Chapter 2. Optional parameters for the URLs for starting a new workspace

Combine multiple URL parameters when starting an OpenShift Dev Spaces workspace by concatenating them with &. This enables you to customize the editor, storage type, devfile, and other workspace settings in a single URL.

Use the following URL syntax:

https://<openshift_dev_spaces_fqdn>#<git_repository_url>?<url_parameter_1>&<url_parameter_2>&<url_parameter_3>

For example, the following URL starts a new workspace with a Git repository, a specific editor, and a custom devfile path:

https://<openshift_dev_spaces_fqdn>#https://github.com/che-samples/cpp-hello-world?new&che-editor=che-incubator/intellij-community/latest&devfilePath=tests/testdevfile.yaml

Explanation of the parts of the URL:

https://<openshift_dev_spaces_fqdn>
#https://github.com/che-samples/cpp-hello-world
?new&che-editor=che-incubator/intellij-community/latest&devfilePath=tests/testdevfile.yaml

The che-editor= URL parameter specifies a supported IDE when starting a workspace, allowing you to override the default editor or the che-editor.yaml file without modifying the Git repository.

This parameter accepts two types of values:

pass:c,a,q[https://__<openshift_dev_spaces_fqdn>__#<git_repository_url>?che-editor=<url_to_a_file>]

The editor-image URL parameter sets a custom IDE image for the workspace, allowing you to test prerelease IDE builds or use a customized IDE container.

The URL parameter to override the IDE image is editor-image=:

https://<openshift_dev_spaces_fqdn>#<git_repository_url>?editor-image=<container_registry/image_name:image_tag>

For example:

Use the new URL parameter to create multiple workspaces from the same devfile and Git repository, which is useful when you need parallel environments for testing or comparing changes.

The URL parameter for starting a duplicate workspace is new:

https://<openshift_dev_spaces_fqdn>#<git_repository_url>?new

Use the existing URL parameter to reopen an existing workspace instead of creating a new one, which avoids duplicate workspaces when revisiting a workspace URL.

When specifying the existing URL parameter, following situations may arise:

https://<openshift_dev_spaces_fqdn>#<git_repository_url>?new

Use the df URL parameter to specify a custom devfile file name when the repository uses a name other than the default .devfile.yaml or devfile.yaml.

The URL parameter for specifying an unconventional file name of the devfile is df=<filename>.yaml:

https://<openshift_dev_spaces_fqdn>#<git_repository_url>?df=<filename>.yaml

Use the devfilePath URL parameter to specify a custom path to the devfile when it is not in the root directory of the linked Git repository.

The URL parameter for specifying an unconventional file path of the devfile is devfilePath=<relative_file_path>:

https://<openshift_dev_spaces_fqdn>#<git_repository_url>?devfilePath=<relative_file_path>

Use the storageType URL parameter to override the default storage strategy for a new workspace, choosing between persistent and ephemeral storage based on your data retention needs.

The URL parameter for specifying a storage type for a workspace is storageType=<storage_type>:

https://<openshift_dev_spaces_fqdn>#<git_repository_url>?storageType=<storage_type>

Configure additional Git remotes when starting a workspace by specifying extra repository URLs as parameters, enabling work with multiple upstream sources in a single workspace.

The URL parameter for cloning and configuring additional remotes for the workspace is remotes=:

https://<openshift_dev_spaces_fqdn>#<git_repository_url>?remotes={{<name_1>,<url_1>},{<name_2>,<url_2>},{<name_3>,<url_3>},...}

The image URL parameter specifies a custom container image for the workspace, allowing you to use a different base image than the one defined in the devfile or the default Universal Developer Image.

The image parameter applies in the following scenarios:

The URL parameter for the path to the container image is image=:

https://<openshift_dev_spaces_fqdn>#<git_repository_url>?image=<container_image_url>

For example:

https://<openshift_dev_spaces_fqdn>#https://github.com/eclipse-che/che-docs?image=quay.io/devfile/universal-developer-image:ubi9-latest

The memoryLimit URL parameter specifies or overrides the container memory limit when starting a new workspace from a devfile URL. Use this parameter to allocate enough memory for resource-intensive development tasks.

The URL parameter for the memory limit is memoryLimit=:

https://<openshift_dev_spaces_fqdn>#<git_repository_url>?memoryLimit=<container_memory_limit>

You can specify the memory limit in bytes, or use a suffix such as Mi for mebibytes or Gi for gibibytes.

The cpuLimit URL parameter specifies or overrides the container CPU limit when starting a new workspace from a devfile URL. Use this parameter to allocate enough CPU for resource-intensive development tasks.

The URL parameter for the CPU limit is cpuLimit=:

https://<openshift_dev_spaces_fqdn>#<git_repository_url>?cpuLimit=<container_cpu_limit>

You can specify the CPU limit in cores.