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GitHub
docs.github.com › en › codespaces › the-githubdev-web-based-editor
Using VS Code for the Web from GitHub - GitHub Docs
Opening a repository at github.dev opens it in VS Code for the Web, the browser-based version of VS Code. For more information, see VS Code for the Web in the VS Code documentation.
GitHub Docs
Get started, troubleshoot, and make the most of GitHub. Documentation for new users, developers, administrators, and all of GitHub's products.
Codespaces
Create a codespace to start developing in a secure, configurable, and dedicated development environment that works how and where you want it to.
Visual Studio Code
For more information, see Setting your default editor for GitHub Codespaces. If you prefer to work in the browser, but want to continue using your existing VS Code extensions, themes, and shortcuts, you can turn on Settings Sync. For more information, see Personalizing GitHub Codespaces for your account. To develop ...
Introduction to dev containers
If you don't already have a ... one from GitHub. Navigate to your repository and click the Code dropdown. In the Codespaces tab, click the ellipsis (...), then select Configure dev container. A new .devcontainer/devcontainer.json file will open in the editor....
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GitHub
github.com › github › dev
GitHub - github/dev: Press the . key on any repo · GitHub
March 18, 2025 - The github.dev web-based editor is a lightweight editing experience that runs entirely in your browser.
Discussions

[General] TIL you can replace '.com' in a github repo or PR URL with '.dev' to open it in github.dev, a VS Code environment running in your browser
What's more, you can even run your code directly in vscode.dev by using GitHub Codespaces! It's paid, but AFAIK it has a free trial. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/ProgrammerTIL
7
226
July 18, 2022
What editor should I use?
VS Code is the editor both github.dev and Codespaces. I think you'll eventually be more comfortable if you get used to using an editor (and, yes, VS Code seems to be the most popular one currently) on your local system rather than through a website. More on reddit.com
🌐 r/github
8
0
July 9, 2025
People also ask

How do I open the GitHub browser editor?
Press the full stop key on any repository, file or pull request page, or replace github.com with github.dev in the URL. The repository opens in a VS Code-style editor running in the browser, free for all GitHub users.
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runxbuild.com
runxbuild.com › home › blog › github browser editor: what github.dev can do, what it cannot, and when you need codespaces instead
GitHub Browser Editor: What github.dev Can Do, What It Cannot, ...
Can I run code in github.dev?
No. github.dev has no terminal, no runtime and no compute; it is an editor over the GitHub API. To run a build, tests or a dev server in the browser, open the repository in Codespaces, which attaches the same editor to a cloud machine.
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runxbuild.com
runxbuild.com › home › blog › github browser editor: what github.dev can do, what it cannot, and when you need codespaces instead
GitHub Browser Editor: What github.dev Can Do, What It Cannot, ...
What is the difference between the pencil icon editor and github.dev?
The pencil icon opens a simple single-file text editor. The github.dev editor (press the period key) opens a full VS Code-like environment where you can edit multiple files, use search-and-replace across the project, and see a file tree sidebar.
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rapidevelopers.com
rapidevelopers.com › home › tutorials › github for non-tech founders › how to edit a file in a github repository
How to Edit a File in a GitHub Repository
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Github
github.dev
GitHub.dev
Build with Visual Studio Code, anywhere, anytime, entirely in your browser.
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GitHub
docs.github.com › en › repositories › working-with-files › managing-files › editing-files
Editing files - GitHub Docs
Instead of editing and committing the file using the default file editor, you can optionally choose to use the github.dev code editor by selecting the dropdown menu and clicking github.dev.
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DEV Community
dev.to › github › vscode-in-the-browser-for-free-github-web-editor-k4h
GitHub Web Editor: FREE VSCode in the browser - DEV Community
August 23, 2021 - A lightweight code editor, based on VSCode, that can be accessed via Browser, and it's completely... Tagged with vscode, github, codenewbie, codespaces.
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RunxBuild
runxbuild.com › home › blog › github browser editor: what github.dev can do, what it cannot, and when you need codespaces instead
GitHub Browser Editor: What github.dev Can Do, What It Cannot, and When You Need Codespaces Instead
September 21, 2026 - The GitHub browser editor is github.dev: press the full stop key on any repository or pull request, or change github.com to github.dev in the URL, and the repository opens in a Visual Studio Code interface that runs entirely in the browser.
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Reddit
reddit.com › r/programmertil › [general] til you can replace '.com' in a github repo or pr url with '.dev' to open it in github.dev, a vs code environment running in your browser
r/ProgrammerTIL on Reddit: [General] TIL you can replace '.com' in a github repo or PR URL with '.dev' to open it in github.dev, a VS Code environment running in your browser
July 18, 2022 -

Let's say I want to take a deeper dive into the code for https://github.com/ogham/exa 1. It turns out github has been working on new functionality that allows me to open that repo in a VS Code instance running entirely in your browser. I simply need to either:

  • Press the '.' key on any github repo or pull request

  • Swap .com with .dev in the URL - (so https://github.dev/ogham/exa for my example)

I can install extensions into my web VSCode instance (not all but a solid number), configure the theme, settings, etc. It really is VSCode running in the browser, allowing you to utilize 'Go to definition' and 'Go to references' to navigate the source code as if it were local.

