termique blog: SSH, terminals, and server workflows

September 202622 articles

Sep 27Why your SSH key’s passphrase won’t authenticate (and how to stop retyping it)A passphrase-protected SSH key that won’t authenticate is almost always a client bug, not a wrong password. Here’s how to diagnose it, and how ssh-agent and OS keychains let you stop retyping passphrases and master passwords safely.Guide
Sep 27AI coding agents over SSH: who approves the commands they runAI agents that run commands on your servers need a control point. How command approval works, and the safety patterns that keep agents useful.Guide
Sep 26Deploy works locally, fails on the server: the checklist of causesThe app runs on your machine and breaks on the server. A checklist of the causes, from bind addresses to environment drift, with the commands to check each one.Guide
Sep 25Secure multi-tenant SSH infrastructure: isolating clients on shared serversHow to isolate clients on shared SSH servers with per-tenant Linux users, chroot jails, bastion hosts, scoped keys, and audit logs. A practical 2026 guide for agencies and small hosting teams.Guide
Sep 24SSH session logging options compared: audit trails beyond the command logFrom sudo history to full session recording: the SSH session logging options compared, and what each one actually proves in an audit.Guide
Sep 23tmux for remote servers: survive disconnects without losing worktmux basics that matter for remote work: persistent sessions, detach and reattach, panes, and the workflows that save you from a broken SSH connection.Guide
Sep 22How to deploy a Node.js app with Caddy on a VPS in 2026A practical, command-by-command guide to running a production node.js app behind Caddy on a VPS: hardening the box, PM2, reverse proxy config, websockets, zero-downtime deploys, and monitoring.Guide
Sep 21termique v0.6.2 — a cleaner first login, safer sign-outThis release redesigns the unlock screen into a single floating panel, adds a host-picker landing page for Investigate mode, and fixes a race condition around sign-out along with a stuck first-time setup bug.Release
Sep 21SFTP permission denied: why uploads fail and how to fix themSFTP permission denied errors, mapped to their real causes: ownership, mode bits, chroot roots, and path ownership. Fix them systematically.Guide
Sep 20Test your backups: a restore drill checklist for a single VPSA backup you never restored does not exist. A practical restore drill checklist for a single-VPS setup, run without drama.Guide
Sep 19Set monitoring alert thresholds that catch incidents, not noiseHow to pick alert thresholds for CPU, RAM, disk, and uptime that catch real incidents without drowning your team in noise.Guide
Sep 18The security risks of letting an AI coding agent run shell commandsWhat actually goes wrong when an AI coding agent gets real shell access to a remote server, and the approval model that stops most of it.Deep dive
Sep 17Bastion host with ProxyJump: one entry point without spreading keysHow to set up a bastion host with SSH ProxyJump, why it beats hand-distributed keys, and the access model that keeps your fleet safe.Guide
Sep 16SSH connection refused vs timeout: diagnose the difference in 10 minutesConnection refused and timeout are different failures with different causes. How to tell them apart and find the real problem fast.Guide
Sep 15Debug production errors with an AI assistant over SSHA practical workflow for debugging production errors with an AI assistant over ssh: real commands, guardrails, and where AI actually helps in 2026.Guide
Sep 14SSH host key verification: what known_hosts actually protectsWhat happens when SSH asks you to accept a host key, why a changed fingerprint is a warning, and how to verify a host key the right way.Guide
Sep 11What a per-command audit log actually catchesKnow exactly who ran what on a shared server. What per-command SSH audit logs catch, what they miss, and how to set them up in 2026.Deep dive
Sep 8Debugging the SSH connection timeout everyone hits on AWS EC2A layer-by-layer checklist for an ssh connection timeout on AWS EC2: instance status, security groups, NACLs, route tables, and how to prove where the packet actually dies.Guide
Sep 7termique v0.6.1 – shared credentials are now end-to-end encryptedtermique v0.6.1 wraps shared credentials with the recipient’s own key before they ever reach termique’s servers, closing a gap where we could technically decrypt what you share with a teammate. A few related edge cases in the sharing flow are fixed too.Release
Sep 7termique v0.6.0 – share hosts with your whole teamtermique v0.6.0 adds Teams: build a roster of teammates once and share hosts with anyone on it without re-entering their email every time, invite a teammate who hasn’t signed up for termique yet, and keep shared credentials in sync automatically when you update them.Release
Sep 4SSH certificate authorities vs public key auth for teamsA practical comparison of SSH certificate authorities and public key auth for teams: how CA-based access works, when key sprawl becomes the real problem, and a decision framework for 2026.Deep dive
Sep 1SSH agent forwarding: convenience vs the security riskHow ssh agent forwarding actually works, the real hijacking scenarios it opens up, and safer alternatives like ProxyJump and short-lived ssh certificates.Deep dive

