DockTerm

SSH workspace for macOS, Windows, and Linux — custom hosts from ~/.ssh/config, command snippets, searchable history, multi-tab sessions, and remote process tools in one Electron app.

UI preview uses fictional demo hosts — not real machine data.

Product page → · Download builds →

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Why DockTerm?

Most SSH clients stop at a black box. DockTerm is a full workspace around your servers:

Custom SSH hosts & config

• Reads and writes ~/.ssh/config (aliases, HostName, User, Port, IdentityFile, ProxyJump, Include, and more)
• Add / edit hosts in the UI with identity file picker and key preview
• Full Monaco config editor when you need raw OpenSSH power

Snippets

• Save named commands and replay them into any active terminal
• Stored in ~/.ssh/shippets — easy to back up or sync
• Snippet runs stay out of typed command history

Command history

• Every command you type is kept with host context
• Search, filter, open a detail pane, then Run or Copy
• Built for “what did I run on prod last week?” moments

Multi-tab workspace

• Multiple SSH (and local) sessions in one window
• Split panes for staging / prod / bastion side by side
• Terminal themes, clickable links, OS badges on hosts

Ops tools

• Top processes, listening ports, pkill by PID or port
• Session stats (CPU/RAM-style remote info when available)
• Passwordless sudo -n when your server allows it

Keywords: SSH client, SSH terminal, SSH snippets, command history, multi-tab SSH, ~/.ssh/config GUI, Electron terminal, xterm.js, remote process manager.

Features at a glance

Feature	Details
Custom SSH hosts	~/.ssh/config sync, IdentityFile, ProxyJump, Include-aware
Snippets	Named commands, one-click run into the focused pane
History	Searchable typed-command log with re-run / copy
Tabs & splits	Multi-session workspace with split panes
Config editor	Monaco editor for the full OpenSSH config
Themes	Multiple terminal color themes
Procs / ports	List + kill by PID or listening port
Desktop	macOS / Windows / Linux — bundled Node, no system install

Download

Latest release: github.com/bewithdhanu/dockterm/releases/latest

Prebuilt installers for six targets:

• macOS Apple Silicon (arm64) — .dmg / .zip
• macOS Intel (x64) — .dmg / .zip
• Windows — NSIS .exe
• Linux x64 / arm64 — .AppImage

macOS first launch (unsigned releases)

macOS builds are ad-hoc signed (no $99 Apple fee). First open may ask you to allow the app — that is a warning, not a broken download. Do not Move to Trash.

1. System Settings → Privacy & Security
2. Click Open Anyway next to DockTerm

Details: docs/macos-signing.md.

Looking for sponsors: help cover the Apple Developer Program ($99/year) so future macOS releases can be notarized and open with a double-click. Get in touch →

Quick start (development)

Requires Node.js 20–22 for local development only. Packaged apps bundle their own Node.

git clone https://github.com/bewithdhanu/dockterm.git
cd dockterm
npm install
npm run dev          # web UI + backend (http://localhost:5173)
npm run desktop      # Electron desktop shell
npm run dist:dir     # package for the current OS/arch

Useful scripts

Script	Purpose
npm run dev	Vite client + Express/WS server
npm run desktop	Build UI, fetch bundled Node, launch Electron
npm run dist:mac / dist:win / dist:linux	Platform installers
npm run runtime:node	Download the official Node binary into runtime/

Architecture

DockTerm.app (Electron)
├── Renderer — React + xterm.js UI
└── Backend  — bundled Node + Express + WebSocket + node-pty
              (SSH sessions, hosts, snippets, process tools)

The desktop shell prefers Contents/Resources/app/runtime/node so end users do not need Node installed, and a system Node of another version will not conflict.

Configuration & data

Path	Purpose
~/.ssh/config	SSH hosts (read/write via DockTerm)
~/.ssh/shippets	Command snippets
~/Library/Logs/DockTerm/ (macOS)	Desktop startup / backend logs

Continuous delivery

GitHub Actions (.github/workflows/build-desktop.yml) builds all six platform/arch combinations and can publish a Release when you push a v* tag.

git tag v1.0.0
git push origin v1.0.0

Stack

• Electron + React + Vite
• xterm.js (fit, serialize, web-links)
• node-pty for local/SSH PTYs
• Express + ws backend
• Monaco for config editing

Showcase

Marketing / product page (GitHub Pages):

https://bewithdhanu.github.io/dockterm/

Contributing

Issues and PRs are welcome. For packaging changes, test with npm run dist:dir on your OS before opening a PR.

Sponsors

DockTerm is free and MIT-licensed. We're looking for sponsors (individuals or companies) to fund Apple notarization so Mac users get Gatekeeper-clean downloads. If that sounds useful to you or your team, open a sponsorship issue.

License

MIT © DockTerm contributors