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The template defines the access workflow, while the current instance supplies its connection parameters. Published ports and a working application need separate verification.
Vast.ai SSH, Jupyter and Entrypoint are different template launch modes. SSH prepares terminal access, Jupyter provides a notebook workflow, and Entrypoint uses the image’s Docker entrypoint without automatically setting up those interfaces. Select the mode before building the team’s workflow around it.
Start from the required interface
Manual diagnostics need a clear terminal route. A research session may prefer Jupyter, while an automated job needs a reliable startup process and log. A selected template is a starting environment, not proof that the complete application is configured.
Do not choose Entrypoint expecting every image to gain an SSH server and notebook automatically. Conversely, an available Jupyter interface does not prove that required dependencies or correct data paths already exist. Confirm those with a small test.
Understand mapped ports
Container instances generally share a public IP with allocated external ports. Internal service ports are mapped to external host ports. Read the current mapping from IP Port Info rather than copying an old connection profile.
| Parameter | Where it is used |
|---|---|
| Internal SSH port | SSH service inside the container |
| External SSH port | Client connection from the workstation |
| Internal HTTP port | Web application listener |
| Mapped HTTP port | The available external route |
A new instance can have different parameters even with the same GPU model. Keep the actual instance ID with the mapping.
Verify access before adding tools
Add the public SSH key through the supported process and retain the matching private file locally. Test a basic terminal command before configuring an IDE, file client or tunnel.
For Jupyter, use the current template’s route and expected authentication. Do not publish a token-bearing link in a report. If the team shares one environment, decide how notebook and terminal work avoid overwriting each other’s files; a reachable interface alone does not solve that operational issue.
Keep the template reproducible
Record launch mode, image, current source of port information and result directories. Template edits affect new instances rather than rebuilding an existing environment automatically. When a custom startup command breaks access, preserve the log and compare it with a known working recipe.
Avoid opening several random ports at once. That makes the successful change harder to explain and adds unnecessary entry points. A short control file read by both intended workflows can expose directory or permission differences before a long experiment starts.
Turn the check into a practical next step
The template defines the access workflow, while the current instance supplies its connection parameters. Published ports and a working application need separate verification.
For the documented details, consult the primary documentation; configuration reference. Continue with vast ai template environment variables and vast ai copy data between instances.