feat: add "Apply Recommended SSH Settings" command and set defaults for Cursor/reconnection

Add a command palette entry (Coder: Apply Recommended SSH Settings) that
writes all four recommended SSH settings globally. Also automatically set
serverShutdownTimeout (Cursor) and maxReconnectionAttempts when undefined
during connection setup, matching the existing reconnectionGraceTime
behavior.

Author: EhabY

package.json

@@ -320,6 +320,11 @@
 				"title": "Refresh Tasks",
 				"category": "Coder",
 				"icon": "$(refresh)"
+			},
+			{
+				"command": "coder.applyRecommendedSettings",
+				"title": "Apply Recommended SSH Settings",
+				"category": "Coder"
 			}
 		],
 		"menus": {
@@ -386,6 +391,9 @@
 				{
 					"command": "coder.tasks.refresh",
 					"when": "false"
+				},
+				{
+					"command": "coder.applyRecommendedSettings"
 				}
 			],
 			"view/title": [

src/commands.ts

@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@ import { type Logger } from "./logging/logger";
 import { type LoginCoordinator } from "./login/loginCoordinator";
 import { withProgress } from "./progress";
 import { maybeAskAgent, maybeAskUrl } from "./promptUtils";
+import { RECOMMENDED_SSH_SETTINGS } from "./remote/userSettings";
 import { escapeCommandArg, toRemoteAuthority, toSafeHost } from "./util";
 import { vscodeProposed } from "./vscodeProposed";
 import {
@@ -310,6 +311,25 @@ export class Commands {
 		}
 	}
 
+	/**
+	 * Apply recommended SSH settings for reliable Coder workspace connections.
+	 */
+	public async applyRecommendedSettings(): Promise<void> {
+		const config = vscode.workspace.getConfiguration();
+		const entries = Object.entries(RECOMMENDED_SSH_SETTINGS);
+		for (const [key, setting] of entries) {
+			await config.update(
+				key,
+				setting.value,
+				vscode.ConfigurationTarget.Global,
+			);
+		}
+		const summary = entries.map(([, s]) => s.label).join(", ");
+		vscode.window.showInformationMessage(
+			`Applied recommended SSH settings: ${summary}`,
+		);
+	}
+
 	/**
 	 * Create a new workspace for the currently logged-in deployment.
 	 *

src/extension.ts

@@ -271,6 +271,10 @@ export async function activate(ctx: vscode.ExtensionContext): Promise<void> {
 			"coder.manageCredentials",
 			commands.manageCredentials.bind(commands),
 		),
+		vscode.commands.registerCommand(
+			"coder.applyRecommendedSettings",
+			commands.applyRecommendedSettings.bind(commands),
+		),
 	);
 
 	const remote = new Remote(serviceContainer, commands, ctx);

src/remote/userSettings.ts

@@ -10,6 +10,30 @@ export interface SettingOverride {
 	value: unknown;
 }
 
+interface RecommendedSetting {
+	readonly value: number | null;
+	readonly label: string;
+}
+
+export const RECOMMENDED_SSH_SETTINGS = {
+	"remote.SSH.connectTimeout": {
+		value: 1800,
+		label: "Connect Timeout: 1800s (30 min)",
+	},
+	"remote.SSH.reconnectionGraceTime": {
+		value: 28800,
+		label: "Reconnection Grace Time: 28800s (8 hours)",
+	},
+	"remote.SSH.serverShutdownTimeout": {
+		value: 28800,
+		label: "Server Shutdown Timeout: 28800s (8 hours)",
+	},
+	"remote.SSH.maxReconnectionAttempts": {
+		value: null,
+		label: "Max Reconnection Attempts: max allowed",
+	},
+} as const satisfies Record<string, RecommendedSetting>;
+
 /**
  * Build the list of VS Code setting overrides needed for a remote SSH
  * connection to a Coder workspace.
@@ -21,7 +45,7 @@ export function buildSshOverrides(
 ): SettingOverride[] {
 	const overrides: SettingOverride[] = [];
 
-	// Bypass the platform prompt by setting the remote platform for this host.
+	// Set the remote platform for this host to bypass the platform prompt.
 	const remotePlatforms = config.get<Record<string, string>>(
 		"remote.SSH.remotePlatform",
 		{},
@@ -33,9 +57,9 @@ export function buildSshOverrides(
 		});
 	}
 
-	// VS Code's default connect timeout of 15s is too short when waiting for
-	// startup scripts. Enforce a minimum.
-	const minConnTimeout = 1800;
+	// Default 15s is too short for startup scripts; enforce a minimum.
+	const minConnTimeout =
+		RECOMMENDED_SSH_SETTINGS["remote.SSH.connectTimeout"].value;
 	const connTimeout = config.get<number>("remote.SSH.connectTimeout");
 	if (!connTimeout || connTimeout < minConnTimeout) {
 		overrides.push({
@@ -44,14 +68,16 @@ export function buildSshOverrides(
 		});
 	}
 
-	// VS Code's default reconnection grace time (ProtocolConstants.ReconnectionGraceTime)
-	// is 3 hours (10800s). Coder workspaces commonly go offline overnight, so we
-	// bump to 8 hours. See https://github.com/microsoft/vscode/blob/main/src/vs/base/parts/ipc/common/ipc.net.ts
-	if (config.get<number>("remote.SSH.reconnectionGraceTime") === undefined) {
-		overrides.push({
-			key: "remote.SSH.reconnectionGraceTime",
-			value: 28800, // 8 hours in seconds
-		});
+	// Set recommended defaults for settings the user hasn't configured.
+	const setIfUndefined = [
+		"remote.SSH.reconnectionGraceTime",
+		"remote.SSH.serverShutdownTimeout",
+		"remote.SSH.maxReconnectionAttempts",
+	] as const;
+	for (const key of setIfUndefined) {
+		if (config.get(key) === undefined) {
+			overrides.push({ key, value: RECOMMENDED_SSH_SETTINGS[key].value });
+		}
 	}
 
 	return overrides;

test/unit/remote/userSettings.test.ts

@@ -124,11 +124,25 @@ describe("buildSshOverrides", () => {
 		});
 	});
 
+	it.each([
+		{ key: "remote.SSH.serverShutdownTimeout", expected: 28800 },
+		{ key: "remote.SSH.maxReconnectionAttempts", expected: null },
+	])("defaults $key when not configured", ({ key, expected }) => {
+		const overrides = buildSshOverrides(
+			new MockConfigurationProvider(),
+			"host",
+			"linux",
+		);
+		expect(findOverride(overrides, key)).toBe(expected);
+	});
+
 	it("produces no overrides when all settings are already correct", () => {
 		const config = new MockConfigurationProvider();
 		config.set("remote.SSH.remotePlatform", { "my-host": "linux" });
 		config.set("remote.SSH.connectTimeout", 3600);
 		config.set("remote.SSH.reconnectionGraceTime", 7200);
+		config.set("remote.SSH.serverShutdownTimeout", 600);
+		config.set("remote.SSH.maxReconnectionAttempts", 4);
 		expect(buildSshOverrides(config, "my-host", "linux")).toHaveLength(0);
 	});
 });