Here's what the exa repo looks like for me when I open it in github dev: https://i.imgur.com/EOVawat.png

ReadMe from https://github.com/github/dev

What is this?

The github.dev web-based editor is a lightweight editing experience that runs entirely in your browser. You can navigate files and source code repositories from GitHub, and make and commit code changes.

There are two ways to go directly to a VS Code environment in your browser and start coding:

  • Press the . key on any repository or pull request.

  • Swap .com with .dev in the URL. For example, this repo https://github.com/github/dev becomes http://github.dev/github/dev

Preview the gif below to get a quick demo of github.dev in action.

https://user-images.githubusercontent.com/856858/130119109-4769f2d7-9027-4bc4-a38c-10f297499e8f.gif

Why?

It’s a quick way to edit and navigate code. It's especially useful if you want to edit multiple files at a time or take advantage of all the powerful code editing features of Visual Studio Code when making a quick change. For more information, see our documentation.

Find elsewhere
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Rapid Developers
rapidevelopers.com › home › tutorials › github for non-tech founders › how to edit a file in a github repository
How to Edit a File in a GitHub Repository
March 28, 2026 - Edit files on GitHub using the pencil icon or the github.dev VS Code editor. Make changes, preview Markdown, and commit — all in your browser.
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Obsidian Publish
publish.obsidian.md › hub › Editing+notes+using+the+github.dev+editor
Editing notes using the github.dev editor - Obsidian Hub - Obsidian Publish
When you are in the Hub's GitHub repository, pressing . will take you to the editor. Note that you will need a GitHub account to make edits, and if you aren't logged in to it, launching the github.dev editor will prompt you for your GitHub login details.
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YouTube
youtube.com › watch
GitHub.DEV: a lightweight code editor in your browser - YouTube
Get a VS Code-like experience right in your browser. It makes for quick edits on the go, and can sync across your settings from VS Code.Read more about githu...
Published: February 15, 2023
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DEV Community
dev.to › lostintangent › 10-awesome-things-you-can-do-with-github-dev-5fm7
Fun Things You Can Do With github.dev 😎 - DEV Community
September 16, 2021 - In github.dev, you can install the GistPad extension and view/edit your gists. This allows you to maintain code snippets across multiple repos, and access them from both your desktop editor, as well as whenever you're browsing/editing code on GitHub.
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Visual Studio Code
code.visualstudio.com › docs › remote › codespaces
GitHub Codespaces
November 3, 2021 - GitHub Codespaces are fully customizable on a per project basis. This is accomplished by including a devcontainer.json file in the project's repository, similar to VS Code Dev Containers development. ... Setting the Linux-based operating system to use. Automatically installing various tools, runtimes, and frameworks. Forwarding commonly used ports. Setting environment variables. Configuring editor settings and installing preferred extensions.
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Adharsh
adharsh.in › blogs › github - open repo in web editor
Github - Open repo in web editor | Adharsh M
January 25, 2024 - Select the url and change github.com into github.dev · You get your vscode ide opened with all your repo files listed. After making edits goto Source control tab and manage changes ( stage changes ). Enter the commit message and Click commit & push, your changes are now reflected in the repo.
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Github
github.dev › github › dev
dev [GitHub] - Visual Studio Code - GitHub
dev [GitHub] Drag a view here to display. Open Chat · Ctrl+Alt+I · Show All Commands · Ctrl+Shift+P · Open Settings · Ctrl+, Drag a view here to display.
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DEV Community
dev.to › capscode › introduction-to-githubdev-24al
Introduction to Github.dev - DEV Community
November 6, 2021 - Just open any of your repo and replace github.com with github.dev and that it, now you can able to edit your code and commit your code in online VS code.
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Stack Overflow
stackoverflow.com › questions › 75504976 › enabling-dev-functionality-on-github-enterprise
editor - Enabling .dev functionality on github enterprise - Stack Overflow
On normal GitHub there is a possibility to go to a repo in browser and either press . or change the domain to .dev and it will open code editor in the browser. May I know, how can I enable this .dev
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GitHub
github.com › orgs › community › discussions › 15694
`github.dev` stuck on "Setting up your web editor" · community · Discussion #15694 · GitHub
This is a known bug with github.dev (the VS Code web editor) — it can get stuck forever on “Setting up your web editor” when “Direct Mode” (the browser-based VS Code runtime) fails to initialize properly.
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GitHub
github.com › orgs › community › discussions › 15438
Github.dev web editor live preview for html/js apps · community · Discussion #15438 · GitHub
April 22, 2022 - I've tried the webcontainers extensions, but had no luck with them. Sadly, neither github.dev nor vscode.dev use webcontainers to allow for usage of node in the browser (like stackblitz.com does)