Proven tips and workflows to get the most out of remote workspaces in Factory
Remote workspaces let you spin up consistent, production-ready development environments in seconds. Below are field-tested practices that keep workspaces fast, predictable, and team-friendly.
Practice | Why it matters | How to do it |
---|---|---|
Start from the right image | Lean images build faster and consume fewer resources. | Choose the closest official image (e.g., javascript-node:20 ) and layer tools on top. |
Cache heavy tooling | Re-downloading large packages slows rebuilds. | Move expensive installs (e.g., Chrome, large SDKs) to the image stage instead of postCreateCommand . |
Shrink build context | Huge contexts = slow uploads. | Add **/node_modules , build artifacts, and secrets to .dockerignore . |
Forward only needed ports | Too many ports clutter the UI. | Keep forwardPorts to the handful you actually use. |
Tip: Test locally with the Dev Containers CLI (
devcontainer up
) before committing.
Create feature branches as you would locally:
git checkout -b feature/workspace-improvements
.
Short commit cycles reduce merge pain and keep your workspace snapshot small.
Remote credentials are injected automatically—no need to copy SSH keys.
git pull --rebase origin main
keeps your branch up-to-date without noisy merge commits.
Remember: everything you do in a remote workspace happens inside the cloud environment. Your local machine stays untouched until you pull changes down.
Spin-Up-Per-Task
Treat remote workspaces as disposable: create one per ticket or PR, then archive when merged.
Benefits: perfect isolation, zero “works on my machine” drift.
Shared Review Environments
Parallel Environments
Need to test multiple branches? Launch two workspaces and attach them to separate sessions; switch context without killing processes.
Tip | Details |
---|---|
Name workspaces clearly | Use service-purpose-branch (e.g., api-auth-refactor ) so teammates know what’s running. |
Document entry commands | Add a README_REMOTE_WORKSPACE.md with common tasks (npm run dev , pytest )—new hires onboard instantly. |
Symptom | Resolution |
---|---|
Rebuild is slow | Verify .dockerignore , cache heavy installs in image, use lighter base. |
Git asks for credentials | Ensure repository integration is enabled in Integrations → Repositories. |
Out-of-disk errors | Prune package caches (npm cache clean --force ) or rebuild workspace. |
Following these practices keeps your remote workspaces fast, secure, and collaborative—so you can focus on shipping code, not configuring machines.