Backup and Export

Backup & Export

Export Configuration Bundle

Archive your SSH configuration into a single compressed .tar.gz bundle:

neossh export
# or
neossh backup

What's Included

Item	Description
~/.ssh/config	Main SSH configuration file
All Include files	Recursively resolved included config files
~/.neossh/metadata.json	Usage statistics (SSHCount, LastSSH)
~/.neossh/settings.json	UI preferences (theme, file_manager, etc.)

Options

# Specify output path
neossh export --output ~/backups/ssh-config.tar.gz

# Sanitized export (safe for sharing)
neossh export --sanitize
neossh export -s

Sanitized Sharing

The --sanitize flag strips sensitive data for safe team distribution:

• Removes IdentityFile private key path references
• Strips sensitive comments (# password:, # token:)
• Produces a clean bundle safe for dotfiles or team sharing

Warning

What is NEVER included (even without sanitize)

• Private key files — only IdentityFile path references appear in config
• vault.json — encrypted password vault
• OS keyring contents — platform-specific credentials

Bundle Verification

Validate a bundle's integrity without modifying any files:

# Verify command
neossh verify backup.tar.gz

# Or dry-run import
neossh import --dry-run backup.tar.gz

Verification checks:

• Bundle integrity
• Schema version compatibility
• SHA-256 checksums for each file

Import / Restore

Restore configuration from a bundle:

neossh import backup.tar.gz
# or
neossh restore backup.tar.gz

Safety Features

• Automatic backups: Existing files are backed up with .bak.<timestamp> extensions before being overwritten
• Custom directories: Restore to alternative locations if needed
• Dry-run preview: Use --dry-run to preview changes without modifying files