> open source · GPL-3.0

SSH, rendered on the GPU

A high-performance, native, cross-platform SSH client written in Rust, with a GPU-rendered interface: Xshell-style host management, WinSCP-style SFTP and port forwarding, all in one window.

v0.1.17 · macOS 11+ · Windows x64 · Linux x64 · other platforms

ShellRS main window: a grouped host tree, htop running in a remote terminal, and the connection latency in the tab bar
  1. Dark, light, or follow the systemThe theme button in the title bar switches the whole window.
  2. Hide the sidebar, give the terminal room⌘B on macOS, Ctrl+B on Windows and Linux. Press it again to bring the hosts back.
  3. Open the right sidebarSystem monitor, processes, services and Docker, read over the terminal's own SSH connection.
  4. 20 built-in color themesTokyo Night, Catppuccin, Dracula, Nord and more, ten light and ten dark. The interface can take on the theme too.

> why shellrs

Xshell and WinSCP in one native window

Native, GPU-drawn

Written in Rust on GPUI, the UI framework behind the Zed editor. The whole interface, terminal included, is drawn on the GPU.

One window for the whole job

Terminals, SFTP and port forwards live side by side. Drag any tab into a split; nothing hides in a second app.

Secrets stay in your keychain

Passwords and key passphrases go to the macOS Keychain, Windows Credential Manager or Secret Service. The database never holds one.

> sftp

SFTP that works like WinSCP

Two panes with WinSCP's columns, path labels, bookmarks and shortcuts. Select by highlight, drag between panes, and keep queueing transfers while one runs.

  • Resumes after a dropped connection, or after a restart
  • A transfer queue with speed and time left
  • Local deletes go to the Trash; symlinks are never followed
Dual-pane SFTP with three local items selected, remote /etc on the right, and a transfer queue below
Five right sidebar tools side by side: system monitor, processes, services, Docker and network connections

> right sidebar

The server's state, beside its terminal

System monitor, processes, systemd services, Docker and network connections follow the current terminal on the right of the window. They read and act over that terminal's own SSH connection, with no second login.

  • CPU, memory and network rates refresh every 2 seconds
  • Start and stop services and containers, end processes; passwordless sudo when not root
  • Command history and snippets type into the terminal in one click

> port forwarding

Port forwards you can read

Local, remote and dynamic forwards, each drawn as a live diagram with one sentence that says where connections enter and where they go.

  • -L, -R and -D with SOCKS5 and SOCKS4
  • Reconnects on its own after a drop
  • Rules can start with ShellRS
The port forward dialog with a live diagram of a local forward, and two running rules in the sidebar
A split view with a remote terminal on top and SFTP for the same host below

> split view

Terminal and files, side by side

Drag a tab to any edge to split left and right or top and bottom. Watch a deploy in the terminal while its files land in SFTP below.

  • Live round-trip latency on every SSH tab
  • vim, htop and other full-screen programs just work
  • Find in scrollback and clear the screen locally

> and also

Built for people with too many servers

Jump hosts and proxies

Chain saved hosts as jump servers, or go through an HTTP or SOCKS5 proxy.

Shared credentials

Password, key and SSH agent credentials that many hosts reuse. Generate Ed25519 keys in place.

Opened from a bastion host

Bastion hosts such as JumpServer open ShellRS the way they open Xshell and WinSCP: an ssh:// or sftp:// link brings up a terminal or SFTP, without saving the connection.

Knows your servers

Detects the remote OS on connect and badges each host with it. Nested groups and search keep the list tidy.

Signed updates

minisign-signed manifests and SHA-256-checked packages, downloaded in the background and installed on restart.

Its own known_hosts

ShellRS asks before trusting a new host key and keeps its records apart from ~/.ssh.

> for ai agents

Let your agent use the hosts you saved

Turn on the external CLI and Claude Code, Codex or OpenCode can run commands and move files on your saved hosts. ShellRS logs in for them, so the agent never sees a password.

An unknown host or a missing password fails at once with a stable error code — no prompt that leaves an agent hanging.

> download

Free, open source, on every desktop

Version 0.1.17. Once installed, ShellRS keeps itself up to date.

ShellRS is a desktop app. Grab a package to install later, or open this page on your computer.

macOS

Your system

Apple Silicon and Intel · macOS 11 or later · signed and notarized

Download for Apple Silicon · 22.6 MBDownload for Intel · 24.9 MB

Not sure which Mac you have? Choose Apple menu › About This Mac: it lists a Chip on Apple Silicon and a Processor on Intel.

Windows

Your system

x64 · installs for the current user, no administrator rights

Download installer · 18.5 MBDownload portable (.zip) · 23.2 MB

The portable zip runs from any folder you can write to, with its data in the data folder beside shellrs.exe. It updates itself too.

Linux

Your system

x64 AppImage · glibc 2.31+ (Ubuntu 20.04, Debian 11 and later)

Download AppImage · 27.2 MB