Access VS Code through the browser

Commands and aliases

  • code-server

history

Project history and usage

code-server is Coder's project for running VS Code on a remote machine and accessing it through a browser. It packages the VS Code editing experience as a self-hosted web IDE with a `code-server` CLI, install script, service setup, and browser login flow.

Project history

The GitHub repository was created in 2019. The official contributing docs describe the early v1 architecture as a Code submodule plus a large patch that split the UI into a browser front-end and a server process. As VS Code's web architecture matured, code-server v2 and later used the Code front-end while implementing the server side, later reducing its patch set as upstream Code opened more server pieces.

Adoption history

code-server became a standard self-hosted way to get VS Code in a browser, especially for remote Linux machines and cloud development boxes. Official docs support install scripts, Debian and RPM packages, AUR, Homebrew, Docker, Helm, Raspberry Pi, Termux, and cloud-provider guides; the input also records Homebrew and Nix distribution.

How it is used

Typical use is installing `code-server`, starting it as a user service or container, then visiting localhost or a secured remote URL in a browser. The default config is created at `~/.config/code-server/config.yaml`, stores bind address, auth mode, password or hashed password, and TLS settings, and can be overridden by flags or environment variables.

Why package nerds care

For package nerds, code-server is significant because it turns a large desktop editor into a service-oriented CLI package. Its packaging story spans native packages, Homebrew, Nix, Docker images, Helm charts, AUR recipes, install scripts, and upstream VS Code version tracking, which makes it a useful case study in repackaging a fast-moving Electron editor for headless and server environments.

Timeline

  • 2019: GitHub repository for coder/code-server created.
  • 2019: v1 architecture split Code into browser front-end and server pieces, according to official contributing docs.
  • 2022: v4 releases tracked upstream VS Code versions in the changelog.
  • 2026: Recent releases continued tracking current VS Code versions.

Related projects

  • Related projects and comparators include Visual Studio Code, Code OSS, Coder, Theia, OpenVSCode Server, GitHub Codespaces, VS Code web, devcontainers, and remote development tooling.

security posture

Risk level: orange

broad file, network, media, or database tool signal. formula declares a Homebrew service.

Risk classifier

orange risk · medium confidence · infrastructure

Why

  • broad file, network, media, or database tool signal
  • formula declares a Homebrew service

Signals

  • metadata:service
  • text:server

Install behavior

  • No Homebrew post-install hook is recorded in formula metadata.
  • Formula metadata declares a service or daemon block.
  • Homebrew bottle metadata is available for 6 platform targets.
  • Installs with 1 runtime dependencies.
  • Build metadata lists 1 build dependencies.

Recommended review

Before unattended agent use, check whether the tool reads plaintext credentials, writes remote state, publishes artifacts, or shells out to plugins.

local files

Configuration and credential file locations

These source-backed paths show where this package keeps local settings or durable credentials. Automic Vault can use them as review targets for secret scanning, migration, and command approval.

Configuration files

Config paths the tool may read or write during local use.

Unix
~/.config/code-server/config.yaml

Credential files

Credential-bearing paths to review before unattended agent runs.

Unix
~/.config/code-server/config.yaml

executables

Installed executables

CommandKindExposureNote
code-servercliglobal executable

freshness

Version and freshness

These signals separate page generation age, package-manager activity, and upstream release comparison. Version lag is warned only when an evidence URL and comparable versions are present.

page generated2026-07-08
manager version4.112.0
manager updated2026-06-15
local dataok
upstreamnot checked
latest detectednot detected

https://coder.com

  • infoRelease/tag comparison is only available for GitHub repositories.https://coder.comnone confidence

install metadata

Package metadata

Package keybrew:code-server
Version4.112.0
Package managerHomebrew
Package manager pagehttps://formulae.brew.sh/formula/code-server
Homepagehttps://coder.com
Repositoryhttps://github.com/coder/code-server
Upstream docshttps://coder.com/docs/code-server/FAQ
LicenseMIT
Source archivehttps://registry.npmjs.org/code-server/-/code-server-4.112.0.tgz
Last updated2026-06-15T10:20:13-04:00
Pulseupdated
Dependenciesnode@22
Build dependenciespkgconf
Bottleavailable (on arm64_linux, arm64_sequoia, arm64_sonoma, arm64_tahoe, sonoma, x86_64_linux)
Homebrew post-installnot defined
Servicedeclared
CaveatsThe launchd service runs on http://127.0.0.1:8080. Logs are located at $HOMEBREW_PREFIX/var/log/code-server.log.

registry facts

Source database details

Source DatabaseHomebrew formula API
Taphomebrew/core
Full Namecode-server
Version Scheme0
Revision1
Bottle Stable Root URLhttps://ghcr.io/v2/homebrew/core
Deprecatedyes
Disabledno
Keg Onlyno
URL Keys
  • stable

source database matches

Other package-manager records

Matches are pulled from external package-manager indexes and kept separate from local Automic Vault package links.

Nix95%

code-server

nix profile install nixpkgs#code-server
  • normalized package name match
  • Matched by: Code Server
nixpkgs package indexes · api.github.com · nixpkgs package indexes: pkgs/by-name/co/code-server/package.nix from https://api.github.com/repos/NixOS/nixpkgs/git/trees/master?recursive=1

package graph

Links come from deterministic package relationships, av.db category and tag curation, ecosystem matches, and package hub membership.

Related tools

  • pkgconfBuild dependency declared by Homebrew.
  • coderShares the same upstream homepage.

Same workflow

  • xxhShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, remote-development.
  • soft-serveShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, self-hosted, server.
  • airtable-mcp-serverShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, server.
  • atuin-serverShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, server.
  • code-cliShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, vscode.
  • docker-compose-langserverShares av.db curated category or tags: cli, developer-tools, vscode.

source trail

Generated from repository data

This page is generated by av-web from the private package SQLite artifact built by scripts/generate-pkg-sqlite.py.

Used sources

  • Geiger risk classifier
  • Nucleus package database
  • av.db category and tag curation
  • cross-ecosystem install command graph
  • curated configuration and credential file locations
  • curated package history
  • external package-manager database matches
  • package relationship graph
  • package version freshness
  • package-page enrichment