> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.instapods.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# File Management

> Upload, sync, and manage files in your pods.

InstaPods provides multiple ways to manage files inside your pods — through the dashboard, CLI, SSH, or API.

## Dashboard File Browser

The **Files** tab on the pod detail page provides a web-based file browser:

* Browse directories starting from the app root
* View and edit text files inline
* Upload files from your computer
* Create new folders
* Delete files and folders

## CLI File Commands

The CLI provides a full set of file management commands. See [CLI Files](/cli/files) for complete documentation.

```bash theme={null}
# List files
instapods files ls my-app

# Read a file
instapods files cat my-app /home/instapod/app/index.js

# Write a file
instapods files write my-app /home/instapod/app/hello.txt --content "Hello!"

# Pipe content via stdin
cat .env | instapods files write my-app /home/instapod/app/.env

# Upload a file
instapods files upload my-app ./index.html

# Sync a directory
instapods files sync my-app --local ./my-project --exclude node_modules --exclude .git
```

## Web IDE

InstaPods includes a Monaco-based web IDE at `/ide/{podId}`. It provides:

* File tree navigation
* Syntax highlighting for most languages
* Find and replace
* Multiple file tabs

Access it from the pod detail page by clicking the IDE link.

## SSH / SCP / SFTP

For full control, connect via SSH and use standard Unix tools:

```bash theme={null}
# SSH into the pod
instapods ssh my-app

# Or use SCP for file transfer
scp -P PORT ./file.txt instapod@host:/home/instapod/app/
```

See [SSH Access](/ssh-and-files/ssh-access) for details.

## Git Workflows

You can clone repos directly inside your pod:

```bash theme={null}
instapods ssh my-app

# Inside the pod
cd /home/instapod/app
git clone https://github.com/you/your-repo .
npm install
```

## App Root

Every pod has an app root directory — the default location for your application files:

| Preset      | App Root             |
| ----------- | -------------------- |
| All presets | `/home/instapod/app` |

For PHP, the web-accessible root is `/home/instapod/app/public`. All other presets serve from the app root directly.

The CLI commands (`files ls`, `files upload`, `files sync`) default to the pod's app root when no explicit path is given.