Introduction to Visual Studio Code for HPC | RC Learning Portal

Overview

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Agenda

What is “VS Code?”
Using VS Code on OOD
Local VS Code with HPC
Advanced Features

What is VS Code?

Background

Exists between an Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and a code editor
IDE:
- Everything needed for software development
- Source-code editor, build automation tools, a debugger all with a GUI
Code editor:
- Lightweight, fast for writing and running code
- May have simple debugging features
VS Code:
- Open Source, lightweight, cross-platform, fast
- GUI, debugger
- Extensions for extra functionality

Developed by Microsoft in 2015
Similar to Visual Studio which is a true IDE
- VS Code focused on being lighter and more accessible
Windows, Linux, macOS and web browsers
- VS Code for the Web
Open-source
- VS Code on GitHub
Extremely popular
- Rated #1 on a 2024 survey, 73% of 58,000 respondents prefer VS Code

Technology | 2024 Stack Overflow Developer Survey

Useful Features

SSH to Remote Servers
Customization
Built-in terminal
Many key bind shortcuts
Fast, light-weight
Debugging
Cross-platform
Code refactoring
Extensions (R, JupyterLab, Python, C, Visual extensions)
Version Control Integration with Git
Bracket matching

Extensions

Extensions are available in the “marketplace”
Common extensions are free and often updated
VS Code Extension Marketplace
Extensions may require software to already be installed on your computer
- Python, Java, etc.

Useful Shortcuts

Action	Shortcut	Description
Run	`Ctrl+F5`	Runs your code. Run > Run Without Debugging
Save	`Ctrl+S` / `Ctrl+Shift+S`	VSCode autosaves frequently. File > Save/Save As..
New Window	`Ctrl+Shift+N`	Start a new VSCode Window. File > New Window
Command Palette	`Ctrl+Shift+P`	VSCode/Extension Commands. View > Command Palette…

Using VS Code on OOD

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Open on Demand

Interactive jobs on compute nodes
Access to your files in your HPC Account
Access to available software modules

Open OnDemand (ood.hpc.virginia.edu)

VS Code Server

Keyboard shortcuts don’t work
Navigate just as you would on your local
“New Window” opens a new tab
Any changes you make on VS Code Server are on the cluster
- They don’t sync with your local
You don’t need to install software on your own computer

Getting Started

The welcome page upon launch provides you with a variety of options to get started.

Working with Files and Folders

Open a Folder

Select File > Open Folder…

Appears in the explorer for easy navigation

Add a Folder

Select File > Add a Folder to Workspace…

Appears in the explorer for easy navigation

Workspaces

Save a Workspace:

Select File > Save Workspace As

Open a Workspace:

Select File > Open Workspace from File…

Workspaces are configurations of your files and folders, so it can easily let you access your project configurations. You can even modify specific settings!

Installing Extensions

Access the marketplace in your web browser, or open the extensions tab in VS Code (Ctrl+Shift+X).

Install Python and Jupyter

Creating a New File

Select File > New File…

Select your file type

Make sure it is in the right folder, or move it to the correct folder in the file explorer on the left

Running and Debugging

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Debugging

VSCode lets you debug without modifying your code

Add breakpoints and view variables be updated as the code runs

Action	Shortcut	Explanation
Continue / Pause	`F5`	Continue : Resume normal program/script execution (up to the next breakpoint). Pause : Inspect code executing at the current line and debug line-by-line.
Step Over	`F10`	Execute the next method as a single command without inspecting or following its component steps.
Step Into	`F11`	Enter the next method to follow its execution line-by-line.
Step Out	`Shift+F11`	When inside a method or subroutine, return to the earlier execution context by completing remaining lines of the current method as though it were a single command.
Restart	`Ctrl+Shift+F5`	Terminate the current program execution and start debugging again using the current run configuration.
Stop	`Shift+F5`	Terminate the current program execution.

Debug a File

Insert breakpoints by selecting a line to place a “red dot”

Run > Start Debugging

Opens a terminal automatically

Variables visible on the left side

Walk through the debug tools

Open a Terminal

Terminal > New Terminal

From here you can use regular terminal commands like pwd or even load modules!

Create a Conda Environment

In a new terminal:

conda create -n my_env python=3.11 numpy pandas
conda activate my_env
pip install matplotlib

Set Your Interpreter

Select your environment from your list!

When you run your code it will run in your environment.

Run a File

Modify your file with some basic runnable python code

Run > Run Without Debugging

Opens a terminal automatically

Jupyter Notebooks

Select kernel from the list of available kernels- or make your own!

Recently used kernels are “starred”

Create your own kernel from a conda environment:

Custom Jupyter Kernels (RC Documentation)

Customization

File > Preferences

These changes stay even when you open a new interactive session

You can even download extra extensions!

Local SSH vs OOD

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SSH vs OOD

	SSH	OOD
Network	UVA Network/VPN required	No network requirement
Execution	On front-end, no running code	On production nodes, can run code
Resources	ijob resources specific to terminal	No need for ijobs, have resources already
Notes	Must take extra care to use properly	Some extensions may be unavailable

Why Even SSH?

Extension Availability
- But if one isn’t available just reach out to us!
Local preferences
- But you can export the settings.json file to HPC
No queue wait time
- But if you are requesting appropriate, interactive resources the wait time will be minutes at our busiest

In Most Cases, Use OOD

We strongly urge our users to use OOD.

Those resources are available and best for our users.

All functionality is the same and you will always have access to compute resources.

You will not need to worry about overwhelming with processes or fight with ijob terminals.

Setting Up SSH

Download SSH Extension

Search for “Remote – SSH” in the Marketplace.

It is not necessary but it is a tool to make it much easier

Create Connection

Connect to Host > Add New SSH Host…

ssh -YA mst3k@login.hpc.virginia.edu

Modify your config file

You can later open and edit the config file as you need

You Are Now Connected!

Now that you are connected you can open up your workspaces you’ve created, open your folders, etc.

You can see your connection in the bottom right

You still stay connected so long as you stay on the network

Running Code with SSH

Run an IJob

Open a new terminal

ijob -c 6 -A hpc_training -p interactive --time=00:30:00

Starts an ijob on the interactive partition with 6 cores for 30 minutes

Will need to wait for resources to be available

An ijob is specific to the terminal you start it in, you only have access to those resources in that terminal

The job ends if you close the terminal

Important Caveats:

This is for running code via terminal commands

If you want to run python code you need to “Run Python File” first, then type in ijob command in that new terminal

Different method for JupyterLab

DO NOT RUN JOBS FROM IJOBS

Logging Out

VSCode can create many processes on the front-ends.

If you are going to use SSH you must use it properly.

Disconnect your session every time you are finished.

Do not leave it running in the background.

In most cases, OOD interactive app is superior and preferred to SSH.

Advanced Features

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Transferring settings.json

Open the Command Palette and select Preferences: Open Profiles (UI)

Export your profile: … -> export

On the target machine, select Import Profile > Create

Creating an SSH Key

Open a new bash terminal (local) and run:

ssh-keygen

Navigate to your .ssh directory

cat your .pub file and copy it

Log in to remote server and paste your key in your /home/id/.ssh/authorized_keys file. If it does not exist, create it.

Passwordless login!

Source Control with GitHub

Open a Folder or Clone a Repository
Push/Pull/Commit
Create new branches
Even works on HPC without needing to load git module

Get started with Git and GitHub:

Hello World guide on GitHub Docs

Need Help?

xve5kj@virginia.edu | hpc-support@virginia.edu

Zoom Office Hours:

Tuesdays 3pm-5pm | Thursdays 10am-12pm

UVA Research Computing Support