# Workspaces

Workspaces contain the IDEs, dependencies, and configuration information needed
for software development.

## Create workspaces

Each Coder user has their own workspaces created from [shared templates](./templates/index.md):

```console
# create a workspace from the template; specify any variables
coder create --template="<templateName>" <workspaceName>

# show the resources behind the workspace and how to connect
coder show <workspace-name>
```

## IDEs

Coder [supports multiple IDEs](./ides.md) for use with your workspaces.

## Workspace lifecycle

Workspaces in Coder are started and stopped, often based on whether there was
any activity or if there was a [template update](./templates/index.md#Start/stop) available.

Resources are often destroyed and re-created when a workspace is restarted,
though the exact behavior depends on the template. For more
information, see [Resource Persistence](./templates/resource-persistence.md).

> ⚠️ To avoid data loss, refer to your template documentation for information on
> where to store files, install software, etc., so that they persist. Default
> templates are documented in [../examples/templates](https://github.com/coder/coder/tree/c6b1daabc5a7aa67bfbb6c89966d728919ba7f80/examples/templates).
>
> You can use `coder show <workspace-name>` to see which resources are
> persistent and which are ephemeral.

When a workspace is deleted, all of the workspace's resources are deleted.

## Workspace scheduling

By default, workspaces are manually turned on/off by the user. However, a schedule
can be defined on a per-workspace basis to automate the workspace start/stop.

![Scheduling UI](./images/schedule.png)

### Autostart

The autostart feature automates the workspace build at a user-specified time
and day(s) of the week. In addition, users can select their preferred timezone.

![Autostart UI](./images/autostart.png)

### Autostop

The autostop feature shuts off workspaces after given number of hours in the "on"
state. If Coder detects workspace connection activity, the autostop timer is bumped up
one hour. IDE, SSH, Port Forwarding, and coder_app activity trigger this bump.

![autostop UI](./images/autostop.png)

### Max lifetime

Max lifetime is a template-level setting that determines the number of hours a
workspace can run before it is automatically shutdown, regardless of any
active connections. This setting ensures workspaces do not run in perpetuity
when connections are left open inadvertently.

## Updating workspaces

Use the following command to update a workspace to the latest template version.
The workspace will be stopped and started:

```console
coder update <workspace-name>
```

## Repairing workspaces

Use the following command to re-enter template input
variables in an existing workspace. This command is useful when a workspace fails
to build because its state is out of sync with the template.

```console
coder update <your workspace name> --always-prompt
```

## Logging

Coder stores macOS and Linux logs at the following locations:

| Service           | Location                         |
| ----------------- | -------------------------------- |
| `startup_script`  | `/tmp/coder-startup-script.log`  |
| `shutdown_script` | `/tmp/coder-shutdown-script.log` |
| Agent             | `/tmp/coder-agent.log`           |

> Note: Logs are truncated once they reach 5MB in size.

## Workspace filtering

In the Coder UI, you can filter your workspaces using pre-defined filters or employing the Coder's filter query. Take a look at the following examples to understand how to use the Coder's filter query:

- To find the workspaces that you own, use the filter `owner:me`.
- To find workspaces that are currently running, use the filter `status:running`.

The following filters are supported:

- `owner` - Represents the `username` of the owner. You can also use `me` as a convenient alias for the logged-in user.
- `template` - Specifies the name of the template.
- `status` - Indicates the status of the workspace. For a list of supported statuses, please refer to the [WorkspaceStatus documentation](https://pkg.go.dev/github.com/coder/coder/codersdk#WorkspaceStatus).

---

## Up next

- Learn about how to personalize your workspace with [Dotfiles](./dotfiles.md)
- Learn about using [IDEs](./ides.md)