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Using VS Code Remote - SSH to Connect to UChicago AF (login.af.uchicago.edu)

This guide will walk you through installing the Remote - SSH plugin in Visual Studio Code (VS Code) and using it to connect to UChicago AF's login node (login.af.uchicago.edu).

🧩 Step 1: Install Remote - SSH Extension in VS Code

  1. Open VS Code.
  2. Go to the Extensions view:
  3. Click on the square icon on the left sidebar (or press Ctrl+Shift+X).
  4. In the search bar, type: Remote - SSH.
  5. Locate the extension developed by Microsoft and click Install.

🔐 Step 2: Set Up SSH Access to UChicago AF

Before connecting, make sure:

  • You have an account on UChicago AF.
  • You can SSH into login.af.uchicago.edu from a terminal using:

bash ssh yourusername@login.af.uchicago.edu

  • You have your SSH private key available locally.

⚙️ Step 3: Configure SSH in VS Code

  1. Press F1 or Ctrl+Shift+P to open the Command Palette.
  2. Type or select: Remote-SSH: Add New SSH Host...
  3. Type: ssh yourusername@login.af.uchicago.edu (replace yourusername with your actual AF username)
  4. You will be asked to Select SSH configuration file to update. We recommend to use your .ssh\config

🔌 Step 4: Connect to UChicago AF via Remote - SSH

  1. Press F1 or Ctrl+Shift+P, then type:

Remote-SSH: Connect to Host...

  1. Select login.af.uchicago.edu.
  2. VS Code will establish a connection and install the necessary server components on the remote host.
  3. Once connected, you'll be in a remote VS Code environment, working directly on login.af.uchicago.edu.

📁 Step 5: Open or Create Remote Projects

  • Once connected, you can:
  • Use File → Open Folder to open a directory on the remote machine.
  • Open terminals, run scripts, and edit files as if you're working locally.

🛠 Troubleshooting Tips

  • Connection fails: Try testing the SSH command manually in a terminal.
  • Key permissions issue: Run chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_rsa
  • Host key verification failed: Try deleting old entries from ~/.ssh/known_hosts if the remote host has changed.

Enjoy a seamless coding experience on UChicago AF using the power of VS Code Remote Development! 🚀