ForgeVPSFind your workflow
Choose how you work on your VPS.
Compare ForgeVPS, browser SSH terminals, code-server, and VS Code Remote SSH by workflow, setup, and browser access. Find the right fit for your VPS.
The right VPS interface depends on what you want to do: run a command, spend hours editing code, or manage a project and its services together. Here is how four approaches fit those tasks.
This comparison uses the products’ published documentation and ForgeVPS’s implementation. It is a workflow comparison, not a hands-on performance ranking. ForgeVPS is our product.
Compare the working environment
| Approach | Where you work | Useful when | Setup to consider |
|---|---|---|---|
| ForgeVPS | Browser workspace: terminal, editor, files, PostgreSQL, and apps. | Editing code and managing your server together. | Connect your VPS. Enable the tools you need and bring your own AI account. |
| Provider browser SSH | Terminal in your cloud provider’s console. | Quick commands on a VM hosted with that provider. | Depends on your provider and account permissions. |
| code-server | VS Code-based editor in your browser. | An editor-focused workflow on your server. | Install and maintain it, with authentication and HTTPS or a secure tunnel. |
| VS Code Remote SSH | Desktop VS Code connected over SSH. | Desktop editing with files and commands on the VPS. | Install VS Code and Remote SSH on your computer; configure server access. |
If you mainly need a shell
Start by checking your provider’s console. Google’s SSH-in-browser, for example, opens an SSH connection to Compute Engine VMs from a browser. That can be enough for administration and quick commands. Do not assume every VPS provider includes the same capability.
A regular desktop SSH client also remains a straightforward way to work with a server. ForgeVPS’s browser terminal is useful when you want that shell alongside files and other server tools, or need access from a device without your usual desktop setup.
If your priority is an IDE
code-server brings a VS Code-based environment to the browser. It is worth evaluating when the editor is your main workspace. Check the extensions you rely on and the project’s deployment guidance; a browser editor still needs an access and maintenance plan.
VS Code Remote SSH connects a desktop editor to a remote machine. It is a natural option if you already use VS Code on your computer and want to keep that interface while working on server files.
If you switch between code and server tools
ForgeVPS combines the terminal and browser editor with PostgreSQL and app management. That fits a task such as inspecting an assistant’s file changes, running a command, then checking the application or database in the same workspace.
It is not a full Linux desktop. If you depend on a particular debugger, extension, or desktop application, verify that requirement before choosing your interface. The interactive workspace demo shows ForgeVPS’s layout using sample data.
Using Claude Code or Codex CLI
The assistant does not have to dictate your editor. It runs in a terminal with access to the project on your server. Choose how you want to reach that terminal and inspect its changes.
Our walkthroughs cover Claude Code and Codex CLI in ForgeVPS. For access only to a Claude session, also consider Anthropic’s Remote Control and check its account requirements.
Try your actual daily task
Before committing to a workspace, test one complete loop: connect to a development server, open the project, edit a file, run its checks, disconnect, and return. Include a phone in that test if phone access matters to you. The interface that makes your own work comfortable is more useful than a generic “best” label.