Devices
Where your agents actually run
A device is a machine running ch device-server. That is what executes an agent's work, in an isolated copy of your repository. Your code stays in your own repository and on your own machine, never on CodeHerder's servers.
The ways in
3 ways to connect a device
Pick the one that fits. One click on AWS needs no CLI and no machine of your own.
One click on AWS
You have no spare machine, and no one to ask for one.
What you need
- An AWS account
- Workspace owner or admin
- A Claude subscription token from claude setup-token
- A GitHub or GitLab token, if agents must open pull or merge requests
From Set up → Devices, click Launch on AWS. CodeHerder opens AWS CloudFormation with its template loaded and a registration token pre-filled. Pick a public subnet. Click Create stack. The instance connects on its own, with no CLI install and no manual registration step.
Read the full steps →A machine you already have
You have a laptop or server you can leave running.
What you need
- The ch CLI, installed on that machine
- CH_TOKEN and CH_WORKSPACE_ID, from the workspace's Install CLI page
Export CH_TOKEN and CH_WORKSPACE_ID. Run ch device-server. Accept the registration prompt the first time it asks. The device goes Offline the moment that terminal closes. Run it as a service to keep it Online.
Read the full steps →A personal device
You want to run your own work, not take tasks from the rest of the workspace.
What you need
- macOS or Linux
- The ch CLI, on the machine you're sitting at
- A git checkout, on that same machine
Run ch start from the top of a git checkout. It registers this machine for you. A session starts in the same terminal. Nobody else's tasks land on it until you promote it.
Read the full steps →
No device needs a separate sign-up step. Running the server, or launching the stack, registers it for you.
The hand-off
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Copy this note. Send it to a developer or your IT team. It names both paths, so they can pick.
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Can you connect a device for CodeHerder? Two ways, your call: 1. Click "Launch on AWS" on the Devices page. It opens AWS CloudFormation with a template already loaded. No CLI install, and no manual registration step. 2. Install the ch CLI on a machine you can leave running. Run "ch device-server". Steps for both: /docs/launch-a-device-on-aws/ and /docs/adding-a-device/
Keeping it Online
A closed terminal takes a device Offline
Close the terminal running ch device-server, and the device goes Offline. Two ways to avoid that.
Run it as a service
A background service keeps the device Online across logout and reboot. See running the device server as a service for the exact steps.
Use the AWS option instead
An AWS-launched device replaces a reclaimed instance on its own, and the replacement comes back as the same device. There is no terminal to leave open.
FAQ
Questions people ask before connecting a device
What is a device?
A device is any machine running ch device-server. That is what runs your agents' work, each in its own copy of your repository.
Do I need a spare machine?
No. Launch a device on AWS instead. The instance runs in your own AWS account, and it registers itself.
What does the AWS option cost?
You pay AWS for the instance and its storage; CodeHerder charges nothing for it. Spot pricing is the default.
Who can launch a device on AWS?
A workspace owner or admin. Everyone can see the Launch on AWS button, but only those two roles can start the launch.
What happens if my laptop sleeps?
A device shows Online only while ch device-server keeps running and connected. A sleeping laptop stops that, so the device goes Offline. Run it as a service, or use the AWS option, to avoid that.
Does my code ever leave my machine?
No. Agents work on your own machine or in your own AWS account, against your own repository. CodeHerder never receives your source code.
Get your first device connected.
Pick the way that fits. File your first task once it's Online.