Store your container images in Cloud Code for Cloud Shell
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To run or debug an application on a remote Kubernetes cluster, you'll need to
define the container image repository for your project. You can use any image
repository provider, including Artifact Registry.
Specify where container images are stored
If you're logged into Google Cloud in your IDE and you have a
default project defined, Cloud Code automatically uses your
default container image repository
gcr.io/PROJECT_ID, where
PROJECT_ID references your default project.
If you'd like to update the image repository where the project
images are pushed, follow these instructions:
Open the Command Palette (press Ctrl/Cmd+Shift+P) and then run the
Cloud Code: Run on Kubernetes command.
Confirm whether to use the current
Kubernetes context
to run the app in (or switch to a preferred one).
You are prompted to select an image registry.
Enter the image repository you want to store your images in.
[[["Easy to understand","easyToUnderstand","thumb-up"],["Solved my problem","solvedMyProblem","thumb-up"],["Other","otherUp","thumb-up"]],[["Hard to understand","hardToUnderstand","thumb-down"],["Incorrect information or sample code","incorrectInformationOrSampleCode","thumb-down"],["Missing the information/samples I need","missingTheInformationSamplesINeed","thumb-down"],["Other","otherDown","thumb-down"]],["Last updated 2025-08-07 UTC."],[[["\u003cp\u003eCloud Code requires you to define a container image repository to run or debug applications on a remote Kubernetes cluster, but this is not needed for local clusters like minikube or Docker Desktop.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eIf you're logged into Google Cloud and have a default project, Cloud Code automatically uses \u003ccode\u003egcr.io/PROJECT_ID\u003c/code\u003e as your default container image repository.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eYou can change the image repository by using the "Cloud Code: Run on Kubernetes" command, which will prompt you to select a new registry and store this preference in your \u003ccode\u003ecloudcode.kubernetes\u003c/code\u003e launch configuration.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eCloud Code will build containers, push them to the specified registry, and apply Kubernetes configurations to the cluster, then waiting for the rollout to occur.\u003c/p\u003e\n"],["\u003cp\u003eCommon image repository formats include examples for Docker Hub, Artifact Registry, AWS Elastic Container Registry (ECR), and Azure Container Registry (ACR), each with their specific structure for image storage.\u003c/p\u003e\n"]]],[],null,["# Store your container images in Cloud Code for Cloud Shell\n\nTo run or debug an application on a remote Kubernetes cluster, you'll need to\ndefine the container image repository for your project. You can use any image\nrepository provider, including [Artifact Registry](/artifact-registry/docs).\n\nSpecify where container images are stored\n-----------------------------------------\n\nIf you're logged into Google Cloud in your IDE and you have a\ndefault project defined, Cloud Code automatically uses your\ndefault container image repository\n**gcr.io/\u003cvar class=\"readonly\" translate=\"no\"\u003ePROJECT_ID\u003c/var\u003e** , where\n\u003cvar class=\"readonly\" translate=\"no\"\u003ePROJECT_ID\u003c/var\u003e references your default project.\n| **Note:** If you are running on a local cluster like minikube or Docker Desktop, you do not need to specify these configurations.\n\nIf you'd like to update the image repository where the project\nimages are pushed, follow these instructions:\n\n1. Open the Command Palette (press `Ctrl`/`Cmd`+`Shift`+`P`) and then run the **Cloud Code: Run on Kubernetes** command.\n2. Confirm whether to use the current [Kubernetes context](https://kubernetes.io/docs/concepts/configuration/organize-cluster-access-kubeconfig/#context) to run the app in (or switch to a preferred one).\n3. You are prompted to select an image registry.\n4. Enter the image repository you want to store your images in.\n\n If your project has [Artifact Registry API enabled](/artifact-registry/docs/enable-service)\n and at least one [Artifact Registry repository](/artifact-registry/docs/manage-repos),\n you can browse to and select an existing Artifact Registry repository.\n\nSee the [common image repository formats](#image_formats) section for examples\nof how to specify where container images are stored for some common registries.\n\n### Image name creation\n\nCloud Code concatenates the image registry with the image name\nspecified in the Kubernetes manifests to generate the final image repository\nname.\n\nFor more information, see the\n[image registry handling guide](https://skaffold.dev/docs/environment/image-registries).\n\nThis choice is stored in your `cloudcode.kubernetes` launch configuration\n(found in .vscode/launch.json).\n\n\nCloud Code builds your containers, pushes them to the registry,\napplies Kubernetes configurations to the cluster, and waits for the rollout.\n\n### Common image repository formats\n\nHere are examples of how to specify where container images are stored for some\ncommon registries:\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\n\u003cbr /\u003e\n\nWhat's next\n-----------\n\n- [Create and configure a GKE cluster](/code/docs/shell/create-configure-gke-cluster).\n- Learn more about [Artifact Registry](/artifact-registry/docs/overview)."]]
