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.

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1. Smart Custom Commands Setup

PracticeWhy it mattersHow to do it
Order commands by dependencyLater commands may depend on earlier installs.Run package installation first: npm ci && npm run build or pip install -r requirements.txt && pytest -q
Use exact package managersConsistent lockfiles prevent version drift.Use npm ci (not npm install), pnpm -w i, or pip install -r requirements.txt for reproducible builds
Chain related steps with &&Stops build on first failure, saves debugging time.npm ci && npm run build && npm run test fails fast if any step breaks
Make scripts executable earlyAvoid permission errors mid-build.Add chmod +x ./scripts/setup.sh && bash ./scripts/setup.sh or use bash ./scripts/setup.sh directly
Keep commands idempotentRe-running setup shouldn’t break things.Use flags like pip install --no-deps or check for existing files before creating them
Minimize heavy operationsLong builds slow down workspace creation.Focus on essential setup; defer optional tools to manual installation later
Tip: Test your setup commands locally first. Each command runs with bash strict mode (set -euo pipefail) at the repo root.

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2. Workflow Patterns That Scale

Treat remote sessions as disposable: create one per ticket or PR, then archive when merged.
Benefits: perfect isolation, zero “works on my machine” drift.
Need to test multiple branches? Launch two separate sessions; switch context without killing processes.

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3. Team Collaboration Tips

TipDetails
Name workspaces clearlyName workspaces according to the tracked repository, e.g. factory-mono to work on the factory-mono GitHub repo.
Document entry commandsAdd a README_REMOTE_WORKSPACE.md with common tasks (npm run dev, pytest)—new hires onboard instantly.

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5. Troubleshooting at a Glance

SymptomResolution
Rebuild is slowVerify .dockerignore, cache heavy installs in image, use lighter base.
Git asks for credentialsEnsure repository integration is enabled in Integrations → Repositories.
Out-of-disk errorsPrune 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.