Applications#

Overview#

NVIDIA Sync streamlines the process of launching applications and containers on remote systems, ensuring reliable connectivity across both private and public networks.

Once a remote device has been added or imported to NVIDIA Sync, you can one-click launch applications while Sync handles the connection details.

NVIDIA Sync divides applications between default and custom:

  • Default applications — Fixed list of commonly used IDEs and development platforms, such as Cursor, VS Code, VS Code Insiders Edition, and NVIDIA AI Workbench.

  • Custom applications — All other applications; these require manual configuration through the Custom tab in the Settings window.

In addition, DGX devices like DGX Spark and GB10 include the DGX Dashboard. NVIDIA Sync works with the DGX Dashboard without any configuration on your part. The DGX Dashboard automatically appears if it is available on the device.

Launching an SSH Terminal#

NVIDIA Sync always allows you to launch an SSH terminal on the remote without any setup on your part. The terminal opens into the default shell on the remote with the user set to the user you have configured for that connection. The session opens in the working directory set, defaulting to your home directory.

Default Applications#

NVIDIA Sync detects the following applications when they are installed locally and prompts you to enable them during onboarding:

Launching a Default Application#

To launch a default application, follow these steps:

  1. Open the NVIDIA Sync application.

  2. Connect to an existing device.

  3. Select the application from the pop-up menu.

  4. Wait for the application to launch.

Custom Scripts and Applications#

Overview and Prerequisites#

Custom scripts allow you to write and run bash scripts on a connected device and access web-based services through an SSH tunnel to your local computer.

This allows you to define, launch, and connect to webapps, containers, and servers on the remote device through a port that you define in the NVIDIA Sync app. You can also use this to run background tasks like downloading data and models.

Scripts are created on a per-device basis and they run in the user’s home directory on the remote device. When you create or edit a custom script, NVIDIA Sync automatically saves or updates it on the remote device.

Once you have added a script to a device, it shows in the NVIDIA Sync app when it is connected to the device. You run it by selecting the associated port in the application.

NVIDIA Sync runs the script as your user on the remote device using a bash command.

The only prerequisite for using this feature is that bash is installed on the remote device.

Adding and Editing a Custom Script to a Remote Device#

Custom scripts are added on the Custom tab of the Settings window. To add a script to the device, you must first add or import the device to NVIDIA Sync and then connect to it through Sync.

  1. Connect to an existing device.

  2. Verify that bash is installed.

  3. Open Settings → Custom tab.

  4. Click Add New, or click Edit on an existing script.

  5. Enter an identifying name and desired port in the Add Custom modal.

  6. Write your bash script in the Launch Script code editor.

  7. Configure the launch settings.

  8. Click Add or Update.

You can also add a script from the pop-up menu by clicking Add New in the Custom section.

Selecting a Port for the Script#

You must assign a port for the script even if the script will run in the background on the remote device. The assigned port is bound between the remote device and your local device, and the local port is bound until you stop the custom application or disconnect NVIDIA Sync.

For example, assigning port 8000 for a custom application binds local port 8000 to remote port 8000, and local port 8000 is bound until it is released.

Configuring Launch Settings#

The Add Custom modal lets you configure how the custom script launches a user interface.

  • Auto open in browser at the following path — Opens your default web browser after the application starts. It opens to http://localhost:<port>/<URL Path>. Leaving the URL path unset will load the root of the web application.

  • Launch in Terminal — Opens an SSH terminal to the remote with the script running in it. This is useful if you need to monitor the status of the application or script being launched or run. The terminal stays connected even if the script fails.

Leaving these options blank runs the script in the background without opening any interface.

Writing the Bash Script#

The Add Custom modal has a simple file editor that lets you write, edit, and paste text that is saved locally in the application as well as on the remote device. You can write standard bash scripts for Python, Docker, and similar tools.

You should ensure that there is a new line at the end of the script. However, you do not need to include the interpreter line (for example, #!/bin/bash) at the top of the file.

NVIDIA Sync runs the script as your user on the remote device with a bash command.

Running a Custom Script#

  1. Connect to a device.

  2. In the main window, find your script under the Custom section.

  3. Click the script to start it.

If Launch in Terminal is enabled, an OS terminal window opens with the script running interactively. Otherwise, the script runs in the background.

If Auto open in browser is enabled, NVIDIA Sync waits for the service to become available (up to 30 seconds) and then opens the URL in your default browser.

Stopping a Custom Script#

Click the x on the running script in the pop-up window to close it. This stops the service and releases the port.

Working with Ports and Tunnels#

The following information can be useful when assigning ports to custom scripts or resolving connection issues.

Login shell: Opening a terminal through NVIDIA Sync uses a bash login shell, so the $PATH (including /usr/local/cuda/bin) matches a manual SSH session.

Custom port: Set and persist a non-default SSH port for each device when adding the device.

Port conflicts: If a port is already in use, NVIDIA Sync displays a clear error instead of failing silently or routing to the wrong application. If a port-in-use error appears, release the port and retry.

Common Issues#

My PATH looks different in an NVIDIA Sync terminal compared to SSH

NVIDIA Sync uses a bash login shell, so $PATH (including /usr/local/cuda/bin) should match a manual SSH session.

Port-in-use error

Release the port or stop the application using it, then retry.

NVIDIA Sync is not discovering my device

Confirm the device is broadcasting _ssh._tcp on the network. Check that mDNS is working and the device is reachable.