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Coder Starter Scripts

Run a local Coder server instance with automated setup scripts.

Overview

Repository for running a local Coder server instance. Perfect for teams wanting self-hosted development environments.

Key Features

  • One-command server startup
  • Configurable templates
  • Docker-based deployment
  • Platform-specific start scripts for Windows, macOS, and Linux
  • GitHub Codespaces bootstrap script
  • Automatic Coder installation if not found

Prerequisites

  • Git Bash (Windows), Terminal (macOS/Linux)
  • Internet connection (for automatic Coder download)

Quick Start

Start Server

  1. Open your terminal (Git Bash on Windows)
  2. Navigate to project directory
  3. Run the appropriate start script for your platform:
# Windows
./start.windows.sh

# macOS
./start.mac.sh

# Linux
./start.linux.sh

# GitHub Codespaces (inside a Codespace terminal)
./start.gh.codespaces.sh
  1. Open browser to http://127.0.0.1:3000

Stop Server

Press Ctrl+C in terminal

Configuration

Configure with .env file (see .env.example in repository)

Automatic Coder Installation

The start scripts will automatically download and install Coder if it's not found in the project directory:

  1. Direct download from GitHub releases (primary method)
  2. Platform-specific package managers (fallback)
  3. Manual download instructions (final fallback)

GitHub Codespaces Usage

We currently lean on ./start.gh.codespaces.sh to rapidly spin up and tear down an isolated learning/experimentation environment without polluting local machines. This script is optimized for:

  • Ephemeral environments (open Codespace, explore, discard)
  • Fast bootstrap (auto-download if Coder binary missing)
  • Consistent baseline across contributors

Documentation

For comprehensive documentation, visit the GitHub repository.

Key documentation files: - Quick Start Guide - Maintainer Guide