> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://runpod-b18f5ded-docs-runpod-allow-ip.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

> ## Agent Instructions
> If this page is missing information, contains outdated instructions, or doesn't fully answer the user's question, use the feedback tool to report it. In your feedback, be specific about what's missing, what appears out of date, or what needs to be corrected or updated, so the docs team can act on it directly.

# Connection options

> Explore Pod connection options, including the web terminal, SSH, JupyterLab, and VSCode/Cursor. See setup and usage details for Runpod Pods.

<div className="overview-page-wrapper" />

<Frame alt="Pod connection options">
  <img src="https://mintcdn.com/runpod-b18f5ded-docs-runpod-allow-ip/diGphoph5JaDBUAt/images/pod-connection-options.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=diGphoph5JaDBUAt&q=85&s=c9a16d49f4d53c59d4d592fd03bbf7c9" width="2173" height="1014" data-path="images/pod-connection-options.png" />
</Frame>

Choose a connection method based on your workflow:

| Method             | Best for                                | Persistence   | Setup              |
| ------------------ | --------------------------------------- | ------------- | ------------------ |
| **Web terminal**   | Quick commands, debugging               | Session-based | None               |
| **SSH**            | Long-running processes, reliable access | Persistent    | SSH client         |
| **JupyterLab**     | Data science, notebooks                 | Session-based | Template-dependent |
| **VS Code/Cursor** | Full development environment            | Persistent    | Extension          |

## Web terminal

Browser-based terminal for quick access. Not recommended for long-running processes (use [SSH](#ssh) instead).

1. Navigate to the [Pods page](https://console.runpod.io/pods).
2. Expand your Pod and click **Connect**.
3. Click **Start** if the terminal is stopped, then **Open Web Terminal**.

<Tip>
  If **Start** doesn't respond, refresh the page.
</Tip>

## JupyterLab

Interactive web environment for code, files, and data analysis. Available on templates with JupyterLab pre-configured (e.g., "Runpod Pytorch").

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Web Console">
    1. Deploy a Pod with a JupyterLab-compatible template (all official Runpod PyTorch templates have JupyterLab pre-configured).
    2. Navigate to the [Pods page](https://console.runpod.io/pods) and click **Connect**.
    3. Under **HTTP Services**, click the **Jupyter Lab** link (usually port 8888).
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="CLI">
    Create a Pod with JupyterLab access using the CLI:

    ```bash theme={null}
    runpodctl pod create \
      --name my-jupyter-pod \
      --gpu-id "NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090" \
      --image "runpod/pytorch:2.1.0-py3.10-cuda11.8.0-devel-ubuntu22.04" \
      --container-disk-in-gb 20 \
      --volume-in-gb 50 \
      --ports "8888/http" \
      --env '{"JUPYTER_PASSWORD":"your_secure_password"}'
    ```

    After the Pod starts, access JupyterLab at `https://[POD_ID]-8888.proxy.runpod.net`.

    <Tip>
      Set the `JUPYTER_PASSWORD` environment variable to configure JupyterLab authentication. If not set, some templates use a default password shown in the Pod logs.
    </Tip>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

<Tip>
  If the JupyterLab tab displays a blank page for more than a minute or two, try restarting the Pod and opening it again.
</Tip>

## SSH

Secure, reliable command-line access for long-running processes and development.

See [Connect with SSH](/pods/configuration/use-ssh) for setup instructions.

## VS Code / Cursor

Connect your local IDE directly to your Pod for a full development experience.

See [Connect to VS Code or Cursor](/pods/configuration/connect-to-ide) for setup instructions.