SSH Thing

A cross-platform desktop SSH client built with Tauri 2.x (Rust backend) and vanilla HTML/JS. Lightweight, fast, and focused on what matters — connecting to servers.

Why SSH Thing?

Most SSH clients try to do everything. SSH Thing does what you actually need:

• Lightweight — Small binary, minimal system overhead
• Fast — Instant startup, responsive terminal
• Focused — No bloat, just essential features
• Secure — Credentials stored in OS keychain, not plaintext

Features

SSH Core

• Server Management — Save servers with nicknames, hosts, ports, and auth methods
• Password & Key Auth — Support for both password and SSH key authentication
• Host Key Verification — TOFU model with known hosts persistence
• One-Click Connect — Connect/disconnect with a single click
• Concurrent Sessions — Run multiple SSH connections simultaneously

Terminal

• PTY Support — Full pseudo-terminal with proper signal handling
• OSC52 Clipboard — Copy terminal output directly to system clipboard
• Scrollback Buffer — Configurable history size
• Terminal Resize — Adjust terminal dimensions on the fly
• Search — Find text in terminal output

Productivity

• Snippets — Save and reuse commands across sessions
• Actions — Command macros with execution history and status tracking
• Import/Export — Backup and restore your servers, snippets, and actions
• Connection Log — Track your connection history

Interface

• Dark/Light Theme — Toggle to match your preference
• Focus Mode — Hide sidebar for maximum terminal space
• Global Shortcuts — Quick access from anywhere in the app
• Status Indicators — Clear connection state feedback

Download

Pre-built Binaries

Get the latest release from the Releases page.

Platform-Specific Notes

macOS

1. Mount the .dmg and drag SSH Thing to Applications
2. If blocked by Gatekeeper, run:

   sudo xattr -cr "/Applications/SSH THING.app"

3. Or right-click → Open

Windows

1. Run the .msi installer
2. If SmartScreen blocks, click More info → Run anyway

Linux

1. Install the .deb or .AppImage from releases
2. For .deb:

   sudo dpkg -i ssh-thing_*.deb

3. For .AppImage:

   chmod +x ssh-thing_*.AppImage
   ./ssh-thing_*.AppImage

Build from Source

Prerequisites

• Rust (2021 edition)
• Node.js (for npm)
• Tauri 2.x prerequisites

Development

git clone https://github.com/ktappdev/ssh-thing.git
cd ssh-thing
npm install
npm run tauri dev

Production Build

npm run tauri build

For macOS universal builds (Intel + Apple Silicon):

./build-release.sh

Tech Stack

Component	Technology
Backend	Rust + Tauri 2.x
SSH	russh (pure Rust)
Async	Tokio
Keychain	keyring
Frontend	Vanilla HTML/JS

Usage

Add a Server

1. Click + in the Servers tab
2. Fill in details:
   • Nickname — Friendly name (e.g., "Production API")
   • Host — IP or hostname
   • Port — SSH port (default: 22)
   • Username — SSH user
   • Auth — Password or private key
3. Click Save

Connect

1. Click a server in the list
2. Authenticate if prompted
3. Start typing commands

Use Snippets

1. Open the Snippets tab
2. Add a command with title and description
3. Click any snippet to paste it into the active terminal

Run Actions

1. Open the Actions tab
2. Create a macro (e.g., "Deploy" → git pull && npm install && pm2 restart all)
3. Execute on any connected server
4. View execution history and status

Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl/Cmd + N	New server
Ctrl/Cmd + K	Quick connect
Ctrl/Cmd + L	Clear terminal
Ctrl/Cmd + F	Search terminal
Ctrl/Cmd + D	Disconnect
F11	Focus mode toggle

Note: Shortcuts may vary by platform. Check the app menu for platform-specific shortcuts.

Contributing

Contributions welcome! Open an issue or submit a PR.

1. Fork the repo
2. Create your feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add amazing feature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing)
5. Open a Pull Request

License

MIT © Ken Taylor