Project Status
Datalayer for Visual Studio Code
Edit Jupyter Notebooks (.ipynb) and Lexical documents (.lexical) with seamless integration to the Datalayer platform. Run notebooks in the cloud with zero local Python setup, or connect to your own Jupyter servers.
See it in action:
Quick Start
- Install from VS Code Marketplace
- Login: Open Command Palette (
Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P) → "Datalayer: Login to Datalayer"
- Open any
.ipynb file or browse your spaces in the sidebar
- Run cells with cloud runtimes
Features
Two Document Editors
Jupyter Notebooks - Full notebook editing with cloud or local execution
Lexical Documents - Rich text editing with formatting (headings, lists, bold, italic, etc.)
Datalayer Spaces - Browse and manage your cloud documents
- Create, rename, delete notebooks and lexical documents
- Virtual file paths:
datalayer://Space Name/document.ipynb
Datalayer Runtimes - Monitor and control cloud environments
- View all active runtimes with status indicators
- Create, terminate, and manage computational environments
- Monitor environment type and resource usage
Runtime Management
- Automatic runtime creation when you run cells
- Smart reuse of existing runtimes to conserve credits
- Health verification before reuse
- Configurable runtime duration (1-1440 minutes)
VS Code Integration
- Documents match your VS Code theme automatically
- Kernel picker supports Datalayer, local Python, and Jupyter servers
- Status bar shows connection and runtime info
Installation
From Marketplace:
- Open Extensions view (
Ctrl+Shift+X / Cmd+Shift+X)
- Search "Datalayer Platform"
- Click Install
From .vsix file:
- Download from releases
- Open Command Palette (
Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P) → "Extensions: Install from VSIX..."
Getting Started
Opening Documents
Notebooks: Right-click .ipynb → "Open With..." → "Datalayer Notebook"
Lexical: Click any .lexical file (opens automatically)
Cloud Documents: Click files in the Datalayer Spaces tree view
Authentication
- Open Command Palette (
Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P) → "Datalayer: Login to Datalayer"
- Paste your access token
- Check status bar for connection status
Key Commands
Authentication:
- Login/Logout
- Show Authentication Status
Documents:
- Create New Jupyter Notebook (local)
- Create New Lexical Document (local)
- Context menu in Spaces tree: New Notebook/Lexical in cloud space
- Context menu: Open, Rename, Delete
Runtimes:
- Select/Switch Runtime
- Terminate Runtime(s)
- View Runtime Controllers Status
Configuration
Open settings (Ctrl+, / Cmd+,) and search "Datalayer":
Service URLs - Default to https://prod1.datalayer.run:
datalayer.services.iamUrldatalayer.services.runtimesUrldatalayer.services.spacerUrldatalayer.services.spacerWsUrl (WebSocket: wss://prod1.datalayer.run)
Runtime:
datalayer.runtime.defaultMinutes - Duration (default: 10, max: 1440)
Logging:
datalayer.logging.level - trace/debug/info/warn/error (default: info)datalayer.logging.includeTimestamps - Add timestamps (default: true)datalayer.logging.enableSDKLogging - Log API calls (default: true)datalayer.logging.enablePerformanceMonitoring - Track performance (default: false)
Common Questions
Do I need Python locally? No, cloud runtimes handle execution. You can connect to local Python/Jupyter if preferred.
Why are cloud documents read-only? To prevent accidental changes. Copy to local workspace to edit.
How do credits work? Runtimes consume credits while active. Extension reuses existing runtimes to conserve credits.
Can I use without Datalayer account? Yes, for local .ipynb files and connecting to local Python/Jupyter.
How do I get an access token? Visit datalayer.io, navigate to account settings, and generate a token.
Recent Updates (January 2025)
Runtime Controller Improvements
- Smart Runtime Switching: Kernel picker now shows individual runtime controllers for seamless switching between cloud environments
- Automatic Kernel Selection: Selecting a runtime automatically activates it as the notebook kernel
- Proper Cleanup: Switching between runtimes properly disposes old WebSocket connections
- Tree View Sync: Runtime tree automatically refreshes when runtimes are created or selected
Documentation & Quality
- TypeDoc API Documentation: Complete API documentation now available at datalayer-desktop.netlify.app
- Zero TypeDoc Warnings: All exported types properly documented
- Node.js 20 Compatibility: Fully updated to match VS Code 1.98.0 runtime requirements
Known Limitations
- Cloud documents open read-only (copy to local workspace to edit)
- Uses older Jupyter WebSocket protocol (technical constraint)
Developer Resources
License
MIT License - See LICENSE
