Managing Devboxes

Listing, stopping, deleting, configuring defaults, and monitoring resource usage.

Machine Sizes

Both the CLI (--size) and the dashboard provide the same size options:

vCPU counts represent burstable capacity. Your workspace policy may restrict which sizes are available.

Listing Devboxes

Via the CLI:

$
devbox list

By default this shows only your devboxes. Use --show-all to see all devboxes in the workspace.

Output as JSON for scripting:

$
devbox list -o json

Via the Dashboard:

The Devboxes dashboard shows all your devboxes grouped by repository. Toggle between viewing your own devboxes or all workspace devboxes.

Starting & Stopping

Devboxes start automatically when you connect via devbox ssh, devbox open-ide, or from the dashboard.

To stop a running devbox:

Via the CLI:

$
devbox shutdown

This presents an interactive picker. You can also use the alias devbox stop.

Via the Dashboard:

Click the stop button on any running devbox in the dashboard or from the devbox detail page.

Stopped devboxes retain all persistent storage. They resume in seconds on the next connection.

Deleting

Deleting a devbox permanently removes it and its associated persistent volume.

Via the CLI:

$
devbox delete my-devbox

You'll be prompted to confirm by typing the devbox name. Skip the confirmation with --force:

$
devbox delete my-devbox --force

Without a name argument, an interactive picker is shown.

Via the Dashboard:

Delete a devbox from its context menu in the dashboard.

Advanced Create Options

Additional options beyond machine size, image, and repository.

Idle Timeout

Control how long a devbox stays running after becoming idle. Available timeouts: 15 min, 30 min, 1 hour, 4 hours, or 8 hours.

CLI:

$
devbox create --auto_stop_idle_timeout=1h

Dashboard: Expand the Advanced section in the create dialog to configure the idle timeout.

Volume Size

Override the default persistent volume size:

$
devbox create --volume_size_gb=300

Workspace Defaults

Workspace admins can set default values applied to all newly created devboxes. Navigate to the Defaults page in the dashboard to configure:

• Instance Size: default CPU and memory allocation
• Image: default base image
• Git Repository: default repository to clone
• Access Mode: private (just you) or workspace-wide (shared with all members)
• Idle Timeout: how long devboxes stay running when idle

When a workspace policy is active, policy-enforced values take precedence and are shown as locked in the UI.

Git Configuration

Configure the git author name and email used across your devboxes from the dashboard. Click your name in the devboxes header to open the git configuration dialog.

This sets user.name and user.email for git operations in all your devboxes.

Setting Up GitHub CLI

Forward your local gh CLI authentication to a devbox:

$
devbox setup-github my-devbox

This transfers your local GitHub token and configures gh auth and gh auth setup-git on the devbox, enabling gh commands and HTTPS git authentication.

Resource Monitoring

The dashboard shows live resource metrics for running devboxes:

• CPU utilization: overall and per-core usage with historical graphs
• Memory utilization: current usage percentage with history
• Network latency: ping indicator showing connection quality to your devbox's site

These metrics are streamed in real time from the devbox detail page.

Site Latency

Devboxes are automatically created in the site closest to you. To manually check latency to available sites:

$
devbox site-latency

The dashboard measures site latency automatically and selects the best site when creating a devbox.

Self-Update

Keep the Devbox CLI up to date:

$
devbox update

Next Steps

Remote Development → Connect to your devbox via SSH, VS Code, Cursor, Zed, or JetBrains.

Sessions → Persistent terminal sessions that survive disconnections and devbox restarts.

Custom Images → Build custom base images with your tools and runtimes pre-installed.