Access HTTP servers running on a workstation

You can access HTTP ports 80 and ports 1024 to 65535 on your workstations from your browser. Running workstations have a host property that you can use to connect using HTTP from a remote browser. you can find this property by getting details for a running workstation through the API, Google Cloud CLI, the Google Cloud console, or by printing the $WEB_HOST environment variable, which is automatically set inside your workstation. The URL connects on port 80 by default.

Default workstation URL format

The host property URL uses the following format by default:

https://PORT-WORKSTATION_NAME.CLUSTER_ID.cloudworkstations.dev

The placeholders represent the following:

  • PORT: the port number, which is port 80 by default.
  • WORKSTATION_NAME: the workstation name.
  • CLUSTER_ID: the randomly generated cluster identifier

  • cloudworkstations.dev: the default domain name for a workstation.

    URLs for custom domains use a different format. For more about setting up custom domains in Cloud Workstations, see Set up custom domains for Cloud Workstations.

Connect to a different port by changing the URL

In order to connect on a different port, specify a different port number as a prefix. For example, the following URL connects to port 9900:

https://9900-myworkstation.cluster-12345abcde.cloudworkstations.dev

In this example, note the following:

  • 9900: represents the port number.
  • myworkstation: represents the workstation ID.
  • cluster-12345abcde: represents the cluster identifier.
  • cloudworkstations.dev: represents the default domain name for a workstation.

These URLs require user authentication. To access these URLs, you must be logged in and must have the Cloud Workstations User IAM role, roles/workstations.user, or the workstations.workstations.use permission.

Connecting to an HTTP app from Google Cloud console

You can connect to an HTTP app running on a workstation from the Google Cloud console.

For any running workstation that you have permissions to use, you see a Launch button. By default, this button connects on port 80. You can click the arrow_drop_downexpander arrow next to Launch to see alternative connecting options. The Connect to web app on port option lets you specify a different port to connect to.

Connecting to an HTTP app from the base editor

To connect to an app running on your workstation from the base editor, follow either of these instructions:

  • Click localhost links in the terminal. The base editor automatically redirects localhost links to the right URLs.

    1. To open a terminal window, click menu Menu > Terminal > New Terminal. Alternatively, press Control+Shift+` (or Command+Shift+` on macOS).

    2. At the command prompt, run the following command to display the localhost link:

      echo http://localhost:PORT

      Replace PORT with a port number such as 80 or 8080.

    3. Hold Control (or Command on macOS) and then click the localhost link.
      This opens PORT-WORKSTATION-HOSTNAME in your browser.

  • Use the browser window: navigate to https://PORT-WORKSTATION-HOSTNAME, where PORT is the port number and WORKSTATION-HOSTNAME is your workstation hostname.