# Prerequisites

## Prerequisites for a local Dev Container

* You have a project that contains the `.devcontainer` folder with the [devcontainer.json](https://containers.dev/implementors/json_reference/) file that describes the actual Dev Container. Currently, the code completion for the `devcontainer.json` file is limited. However, the following properties are available: * [Build properties](https://containers.dev/implementors/json_reference/#image-specific) are supported. * [General properties](https://containers.dev/implementors/json_reference/#general-properties). * [Docker compose properties](https://containers.dev/implementors/json_reference/#compose-specific) are supported. * [Lifecycle scripts](https://containers.dev/implementors/json_reference/#lifecycle-scripts) are supported. * In [port attributes](https://containers.dev/implementors/json_reference/#port-attributes) only `label` is supported. * The [minimal host requirements](https://containers.dev/implementors/json_reference/#min-host-reqs) are not supported. * [Variables in devcontainer.json](https://containers.dev/implementors/json_reference/#variables-in-devcontainerjson) are supported.

* You have access to GitHub.

* You have the Git 2.20.1 version or later installed on your machine.

* You have a [running SSH agent](using-ssh-keys.html) on your local machine. For example, on Windows, when you build a Dev Container from the GitHub repository using the SSH URL, the `- git clone` operation (cloning the repository sources to the Docker volume connected to the auxiliary container) cannot be performed without the running SSH agent.

* You have [Docker](https://docs.docker.com/get-docker/) installed on the machine where a Dev Container will reside.

* The minimal backend requirement for mounting sources is the installed Docker. Docker alternatives, such as [Colima](https://github.com/abiosoft/colima), or similar are not yet supported. [Podman](https://github.com/containers/podman-compose) support is under development. If you encounter issues working with these Docker alternatives, submit a bug report to the issue tracker.

* Your Docker resources meet the [minimal system requirements](prerequisites.html) for the backend.

## Additional prerequisites for a remote Dev Container

The following is a list of additional prerequisites for running your Dev Container on a remote server:

* [Docker](https://docs.docker.com/get-docker/) is installed on both the remote and local machines.

* The authorization to a server and Git is done through SSH keys. If you connect to a remote server using a password, generate the key-pair locally and then forward it to a remote server. For more details, refer to [Sharing credentials](forward-credentials.html).

* Java 17 or a later version is required on the remote server.

* Some additional dependencies might be required for a Dev Container. If your Dev Container does not start, make sure you have the following dependencies in the OS of the Dev Container in the `devcontainer.json` file: * `curl` * `unzip` * `ps` * `libxext` * `libxrender` * `libxtst` * `libxi` * `freetype` * `procps` * `gcompat`