There's no single "right" way to edit code on Falix — there are three, and each fits a different moment. This guide lays them out honestly so you can pick the one that matches the edit in front of you, whether that's fixing one line on a live server or setting up a real development environment.
| At a glance | |
|---|---|
| You need | A Falix server (for the first two options); the third is its own server |
| Plan | Free for the File Manager and SFTP; Code-Server is premium at creation |
| Time | Five minutes to choose |
The three setups
1. The File Manager editor (in the browser)
Your server's files, edited right in a browser tab — nothing to install. Click any text file and it opens in an editor that, on desktop, is the same engine that powers VS Code (Monaco): find & replace with Ctrl+H, word wrap with Alt+Z, a language selector for syntax highlighting, and optional auto-save every two minutes. Save a file with a syntax error and it warns you first. On a phone or tablet it quietly swaps to a lighter, touch-friendly editor. Your edits change the files on that server, live.
Best for: a quick config tweak or one-line fix on a server that's already running. Full details in The File Manager.
2. SFTP + your own local editor
Prefer your own editor with all your settings and extensions? Connect over SFTP and edit locally, syncing files to the server. SFTP is a standard encrypted file-transfer connection, available on every plan, on port 2022, using your Falix account password (or an SSH key for passwordless logins). Point a client like FileZilla, WinSCP or Cyberduck at the server, and your files appear as a drive you drag to and from. Some editors can even open a folder directly over SFTP.
Best for: using the editor you already love, syncing a whole project folder, or moving files too big for the browser. See Connecting over SFTP.
3. Code-Server (VS Code in a browser tab)
Code-Server is the real VS Code, running on a Falix server of its own and reached at http://address:port. You get the full editor — extensions, an integrated terminal, multi-file search — from any machine with a browser. The Password variable is generated at install (Settings → Environment). One catch: it's premium-only at creation (not in the free allow-list), and it's an editor, not a place to host your app.
Best for: a persistent cloud development environment you can reach from a Chromebook, tablet, or locked-down laptop. See Edit code in your browser with Code-Server.
The decision table
| File Manager editor | SFTP + local editor | Code-Server | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where you edit | Browser, on the server | Your machine, synced over | Browser, on its own server |
| Editor | VS Code engine (Monaco) | Whatever you install locally | Full VS Code + extensions + terminal |
| Setup cost | None | Install an SFTP client once | Create a server; premium at creation |
| Plan | Any | Any | Premium (at creation) |
| Extensions | No | Yes (in your local editor) | Yes |
| Good for big/bulk files | Up to 10 GB, one at a time | Yes — folders and gigabytes | Yes |
| Works offline | No | Editing yes, syncing no | No |
| Best for | A quick fix on a live server | Your own editor, bulk syncing | A real, persistent dev environment |
The honest recommendation
For anything past a quick fix, the calmest setup isn't on this table at all — it's editing on your own machine and shipping with Git. You keep your editor, your history, and your undo button, and a git push sends the code to your server through Git deploy. That cleanly separates editing (your machine) from running (the server), which is the whole point of a good workflow. See Run your project locally first.
The three browser/SFTP options above are for when that separation isn't worth it: a five-second config change, a server you're poking at directly, or a machine where you can't install anything.
🎯 Good to know: None of these editors is where your app has to run. Code-Server in particular is a workshop, not the shop floor — write and commit code there, then deploy it onto the app server (Node.js, Python, and so on) that actually runs it. Don't host production inside the editor.
A couple of gotchas
- A reinstall resets Code-Server's extensions and settings — they live in that server's files, so a reinstall (which re-downloads Code-Server) wipes them. Keep your actual work in a repo, not only inside the editor.
- File Manager archives auto-delete after 24 hours on free — fine for a quick download, not for storage.
- The File Manager edits live files with no version history — great for speed, risky for anything you might need to undo. That's another nudge toward Git for real work.
Troubleshooting
- SFTP won't connect — use port 2022, choose SFTP (not plain FTP), and set an account password and a username first if your account still shows as "Guest". See SFTP.
- Code-Server page won't load — make sure the server is started and use the exact
http://address:portfrom the Network page. - Edited a file but nothing changed on the running app — the app was already running the old file in memory; restart the server so it re-reads your change.