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Templates

A template is a reusable Remote Dev Environment configuration. Define the machine and its setup once, then create consistent sessions from it without repeating the same choices each time.

Template overviewClick to copy link​

A template can include:

  • A stack, a machine type, and a working directory that terminals start in.
  • A warmup script and a startup script for installing tools and preparing the environment.
  • Template variables and session inputs for the values your environment needs.
  • Workspace links: shortcut buttons that open a specific folder in your IDE.

Warmup and startup scriptsClick to copy link​

Both scripts are Bash and run as the session user, but at different times:

  • The warmup script runs once, when the session is first created. Use it for slow, one-time setup such as installing dependencies.
  • The startup script runs every time the session starts, including after a restore. Keep it idempotent, since it runs more than once.

Variables and inputsClick to copy link​

Templates carry two kinds of values, both of which can be exposed to the session as environment variables:

  • Template variables are baked into the template with a fixed value. Mark a variable as secret to encrypt it at rest.
  • Session inputs are filled in when a session is created. You can mark an input as required and give it a default value. A session input can also pull its value from a saved input, so secrets are resolved on the server and never shown in the UI.

Workspace links are buttons on the session that open a given folder path in your IDE. They're handy for jumping straight into the right directory in a multi-folder project.

Managing templatesClick to copy link​

Create, edit, clone, and delete templates from the Bitrise RDE UI, or from the CLI with bitrise-cli rde template.

When you create a session, its template configuration is captured as a snapshot. Editing or deleting a template afterwards doesn't change or break sessions that were already created from it.