Workspaces Overview

Coder Workspaces are on-demand virtual machines provided by UCSB Dreamlab with commonly used data science tools. They are accessible to anyone with an active UCSB Net ID.

https://coder.dreamlab.ucsb.edu

Hardware

Resources Description
CPU 4 vCPUs
Memory 16 GiB
Disk 15 GB for OS, 64 GB for user data

Software

All workspaces include the following software:

  • Ubuntu Linux (24.04 LTS) - Operating System
  • pixi v0.55.0 - Python package manager
  • R v4.5.1
  • gitv2.43.0 - version control software
  • gh v2.80.0 - Github CLI
  • jqv1.7 - command line JSON processor

Service can be enabled when the workspace is created:

  • RStudio Server v2025.09.1 - to run RStudio in the browser
  • Jupyter Lab Server v4.4.9 - to run Jupyter Notebooks in the browser
  • VS Code Web - to run VS Code in the browser
  • VS Code Service - connect to the workspace using VS Code

Additional software may be installed using apt or pixi.

Creating a Workspace

  1. Visit https://coder.dreamlab.ucsb.edu.
  2. Click “UCSB Login” and log in using UCSB SSO (via Google).
  3. Click the button to create a Dreamlab Workspace.
  4. On the “Create Workspace” page:
    • Give the workspace a name.
    • Check “I understand the usage policies”.
    • Select additional software to enable.
    • Click “Create Workspace”.
    • It may take a few minutes for the workspace to boot.

Workspace Lifecycle

  • Workspaces shut down (stop) after four hours of inactivity.
  • You can manually stop a workspace by clicking the “stop” button.
  • To start a stopped workspace, click the workspace’s “Start” button. It may take a few minutes to resume.
  • Deleting a workspace deletes all files on the workspace!
  • All workspaces will be deleted at the end of each academic quarter.

Policies

  • Backup your data: Data is not backed up; users are responsible for their own backups.
  • Deletion: All workspaces are automatically deleted at the end of each quarter.
  • Limits: Users may create and use only one workspace at a time. Multiple active workspaces may be deleted without notice.
  • Maintenance: Workspaces may be inaccessible during scheduled maintenance windows (announced via email).
  • Inactivity: Workspaces stop automatically after four hours of inactivity to conserve resources. They can be resumed by clicking the “start” button.
  • Software Installation: Users may install additional software.
  • Access by Staff: Workspaces may be accessed by staff in the Library or LSIT. Confidential or sensitive information should not be stored.