This guided tour introduces you to the different parts of a Coder template by

showing you how to create a template from scratch.

A template is a common configuration that you use to deploy workspaces.

You'll write a simple template that provisions a workspace as a Docker container

with Ubuntu.

This tutorial teaches you how to create a template that provisions a workspace as a Docker container with Ubuntu.

To follow this guide, you'll need:

- A computer or cloud computing instance with both

[Docker](https://docs.docker.com/get-docker/) and[Coder](../install/index.md)

installed on it.

- When setting up your computer or computing instance, make sure to install

Docker first, then Coder. Otherwise, you'll need to add the`coder` user to

the`docker` group.

- The URL for your Coder instance. If you're running Coder locally, the default

URL is[http://127.0.0.1:3000](http://127.0.0.1:3000).

- A text editor. For this tour, we use[GNU nano](https://nano-editor.org/).

You'll need a computer or cloud computing instance with both[Docker](https://docs.docker.com/get-docker/) and[Coder](../install/index.md) installed on it.

Here's a simplified diagram that shows the main parts of the template we'll

create.

create:


On your local computer, create a directory for your template and create the

`Dockerfile`.

`Dockerfile`. You will upload the files to your Coder instance later.

mkdir -p template-tour/build&&cd$_

nano Dockerfile

You'll enter a simple`Dockerfile` that starts with the

[official Ubuntu image](https://hub.docker.com/_/ubuntu/). Inthe editor, enter

Enter content into a`Dockerfile` that starts with the

[official Ubuntu image](https://hub.docker.com/_/ubuntu/). Inyour editor, enter

and save the following text in`Dockerfile` then exit the editor:

WORKDIR /home/${USER}

Notice how`Dockerfile` adds a few things to the parent`ubuntu` image, which

`Dockerfile` adds a few things to the parent`ubuntu` image, which

your template needs later:

- It installs the`sudo` and`curl` packages.

- It adds a`coder` user, including a home directory.

Edit the Terraform file to provision the workspace's resources:

nano main.tf

Edit the Terraform`main.tf` file to provision the workspace's resources.

We'll startby setting upour providers. At a minimum, we need the`coder`

Startby setting upthe providers. At a minimum, we need the`coder`

provider. For this template, we also need the`docker` provider:

data source provides details about the state of a workspace, such as its name,

owner, and so on. The data source also lets us know when a workspace is being

started or stopped. We'lltake advantage of this information in later steps to:

started or stopped. We'lluse this information in later steps to:

- Set some environment variables based on the workspace owner.

- Manage ephemeral and persistent storage.

In our case, it will run in Docker.

You do not need to have any open ports on the compute aspect, but the agent

needs`curl` access to the Coder server. Remember that we installed`curl` in

`Dockerfile`, earlier.

needs`curl` access to the Coder server.

Add this snippetbelow the last closing`}` in`main.tf` to create the agent:

Add this snippetafter the last closing`}` in`main.tf` to create the agent:

Because Docker is running locally in the Coder server, there is no need to

authenticate`coder_agent`. But if your`coder_agent` is running on a remote

host, your templatewould need

host, your templatewill need

[authentication credentials](../admin/external-auth.md).

This template's agent also runs a startup script, sets environment variables,

and provides metadata.

The

installs[code-server](https://coder.com/docs/code-server), a browser-based

[VS Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/) app that runs in the workspace. We'll

give users access to code-server through`coder_app`, later.

- Installs[code-server](https://coder.com/docs/code-server), a browser-based[VS Code](https://code.visualstudio.com/) app that runs in the workspace.

The

block sets environments variables for the workspace. We use the data source from

`coder_workspace` to set the environment variables based on the workspace's

owner. This way, the owner can make git commits immediately without any manual

configuration.

We'll give users access to code-server through`coder_app`, later.

-[`env` block](https://registry.terraform.io/providers/coder/coder/latest/docs/resources/agent#env)

- Sets environments variables for the workspace.

We use the data source from`coder_workspace` to set the environment variables based on the workspace's owner. This way, the owner can make git commits immediately without any manual configuration.

-[`metadata`](../admin/templates/extending-templates/agent-metadata.md) blocks

- Your template can use metadata to show information to the workspace owner Coder displays this metadata in the Coder dashboard.

Your template can use metadata to show information to the workspace owner. Coder

displays this metadata in the Coder dashboard. Our template has

[`metadata`](../admin/templates/extending-templates/agent-metadata.md) blocks

for CPU and RAM usage.

Our template has`metadata` blocks for CPU and RAM usage.

[web IDEs](../user-guides/workspace-access/web-ides.md) such as

[code-server](https://coder.com/docs/code-server), RStudio, and JupyterLab.

To install code-server in the workspace, remember that we installed it in the

`startup_script` argument in`coder_agent`. We make it available from a

workspace with a`coder_app` resource. See

[web IDEs](../user-guides/workspace-access/web-ides.md) for more examples.

We installed code-server in the`startup_script` argument. To add code-server to the workspace, make it available from a workspace with a`coder_app` resource. See[web IDEs](../user-guides/workspace-access/web-ides.md) for more examples.