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Obsidian-Vault/Personal/Areas/Servers/TrueNAS/VS Code SSH Setup.md
Vincent Verbruggen fd37421245 Init
2025-10-25 20:11:21 +02:00

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VS Code SSH Setup for TrueNAS

Overview

Configure VS Code to SSH into your TrueNAS server for easy file editing and terminal access.

Prerequisites

  1. VS Code installed on your local machine
  2. Remote - SSH extension installed in VS Code
  3. SSH access enabled on TrueNAS
  4. TrueNAS IP address or hostname

Step 1: Install VS Code Extension

Install Remote - SSH Extension

  1. Open VS Code
  2. Click Extensions icon (or Ctrl+Shift+X)
  3. Search for: Remote - SSH
  4. Install the extension by Microsoft
  5. Reload VS Code if prompted

Extension ID: ms-vscode-remote.remote-ssh

Step 2: Enable SSH on TrueNAS (if not already enabled)

TrueNAS Scale

  1. Navigate to System Settings → Services
  2. Find SSH service
  3. Click Edit (pencil icon)
  4. Configure:
    • ☑ Allow Password Authentication (initially, we'll use keys later)
    • ☑ Allow TCP Forwarding
    • Port: 22 (default)
  5. Click Save
  6. Start the SSH service
  7. ☑ Start Automatically (enable)

Step 3: Find Your TrueNAS Connection Details

Get TrueNAS IP Address

Option A: From TrueNAS UI

  • Dashboard → Top right shows IP address

Option B: From Shell

ip addr show | grep inet

Get Your Username

Default admin user: admin

Or check: Credentials → Local Users

Step 4: Generate SSH Key (Recommended)

On your local Windows machine (WSL or PowerShell):

Using WSL (Recommended)

# Generate SSH key
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "truenas-access"

# Default location: ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
# Press Enter to accept
# Enter passphrase (optional but recommended)

# Copy public key to TrueNAS
ssh-copy-id admin@truenas-ip

# Or manually copy:
cat ~/.ssh/id_ed25519.pub
# Then paste into TrueNAS UI

Using PowerShell (Alternative)

# Generate SSH key
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "truenas-access"

# Location: C:\Users\Vince\.ssh\id_ed25519
# Copy public key
Get-Content C:\Users\Vince\.ssh\id_ed25519.pub

Add Public Key to TrueNAS

  1. TrueNAS UI → Credentials → Local Users
  2. Click Edit on your user (admin)
  3. Scroll to SSH Public Key
  4. Paste your public key
  5. Click Save

Step 5: Configure SSH Config File

Create/edit SSH config for easy connections.

Location

WSL: ~/.ssh/config Windows: C:\Users\Vince\.ssh\config

Add TrueNAS Configuration

Host truenas
    HostName 192.168.1.XXX          # Your TrueNAS IP
    User admin                       # Your TrueNAS username
    Port 22
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519  # Path to your SSH key
    ForwardAgent yes
    ServerAliveInterval 60
    ServerAliveCountMax 3

# Optional: Shorter alias
Host nas
    HostName 192.168.1.XXX
    User admin
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

Replace: 192.168.1.XXX with your actual TrueNAS IP

Test SSH Connection

ssh truenas
# or
ssh nas

Should connect without password!

Step 6: Connect VS Code to TrueNAS

Method 1: Using Command Palette

  1. Open VS Code
  2. Press Ctrl+Shift+P (or F1)
  3. Type: Remote-SSH: Connect to Host
  4. Select truenas (or nas) from the list
    • Or type: admin@truenas-ip manually
  5. Select platform: Linux
  6. VS Code will connect and install VS Code Server on TrueNAS
  7. Wait for connection to complete

Method 2: Using SSH Targets

  1. Click Remote Explorer icon in sidebar
  2. Under SSH Targets, you'll see configured hosts
  3. Click → (Connect) next to truenas

First Connection

  • VS Code will install VS Code Server on TrueNAS (~100MB)
  • This is a one-time setup
  • May take 1-2 minutes
  • You'll see progress in bottom right

Step 7: Navigate to Your Stacks Directory

Once connected:

  1. File → Open Folder
  2. Type: /mnt/tank/stacks
  3. Click OK
  4. VS Code now shows your stacks directory in explorer!

