opendevhub

Remote nodes

Run task environments on other machines over ssh. (Preview)

Other machines can run task environments, reached over ssh. This is a preview.

Add a node in Settings → Remote instances, or from the command line, then restart opendevhub:

opendevhub nodes add tim@workstation --label Workstation

Remote instances shows whether each machine is reachable and ready, and how much CPU and memory it has free.

Remote instances settings: this machine and a build box online, an old laptop unreachable over ssh, and the form to add an instance

Run a task on a node

Pick the node in the New task form. The task gets a new worktree with its own container on that node: opendevhub pushes the base branch (the one you choose, or the main checkout's current branch) into a repository it keeps under ~/.opendevhub/repos on the node, creates the worktree there, and starts the container with the node's Docker. Uncommitted changes in your main checkout stay behind.

Sessions, permissions, forwarded ports, review, commit and Update from base work as for local tasks. Bring home (in the review's Git menu) fetches the branch into this machine's repository; Merge into base and Publish do that first. Removing the task deletes its worktree and branch on the node, so bring the branch home first to keep its commits. Checks and Open in editor aren't available for tasks on other nodes yet.

Node requirements

  • Docker, the devcontainer CLI and git 2.48 or newer, on the PATH of a non-interactive ssh shell. Tools installed through nvm or a login profile often aren't: check with ssh tim@workstation 'devcontainer --version', and if it fails, link the binary into /usr/local/bin or set PATH in ~/.ssh/environment (with PermitUserEnvironment yes).
  • An ssh key that logs in without a prompt, and a known host key: run ssh tim@workstation once.
  • AllowTcpForwarding yes in its sshd config (the default).
  • A Linux Docker engine: containers are reached at their IP from the node itself.

Connection

opendevhub keeps one ssh connection per node (a ControlMaster under ~/.config/opendevhub/ssh/) and reconnects by itself when a node drops. Meanwhile its tasks show as offline. Containers keep running there and are picked up again when the node is back. Nothing is installed on the node and nothing listens there besides sshd.

Personalization

Add your own tools, setup steps and dotfiles to every devcontainer without committing them to the repository.

Notifications

Get notified when an agent needs you, even with the dashboard tab closed.

On this page

Run a task on a nodeNode requirementsConnection