SSH & SFTP

Dinotty has a built-in SSH client. A workspace can activate an SSH connection as its active connection -- after that, terminal, file browsing, and command bookmarks all execute on the remote host, with a local-like experience.

Creating an SSH Connection

Open the SSH panel on the right (sidebar server icon), click + at the top right to create a connection:

Field	Description
Name	Display name, optional (defaults to host)
Host	Hostname or IP
Port	Default 22
Username	Login user
Auth method	Password / Key
Key path	Path to private key (for key auth)
Passphrase	Key passphrase (if applicable)
Group	Optional, for grouping in the panel

Connection reuse

SSH configs are saved as profiles and can be reused across workspaces. Each workspace can have at most one active SSH connection at a time.

Auth Methods

Password

Enter the user password; a prompt appears on connect. The password can optionally be saved to the local keychain to avoid re-entry.

Key

Pick a private key file (default ~/.ssh/id_rsa, ~/.ssh/id_ed25519, etc.). If the key has a passphrase, you'll be prompted on connect.

OpenSSH and PEM formats are supported.

host_key Verification

On first connect to a host, the server fetches the host_key and shows the fingerprint:

• Verify: compare against the known correct fingerprint (e.g., from your cloud provider's console)
• Accept: once accepted, the host_key is saved to ~/.ssh/known_hosts locally
• Change alert: if the host_key changes on subsequent connects, the connection is refused with a warning (mitigates man-in-the-middle attacks)

Refuse unknown host_keys

Do not accept unknown host_keys on untrusted networks -- it could be a man-in-the-middle attack.

SFTP File Management

After an SSH connection is established, the workspace file browser switches to SFTP mode:

• Browse: remote directory tree expands
• Edit: double-click to download to a temp cache, edit with Monaco
• Save: auto-uploads back to remote on save
• Upload: drag local files into the file browser
• Download: right-click a file -> Download
• Delete / Rename: via the right-click menu

SFTP runs over the same SSH channel, no extra port needed.

Split Pane Inherits Connection

After a workspace activates an SSH connection, all new terminal panes auto-inherit it:

• Connect SSH in pane A
• Cmd + \ to create a new split pane B
• Pane B auto-logs into the same remote host

This lets you open multiple shells on the remote -- e.g., one running an agent, one watching logs, one editing config.

Switching to Local

A workspace can have only one active connection. To switch from SSH back to local:

1. Command Palette (Cmd + Shift + P) -> type connection.local / disconnect
2. Sidebar server list: right-click the current connection -> Disconnect

After switching, new panes use the local shell; existing panes keep their original connection until closed.

SSH Config Files

Dinotty does not read ~/.ssh/config Host aliases -- all connections are managed in the panel independently. If you rely on ~/.ssh/config, just fill the alias's host/port/user directly into a Dinotty SSH profile.

Known Limitations

• SSH agent forwarding: not yet supported (-A); configure manually on the remote if needed
• Jump host (ProxyJump): not yet supported; set up an SSH tunnel if needed
• Port forwarding: not yet supported (-L / -R)

Next Steps

• Workspace Management - Workspace-scoped connection config
• Tabs & Panes - Splits inherit SSH connection
• Command Favorites - One-click remote command execution