How to Connect Your IDE to a Remote Server
Zo Computer gives you a personal cloud server—a real Linux machine in the cloud that's always on and accessible from anywhere. You can use Zo directly in your browser, but many developers prefer to connect their favorite IDE for a more powerful workflow.
This is called remote development: your code lives and runs on the server, but you edit it using the IDE on your laptop. It's like having a powerful development machine that you can access from anywhere, on any device.
Why develop remotely?
Remote development has become increasingly popular, especially with tools like VS Code Remote-SSH, GitHub Codespaces, and cloud development platforms. Here's why:
Work from anywhere. Your development environment is on the server, not your laptop. Switch devices and pick up exactly where you left off.
More computing power. Run heavy builds, ML training, or multiple services without draining your laptop's battery or spinning up its fans.
Consistent environment. No more "it works on my machine" problems. Your server is always configured the same way.
Keep your laptop light. You don't need a powerful MacBook Pro if your code runs on a remote server. A Chromebook or iPad works fine.
What is SSH?
SSH (Secure Shell) is the standard way to securely connect to a remote server. Think of it as a secure tunnel between your computer and the server. Once connected, you can run commands, transfer files, and—most importantly for developers—connect your IDE.
Most modern IDEs support SSH-based remote development:
Cursor with Remote-SSH (same extension as VS Code)
Windsurf with Remote-SSH
Zed with Remote Development
JetBrains IDEs (PyCharm, WebStorm, etc.) with Gateway
Setting up SSH on your Zo
Zo has a setup prompt that configures an SSH server for you. Tell your AI to run it, and it will:
Set up secure authentication (SSH keys recommended, or password)
Configure the SSH server with secure defaults
Register it as a managed service with a public address
Give you the connection details
You'll get a public address like ts1.zocomputer.io:10991 that you can connect to from anywhere.
For step-by-step instructions on generating SSH keys and connecting, see our SSH connection guide.
Connecting your IDE
Once SSH is set up, connecting your IDE is straightforward. Here's the general pattern:
Add your Zo as an SSH host in your IDE's SSH configuration
Connect using the Remote-SSH feature
Open a folder on your Zo (usually
/home/workspace)Start coding—files, terminal, extensions all work on the remote server
Our documentation walks through this for Cursor specifically, but the process is similar for VS Code and other IDEs.
Pro tip: Add a shortcut to your ~/.ssh/config file so you can connect with just ssh zo instead of remembering the full address and port.
Remote development vs. VS Code in browser
In addition to just asking Zo to write code for you, Zo supports two ways to access Zo using an IDE:
SSH + local IDE (this tutorial)
Full native IDE performance
All extensions work perfectly
Best for serious development work
Requires your IDE installed locally
Access from any device with a browser
No local software needed
Great for quick edits or when you can't install software
Some extensions may not work
Many developers use both: SSH for their main workstation, browser-based VS Code for quick access from other devices.
Resources
Zo SSH connection guide — Step-by-step setup instructions
Zo SSH setup prompt — Let your AI configure SSH for you
VS Code Remote-SSH docs — Official VS Code guide