Try JupyterLab Extensions

Test JupyterLab Extensions in GitHub Codespaces and Binder • Built by Orange Bricks

Launch any JupyterLab extension instantly in a cloud development environment—no local installation required!

Not affiliated with Project Jupyter. Built by Orange Bricks.

• Extension catalog: https://labextensions.dev
• Feedback / issues: https://github.com/orbrx/try-labextensions/issues/new
• How it works: Each branch = one extension automatically installed

How It Works

Each branch in this repository corresponds to a JupyterLab extension available on PyPI. When you launch from a branch, it automatically installs that extension and opens JupyterLab.

Choose your platform:

• GitHub Codespaces: Persistent environment, more resources, requires GitHub account
• Binder: No login required, free, ephemeral (sessions timeout after inactivity)

Quick Start

Option 1: GitHub Codespaces

1. Click a Codespaces launch link
2. Click "Create new codespace" on the configuration page
3. Wait ~2 minutes for environment to build
4. JupyterLab opens with the extension installed

Example extensions:

• jupyter-ai - AI-powered code assistance
• jupyterlab-git - Git integration
• jupyterlab-night - Dark theme

Cost: Free tier (120 core-hours/month) or pay-as-you-go. Pricing details

Option 2: Binder (Quick Try)

1. Click a Binder launch badge
2. Wait ~5-10 minutes for first build (cached builds launch in <1 minute)
3. JupyterLab opens with the extension installed

Example extensions:

• jupyter-ai
• jupyterlab-git
• jupyterlab-night

Cost: Free (community-funded)
Limits: 10-minute idle timeout, 12-hour maximum session

💙 Support Binder: mybinder.org is free thanks to community support and generous sponsors. Consider donating to Project Jupyter to help keep this valuable resource available for everyone.

URL Patterns

GitHub Codespaces

https://codespaces.new/orbrx/try-labextensions/tree/{extension-name}?quickstart=1&editor=jupyter

Binder

https://mybinder.org/v2/gh/orbrx/try-labextensions/{extension-name}?urlpath=lab

Replace {extension-name} with any PyPI package name that provides a JupyterLab extension.

How It Works Technically

The Branch-Based Solution

• 🌲 All branches are identical to main (no code changes between branches!)
• 🏷️ Branch name = PyPI package name (e.g., branch jupyter-ai → pip install jupyter-ai)
• 🔍 Platform-specific detection:
  • Codespaces: .devcontainer/install.sh uses git rev-parse --abbrev-ref HEAD
  • Binder: binder/start extracts branch from $BINDER_REQUEST environment variable
• 🚀 Automatic installation: Extension installs when environment launches

Architecture Details

• 🐳 Base image: quay.io/jupyter/minimal-notebook:latest
• ⚡ Codespaces: Installs during postCreateCommand (build time)
• ⚡ Binder: Installs during container startup (runtime)
• 📦 Compatibility: Works with any pip-installable JupyterLab extension

Comparison: Codespaces vs Binder

Feature	GitHub Codespaces	Binder
Login required	Yes (GitHub)	No
Cost	Free tier + paid	Free
Build time	2-3 minutes	5-10 min (first), <1 min (cached)
Session duration	Hours (configurable)	10 min idle, 12 hr max
Persistence	Files persist	Ephemeral
Resources	2-32 cores	~1-2GB RAM
Best for	Serious testing, development	Quick demos, workshops

Contributing

This repo is automatically updated based on the extensions we find for JupyterLab Marketplace.

We welcome issues and PRs!

• Bug report: crashes, environment issues, installation failures
• Feature request: better configuration, UI improvements, new capabilities

Open an issue: https://github.com/orbrx/try-labextensions/issues/new

Status

Community beta. Branch list is automatically synced from JupyterLab Marketplace catalog. If an extension fails to install, please open an issue.

Governance & Non-Affiliation

This is a community project built by Orange Bricks. It is not an official Jupyter property. Trademarks and logos are the property of their respective owners.

License

Code in this repository is licensed under Apache-2.0.

Acknowledgements

• Thanks to the Jupyter community and maintainers of the many extensions featured here
• Inspired by the need to test-drive extensions before local installation
• Built with repo2docker (Binder) and Dev Containers (Codespaces)

Support This Project

If you find this tool useful, consider supporting our work:

Maintainer: Konstantin Taletskiy • Orange Bricks
Questions? Open an issue: https://github.com/orbrx/try-labextensions/issues/new