Step 8: Install Helpful Extensions (Remote)

Once connected to TrueNAS, install these extensions on the remote:

Recommended Extensions

  1. Docker (ms-azuretools.vscode-docker)

    • Syntax highlighting for docker-compose files
    • Docker commands integration

  2. YAML (redhat.vscode-yaml)

    • YAML syntax validation
    • Auto-completion

  3. Remote - SSH: Editing Configuration Files (automatic)

    • Edit SSH config directly from VS Code

Install Extensions on Remote

  1. Click Extensions icon
  2. Search for extension
  3. Click Install in SSH: truenas
  4. Extensions install on the TrueNAS server

Usage Tips

Open Terminal in VS Code

  • Terminal → New Terminal (Ctrl+`)
  • Opens bash terminal directly on TrueNAS
  • Already in the folder you have open

Edit docker-compose Files

  1. Navigate to /mnt/tank/stacks/traefik/
  2. Edit docker-compose.yml
  3. Syntax highlighting and validation included
  4. Save with Ctrl+S

Run Docker Commands

# In VS Code terminal
cd /mnt/tank/stacks/traefik
docker compose up -d
docker logs traefik -f

Multiple Folders

Open workspace with multiple stack directories:

  1. File → Add Folder to Workspace
  2. Add /mnt/tank/stacks/traefik
  3. Add /mnt/tank/stacks/gitea
  4. Add /mnt/tank/stacks/servarr
  5. File → Save Workspace As → truenas-stacks.code-workspace

Troubleshooting

Connection Refused

# Check SSH service is running on TrueNAS
# TrueNAS UI → System → Services → SSH → Running

# Test from terminal
ssh admin@truenas-ip

Permission Denied (publickey)

# Verify public key is added to TrueNAS
# TrueNAS UI → Credentials → Local Users → Edit → SSH Public Key

# Or enable password authentication temporarily
# TrueNAS UI → System → Services → SSH → Edit
# ☑ Allow Password Authentication

VS Code Server Installation Fails

# SSH into TrueNAS manually
ssh truenas

# Check available disk space
df -h

# VS Code Server needs ~100MB in home directory
# Clear space if needed

"Could not establish connection"

# Check VS Code settings
# Ctrl+, → Search "remote.SSH.path"
# Should point to ssh executable

# Windows: C:\Windows\System32\OpenSSH\ssh.exe
# WSL: /usr/bin/ssh

Wrong Platform Detected

If VS Code thinks TrueNAS is Windows/Mac:

  1. Ctrl+Shift+P
  2. Remote-SSH: Settings
  3. Add to settings.json: 
    "remote.SSH.remotePlatform": {
    "truenas": "linux"
}

Security Best Practices

Disable Password Authentication (After Key Setup)

Once SSH keys are working:

  1. TrueNAS UI → System → Services → SSH → Edit
  2. ☐ Allow Password Authentication (uncheck)
  3. ☑ Login as Root with Password (uncheck)
  4. Click Save

Now only SSH key authentication is allowed.

Use SSH Key Passphrase

When generating keys, add a passphrase:

ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "truenas-access"
# Enter passphrase when prompted

Use ssh-agent to avoid typing passphrase repeatedly:

# Start ssh-agent (WSL)
eval "$(ssh-agent -s)"

# Add key
ssh-add ~/.ssh/id_ed25519

# Enter passphrase once
# Key is cached for session

Firewall Considerations

If accessing TrueNAS from outside your network:

  • Don't expose SSH (port 22) directly to internet
  • Use VPN (Tailscale, Wireguard) instead
  • Or use SSH tunneling through a bastion host

Quick Reference

Connect to TrueNAS

# Command line
ssh truenas

# VS Code
Ctrl+Shift+P → Remote-SSH: Connect to Host → truenas

Common Paths

  • Stacks: /mnt/tank/stacks/
  • Configs: /mnt/tank/configs/
  • Media: /mnt/tank/media/

Useful VS Code Shortcuts

  • Open Terminal: Ctrl+`
  • Command Palette: Ctrl+Shift+P
  • Open Folder: Ctrl+K Ctrl+O
  • Search Files: Ctrl+P
  • Save: Ctrl+S
  • Close Remote: Click SSH: truenas in bottom left → Close Remote Connection

Next Steps

  • Install Remote - SSH extension in VS Code
  • Enable SSH service on TrueNAS
  • Generate SSH key on local machine
  • Add public key to TrueNAS
  • Configure ~/.ssh/config with TrueNAS host
  • Test SSH connection from terminal
  • Connect VS Code to TrueNAS
  • Open /mnt/tank/stacks folder in VS Code
  • Install Docker and YAML extensions (remote)
  • Disable password authentication (after key setup)
  • Create workspace for multiple stack folders

Resources

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