August 202612 articles

Aug 28SSH config file organization tips that scale past one serverHow to split a single ~/.ssh/config into a maintainable, team-shared layout using Include, conf.d files, host grouping, and ProxyJump.Guide
Aug 25termique v0.5.0 – AI suggestions, right where you’re typingtermique v0.5.0 adds a way to get an AI-generated command without leaving the terminal prompt, a new AI provider option for the custom endpoint, and a reworked AI Assistant panel that runs commands visibly instead of off to the side.Release
Aug 21Automating SFTP file transfers with cron, safelyAutomate SFTP file transfers with cron in 2026: SSH key auth, lock files, atomic uploads, and failure alerts, without leaving credentials exposed.Guide
Aug 18SFTP vs rsync for automated backupssftp vs rsync for automated backups: the real difference, when to use each, and a production-ready cron script that won’t wipe your data.Guide
Aug 14SFTP for developers: the complete guide (2026)SFTP for developers: how it works, CLI commands, automation, security, and picking a client. The 2026 guide covering everything you need.Guide
Aug 11Disk usage monitoring best practices for devops teams 2026Which disk metrics matter, what alert thresholds to set, and how small ops teams catch a full disk before it pages them.Guide
Aug 9What is a server monitoring agent and how does it work?What a server monitoring agent is, how push-based agents collect and report metrics, agent-based vs agentless monitoring, and what to look for when you install one.Guide
Aug 9termique mobile v2.0.0: server monitoring, full SFTP, and biometric unlocktermique mobile v2.0.0 adds server monitoring, free full SFTP, SSH key generation, biometric unlock, and a redesigned terminal experience.Release
Aug 7How to run an SSH access review without spreadsheets in 2026Run an SSH access review that actually finds stale keys and orphaned access, without an enterprise IAM tool or a spreadsheet nobody updates.Guide
Aug 7Linux server uptime alerts without a third-party monitoring billHow to catch a downed Linux server and get alerted about it without paying for a third-party monitoring service, using cron, systemd timers, dead man’s switches, and lightweight self-hosted tools.Guide
Aug 4The complete guide to Linux server monitoring in 2026A complete guide to Linux server monitoring in 2026: core metrics, command-line tools, open-source stacks, alert thresholds, and when built-in monitoring beats a third-party bill.Guide
Aug 2termique v0.3.2 – security fixes and a public snippet marketplacetermique v0.3.2 is a security release. Credentials are now always encrypted at rest, file transfers are hardened against hostile servers, and the AI assistant re-checks every command locally. It also adds a public snippet marketplace.Release

