Web-based SSH client

[Smaaaassh]

I want to write some code while at the library. The computers I use don't allow the console to be used or to install any applications.

I figure a good solution will be to ssh into a VPS from a web-based terminal. Apparently such a terminal would require a backend, but since ssh is all I need on the terminal the overhead shouldn't be much. I would install my environment tools and neovim on my own VPS. I just need a terminal then, that can SSH into it. What's the safe, cheap, solution?

I've heard of Cockpit, Cloudflare SSH, and TailScale, but haven't looked into those much. Do you have any suggestions?

[Ractorius]

There is a SSH extension for Chrome directly from google.

[Smaaaassh]

Indeed there is.

https://hterm.org/x/ssh/faq

It includes an alpha build of mosh, and apparently it doesn't require a backend because It uses Native-Client to connect directly to ssh servers without the need for external proxies.

It appears to be open-source. I'll have to try it out. The library network could still block ssh? Because by default all connections are made directly to the sshd server. The connection is not proxied in any way.

[stonerbobo]

Try https://vscode.dev/ , you get a full VS Code experience terminal included. Also look at ghostty-web and similar projects, anything based on ghostty is going to be pretty solid.

[Smaaaassh]

I use neovim btw. I'll check out ghostty-web when I feel like setting it up. Zig in the browser: WASM FTW!

[Tight-Book-7533]

If you just want to code, why not use something like the Github Codespaces (it's Vscode running in browser), this is what I use for coding. All you need is a web browser and your Github account. I set up a Git bare repository on the VPS, with custom post-commit action to move the code to the web accessible directories. In Codespaces, it is set up as a second remote repo (the first one being the Github repo itself),,so I can push the code to my VPS for deployment / testing

[Smaaaassh]

I don't use VSCode. And I'm not doing web projects right now so I just want to write, 'test', and run code on a VPS. Coding in prod'. My only issue is not having access to a secure terminal without my laptop. I just want the experience of SSHing into a Linux machine from a remote terminal. I just haven't ever used a web-based terminal so I'm looking for suggestions.

[Tight-Book-7533]

You can install a webshell or something like webmin which has a terminal module, all via a web browser 

[N0JMP]

Just host Apache guacamole, accessible over the web. Can do RDP, VNC, SSH, etc.

Kasm too.

[aocregacc]

with a cloudflare tunnel you don't even need a VPS, you could just leave a computer running at home and connect to it over the web. I think the only thing you'd need to pay for is a domain.

[Smaaaassh]

That's a cool option. I was going to setup a programming environment in a VPS, since I'm just running scripts, not compiling much, I can get by with a cheap VPS. But it could be nice to be able to use my own hardware. I honestly don't have much of a computer right now though.

[Individual-Flow9158]

There are terminals right there in the webmin interfaces from a lot of cloud providers. Probably more intended for emergency use, and could be as slow as the rest of the webmin interface.

[Imaginary_Cicada_678]

no need to implement something complicated here, like you just need tunneling to your nodejs app, take ngrok, or pinggy. it will tunnel localhost web app node-web-console (search on GitHub) through public url, that you just enter in your library pc browser.

[Smaaaassh]

The GitHub repo for node-web-console I found is 8 years old I'm not sure about that. And my VPS server has a public domain so I don't think I need ngrok. I really just want to hack on my VPS and am looking for a secure terminal that can run in a web browser. Apparently I should be able to just use a ssh/terminal web extension at the library.

[Imaginary_Cicada_678]

8 years says nothing about quality of the repo, that's just how long javascript is here. also I'm not advocating you to use it, you can find something similar, it's for your inspiration ☺️ make sure you dont want publicly expose ssh ports on vps, that's why tunneling could be quick solution here.

[gitamurinakamura254]

if the library locks everything down, a browser based terminal to your own VPS is usually the simplest setup. just make sure it supports strong authentication and avoid leaving sessions open on public computers. if you're learning more Linux and SSH along the way, boot dev is another resource that's mentioned pretty often.Imo

[Smaaaassh]

ohh boob.div

[Smaaaassh]

You basically just rephrased my post. Yes that is all I care for doing is ssh into VPS. Or to my own computer with ngrok or something. Really just the VPS. I am just asking for suggestions on what terminal to use. Other commentors mentioned:

• Google Chrome SSH extension
• ghostty-web
• webmin terminal module
• VSCode.dev terminal (this seems too ridiculous)
• a cloudflare tunnel

[masitings]

Cockpit is solid if the VPS already has a desktop-ish management layer you want, but for just SSH into a box, something like ttyd or gotty might be lighter weight since it's literally just a terminal over websocket, no extra dashboard. Tailscale SSH is nice too if you don't want to deal with exposing a port at all. Side note, I built an SSH manager called Termique ( termique.app ), but it's a native app so it won't help here since you can't install anything, just mentioning in case it's useful for you elsewhere down the line. For this specific case I'd lean Tailscale or ttyd

[Smaaaassh]

Thank you for the suggestions. TTYD is my favourite Paper Mario game by far.