Cloud Servers Explained

Last updated: June 5, 2026

What Cloud Servers are, how they run on dedicated backend VMs, and when to choose them over Instant Projects.

What are Cloud Servers?

A Cloud Server is a remote Linux environment that provides unrestricted access to a real operating system. It exposes a standard file system, network stack, and process manager, completely bypassing the memory and sandbox limitations of a web browser.

From a developer's perspective, working in a Cloud Server feels identical to working on a local machine, but with the convenience of a browser-based IDE and preview pane.

The VM Environment

Each Cloud Server provisions a secure, multi-tenant isolated environment. This environment provides:

Native Binary Support — You can install and run any Linux binary, compile C++ add-ons, or run tools like Docker (via nested virtualization) and databases (PostgreSQL, Redis).
Unrestricted Networking — Full TCP/UDP access. You can make SSH connections, bind to any port, and communicate with external APIs without browser CORS or fetch restrictions.
Scalable Compute — Access to dedicated CPU cores and RAM limits that far exceed what a browser tab can handle.

Persistent Storage

Unlike Instant Projects, which rely on syncing file state to IndexedDB in your browser, Cloud Servers use persistent network volumes attached directly to the VM.

This means your node_modules, build caches, and large binary assets remain intact between sessions. When a Cloud Server hibernates, the volume is detached and safely stored; when it wakes, the volume is instantly reattached, providing a seamless continuation of your work.

VSCode Server Integration

To provide IntelliSense, terminal access, and debugging, Cloud Servers run an instance of VSCode Server directly on the VM.

Our frontend editor connects to this remote server via a secure WebSocket tunnel. This architecture ensures that language services (like TypeScript checking, Python linting, or Rust analyzing) execute using the remote VM's CPU and memory, rather than taxing your local device.

When to use Cloud Servers?

We recommend choosing a Cloud Server over an Instant Project when:

Your project requires native binaries or languages not supported by WebContainers (e.g., Python, Go, Rust, Java).
You are working with a massive monorepo that regularly exhausts browser memory limits.
You need to run background databases or message queues alongside your application code.
You require full SSH access or raw TCP/UDP socket connections.

What are Cloud Servers?

From a developer's perspective, working in a Cloud Server feels identical to working on a local machine, but with the convenience of a browser-based IDE and preview pane.

The VM Environment

Each Cloud Server provisions a secure, multi-tenant isolated environment. This environment provides:

Native Binary Support — You can install and run any Linux binary, compile C++ add-ons, or run tools like Docker (via nested virtualization) and databases (PostgreSQL, Redis).

Unrestricted Networking — Full TCP/UDP access. You can make SSH connections, bind to any port, and communicate with external APIs without browser CORS or fetch restrictions.

Scalable Compute — Access to dedicated CPU cores and RAM limits that far exceed what a browser tab can handle.

Persistent Storage

Unlike Instant Projects, which rely on syncing file state to IndexedDB in your browser, Cloud Servers use persistent network volumes attached directly to the VM.

VSCode Server Integration

To provide IntelliSense, terminal access, and debugging, Cloud Servers run an instance of VSCode Server directly on the VM.

When to use Cloud Servers?

We recommend choosing a Cloud Server over an Instant Project when:

Your project requires native binaries or languages not supported by WebContainers (e.g., Python, Go, Rust, Java).

You are working with a massive monorepo that regularly exhausts browser memory limits.

You need to run background databases or message queues alongside your application code.

You require full SSH access or raw TCP/UDP socket connections.