title: Changing the shell in a codespace

shortTitle: Change your shell

versions:

fpt: '*'

ghec: '*'

When you connect to a codespace from the command line over SSH, you connect to a `bash` session in the codespace by default.

```shell copy

sudo chsh "$(id -un)" --shell "/usr/bin/zsh"

{% note %}

{% endnote %}

{% note %}

{% endnote %}

In this example, replace `PERMANENT-CODESPACE-NAME` with the permanent name of the codespace whose display name you want to change. Replace `NEW-DISPLAY-NAME` with the display name you want to use for this codespace.

{% endcli %}

If you want to use {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode %} as your default editor for {% data variables.product.prodname_github_codespaces %}, you need to install {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode %} and the {% data variables.product.prodname_github_codespaces %} extension for {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode %}. For more information, see the [download page for {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode %}](https://code.visualstudio.com/download/) and the [{% data variables.product.prodname_github_codespaces %} extension on the {% data variables.product.prodname_vscode %} marketplace](https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=GitHub.codespaces).

The first time you open a codespace this way you must give permission to open the application.

To connect to a codespace from the Gateway application, you must have an SSH server running on the codespace. {% indented_data_reference reusables.codespaces.ssh-server-installed spaces=5 %}

Allowlisting an entire IP range would give overly broad access to all codespaces (including users not affiliated with your codespaces), so for this reason codespace creation is disabled if you enable IP allow lists. For more information, see "[AUTOTITLE](/organizations/keeping-your-organization-secure/managing-security-settings-for-your-organization/managing-allowed-ip-addresses-for-your-organization#enabling-allowed-ip-addresses)."

At present, there is no way to restrict codespaces from accessing the public internet, or to restrict appropriately authenticated users from accessing a forwarded port.

{% endnote %}

{% endif %}

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For more information on what happens when you create a codespace, see "[AUTOTITLE](/codespaces/getting-started/deep-dive)."

If you want to use Git hooks for your codespace, then you should set up hooks using the `devcontainer.json` lifecycle scripts, such as `postCreateCommand`. These get executed during step 4, above. For information about the lifecycle scripts, see the [dev containers specification](https://containers.dev/implementors/json_reference/#lifecycle-scripts) on the Development Containers website. Since your codespace container is created after the repository is cloned, any [git template directory](https://git-scm.com/docs/git-init#_template_directory) configured in the container image will not apply to your codespace. Hooks must instead be installed after the codespace is created.

- "[AUTOTITLE](/codespaces/setting-up-your-project-for-codespaces/setting-up-your-repository/facilitating-quick-creation-and-resumption-of-codespaces)"

- "[AUTOTITLE](/rest/codespaces)" (REST API reference)

{% note %}

{% endnote %}

| `GITHUB_GRAPHQL_URL` | Returns the GraphQL API URL. For example, `{% data variables.product.graphql_url_code %}`. |

| `GITHUB_REPOSITORY` | The owner and repository name. For example, `octocat/Hello-World`. |

| `GITHUB_SERVER_URL`| Returns the URL of the {% data variables.product.product_name %} server. For example, `https://{% data variables.product.product_url %}`. |

| `GITHUB_USER` | The name of the user that initiated the codespace. For example, `octocat`. |