Connect to editor

Access the code editor directly from your browser to edit files on remote servers.

Quick access

You can open the editor from three locations:

From server list:

  1. Go to Servers page
  2. Find a connected server
  3. Click the Editor button on the server row
  4. Select an account and click Connect
  5. Editor opens in a new tab

From server detail:

  1. Click a server name to open its detail page
  2. Click the Editor button
  3. Select an account and click Connect

From dashboard (starred servers):

  1. Go to Dashboard
  2. Find a starred server
  3. Click the Editor link
  4. Select an account and click Connect

Requirements

  • Server status: Connected
  • Server: Commissioned (registration completed)
  • User: Belongs to a group assigned to the server
  • Workspace member with active session

Account selection

When connecting, you choose which account to use on the remote server:

My account: Your Alpacon username is used as the remote user. This is the default selection.

System accounts: Select from available system accounts on the server. Only visible if you have sudo privilege. May require MFA authentication depending on workspace security settings.

MFA authentication for system account access

When workspace security settings require MFA for privileged access:

  1. Select system account and click Connect
  2. A notification appears indicating MFA is required
  3. You are redirected to the MFA authentication page
  4. Complete authentication (TOTP, email, phone, or WebAuthn)
  5. After successful verification, you are automatically redirected back to the editor
  6. The connection is established and the editor opens

MFA verification remains valid for the duration configured in workspace settings. Subsequent root connections within this period will not require re-authentication.

First-time connection

The first time you connect to a server via the editor, the editor environment is automatically installed. This process may take a few minutes.

Connection steps:

  1. “Creating editor tunnel…”: Connection is being established
  2. “Installing editor environment…”: Editor is being installed on the server
  3. “Starting editor…”: Editor is starting up
  4. “Editor ready”: The editor interface appears

Subsequent connections to the same server will be faster as the environment is already installed.

Troubleshooting

Editor shows “Connection Error”:

  • Verify the server is connected and online
  • Click Retry to attempt reconnection
  • Click Back to Servers to return to the server list

Editor stuck on “Installing”:

  • First-time installation may take several minutes
  • The connection will automatically time out after about 2–3 minutes
  • If installation fails, click Retry

MFA authentication fails:

  • Ensure you have enrolled an MFA method accepted by the workspace
  • Check that your MFA device is available
  • Contact workspace administrator if issues persist