Can a stopped Codespace’s workspace folder and trust context be inspected from an iPhone?

[LukeMason1989]

🏷️ Discussion Type

Question

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I need to identify the full active workspace folder and Workspace Trust context before restarting an existing Codespace. I have iPhone Safari only.

Does a documented stopped-state interface expose this information? Does REST recent_folders establish the active folder, or only historical folders?

If unavailable, please confirm that limitation. I also need documented editor-independent stop controls and their timing limitations. I am seeking documentation only, not remote access or intervention.

[msmojtabafar]

From the documented GitHub Codespaces APIs, recent_folders appears to represent recently used folders, not the currently active workspace folder. I don't see a documented field that identifies the active folder or exposes the VS Code Workspace Trust state when a Codespace is stopped.

For stopping a Codespace independently of the editor, GitHub documents the Codespaces web UI, gh codespace stop, and the REST stop endpoint. Automatic stopping is controlled by the inactivity timeout, which is 30 minutes by default unless configured otherwise.

So, based on the documented interfaces, recent_folders cannot be used to establish the active workspace folder, and the stopped-state API does not expose Workspace Trust information.

[kurupdevs]

You can get most of this from an iPhone without an editor, just not while the codespace stays stopped.

A stopped codespace is a deallocated machine - nothing runs, so there's no live "trust context" to query, and no interface exposes the active workspace folder for a stopped instance. What determines the folder is the repo plus the devcontainer config: by default it's /workspaces/<repo-name>. You can see the repository (and therefore the folder name) for each codespace without starting anything:

• In the GitHub Mobile app, open your profile > Codespaces. Each entry shows the repository it belongs to.
• Or hit the API from Safari or a Shortcut: GET /user/codespaces returns every codespace with its repository and machine details. (docs.github.com/en/rest/codespaces/codespaces#list-codespaces-for-the-authenticated-user)

If you need the actual contents or the trust state, the codespace has to boot - but you can start it remotely: the same API has a start endpoint, gh codespace start does it from a terminal, or the Mobile app has it in the three-dot menu. Once it's running you can read devcontainer.json (which sets workspaceFolder and customizations) and check trust under VS Code's security.workspace.trust settings.

Short version: identify the folder from the repo listing on your phone, then start it if you need to look inside. Beyond its metadata, nothing about a stopped codespace is inspectable.

[djburneo]

Hey, that's a pretty specific setup especially from iPhone. The REST API docs might have what you need for recent_folders, but I'm honestly not sure if that shows your active folder or just history. Your best bet would be digging into the Codespaces API documentation or hitting up GitHub Support directly since they can confirm exactly what info gets exposed in the stopped state.

[Ashlxxy]

No documented stopped-state interface exposes the authoritative active workspace folder or its Workspace Trust state.

• REST defines recent_folders as “recently opened folders” used by clients to choose what to load. It is a historical hint, not a guaranteed active-folder record; ordering and current-folder semantics are undocumented. Codespaces REST API
• Workspace Trust belongs to the VS Code session and is not returned by the Codespaces REST API. VS Code documents Codespace connections as automatically trusted. Workspace Trust
  From iPhone Safari, use github.com/codespaces → … → Stop codespace. Editor-independent alternatives are POST /user/codespaces/{name}/stop and gh codespace stop. Closing the browser tab does not stop it; inactivity stops it after 30 minutes by default, configurable from 5–240 minutes and subject to organization policy. Terminal activity resets that timer. Stopping Codespaces