July 202621 articles

Jul 31Managing multiple SSH keys across devices without losing your mindManage multiple SSH keys across laptops, desktops, and phones without losing track of what connects where, plus a safe way to revoke a lost device.Guide
Jul 29Self-hosted vs SaaS devops tools: the real total cost of ownership in 2026Compare self-hosted vs SaaS devops tools on real total cost of ownership, engineering time, and breakeven team size, not just sticker price, for 2026.Deep dive
Jul 28Building a compliance-ready SSH access policy without an enterprise PAM tool 2026Build a SOC 2-ready SSH access policy without buying an enterprise PAM tool. Least privilege, audit logs, key rotation: a practical 2026 template.Guide
Jul 28How to rotate SSH keys without downtimeA step-by-step method for rotating SSH keys on production servers without losing access: overlap old and new keys, verify from a fresh session, then revoke safely.Guide
Jul 27termique joins Algolia’s startup program: $10k in credits, and 10 of you get Pro free for a monthtermique was accepted into Algolia’s startup program with $10k in credits. To mark it, 10 people get a free month of Pro with code ALGOSPC.Release
Jul 27Audit trails for devops teams: SOC 2 requirements vs nice-to-have 2026SOC 2 auditors want append-only, tamper-evident logs, not just any audit trail. What devops teams must have vs what’s optional for SOC 2 in 2026.Guide
Jul 26Disaster recovery runbook for a single VPS: what to write down before you need itWhat to document before your VPS fails, so recovery is a checklist instead of a scramble.Guide
Jul 25Automating server backups with cron and offsite storage 2026Automate server backups with cron and rsync/rclone to offsite storage, then verify restores actually work. A practical guide for solo sysadmins.Guide
Jul 24The 3-2-1 backup rule for solo sysadmins and small teams 2026The 3-2-1 backup rule for solo sysadmins and small teams in 2026: what to copy, where to store it, and what to automate first.Guide
Jul 24SSH key rotation best practices for teams in 2026A practical rotation policy for teams: how often to rotate ssh keys, what triggers an out-of-cycle rotation, and a checklist that satisfies SOC 2 and ISO 27001 without an enterprise PAM tool.Guide
Jul 23Terminal productivity tips that actually save time for remote developers 2026Terminal productivity tips for remote developers in 2026: SSH multiplexing, shell habits, dotfiles, and which trendy tools aren’t worth it.Guide
Jul 22Remote development workflow setup for a new laptop in under 10 minutesA step-by-step checklist to rebuild your SSH hosts, keys, and remote workflow on a new laptop in under 10 minutes, with termique’s synced vault.Guide
Jul 21What should a free SSH manager plan actually include in 2026Free SSH manager tiers vary wildly on host limits, key storage, and sync. Here’s what actually matters for a solo dev or small team in 2026.Guide
Jul 21SSH key management for teams: the complete guideSSH key management for teams: generation, storage, rotation, and revocation, without an enterprise PAM stack. See how termique handles it.Guide
Jul 20SSH host sharing for teams: revocable access without shared passwordsShare ssh host access with your team, revocable anytime, without shared passwords or PAM. termique’s host sharing keeps credentials encrypted end to end.Guide
Jul 19Monitor Linux server CPU, RAM, and disk without third-party toolsCheck Linux server CPU, RAM, and disk usage using only built-in commands like top, free, df, and vmstat. No installs, no agents, no package manager.Guide
Jul 10The complete guide to SSH security in 2026SSH security best practices for 2026: key management, hardening, encryption, and attack prevention – with how termique keeps sessions safe.Guide
Jul 6Best SSH client for developers in 2026OpenSSH, PuTTY, iTerm2, MobaXterm, Tabby, Termius, and termique compared by credential security, platform reach, and the criteria that actually change your workflow – not a generic features table.Guide
Jul 5Termique v0.3.0 – referrals, monitoring alerts, and remote sign-outTermique v0.3.0 adds a referral program, configurable monitoring alerts with mobile push notifications, and the ability to view and sign out of every device on your account. It also fixes a delayed remote sign-out, a command-log scrubber gap, and several smaller display bugs.Release
Jul 2How to deploy Laravel with FrankenPHP on a VPSStep-by-step guide to deploying Laravel with FrankenPHP on a bare VPS. Binary install, systemd service, Octane integration, and zero-downtime reloads.Guide
Jul 2How to run AI coding agents on remote servers via SSHHow to run AI coding agents like Claude Code and Codex CLI over SSH on remote servers. Security, performance, and SSH config for remote AI development workflows.Guide

June 20268 articles

Jun 30Termique v0.2.9 – native desktop notificationsTermique now surfaces important events as native desktop notifications. SSH connection failures, incoming host share invites, and monitoring servers coming online or going offline all appear in your OS notification centre – no need to keep the app window in the foreground.Release
Jun 29Termique v0.2.8 – live server monitoring built inYou can now monitor CPU, RAM, disk, and uptime for any server directly from the host detail page. The agent installs over SSH in one click, and metrics update every 30 seconds without leaving the app.Release
Jun 21Termique v0.2.6: reliable clipboard paste and a cleaner unlock screenClipboard paste now works consistently across all platforms, ending a long-standing conflict with macOS native menu shortcuts. The unlock screen also gets a quieter, more focused layout.Release
Jun 21Termique v0.2.7 – session lock timing fixedThe blur grace period now locks the screen at exactly the timeout you set in Settings. This release also tightens the unlock attempts wording so the behaviour is unambiguous before you hit the limit.Release
Jun 20Termique v0.2.5 – the most audited release yetEvery host write now carries an optimistic concurrency token, SFTP operations have per-call timeouts with broken-channel recovery, and the session lock fires on sleep, not just idle. 38 audit findings, zero criticals.Release
Jun 18SSH manager with AI assistant: what works and what doesn’tAI in developer tools has a reputation for being demo-ware. Here’s an honest breakdown of what an AI assistant can actually do inside a terminal session, and where it falls short.Release
Jun 18End-to-end encrypted SSH credential storage: how it actually worksA technical walkthrough of PBKDF2 key derivation, AES-GCM encryption, and DEK wrapping, and why server-side encryption is not the same thing.Deep dive
Jun 18How to manage SSH credentials across multiple devicesA practical breakdown of every approach, from ~/.ssh/config to dedicated SSH managers, and what actually holds up when you have more than a handful of servers.Guide

Writing on SSH, security, and the terminal.

termique v0.6.5 – jump host support

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