FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Quick answers about Termi. For a full feature list see Features; for setup see Getting Started.

What is Termi?

Termi is a free, open-source, self-hosted server management platform. It gives you SSH, SCP/SFTP, RDP, and VNC access to your servers from a browser (as an installable PWA) or a native desktop app, with built-in encryption, two-factor authentication, and passkey login.

Is Termi free?

Yes. Termi is licensed under the MIT License — free for personal and commercial use, with the full source code available on GitHub.

Is Termi open source?

Yes, entirely. The complete source code, including the web app, WebSocket gateway, and desktop shell, is public on GitHub under the MIT license.

Can I self-host Termi?

Yes — self-hosting is the primary way Termi is meant to run. It deploys with a single docker compose up -d command; see Getting Started for the full walkthrough. Your data stays in your own PostgreSQL database.

What protocols does Termi support?

SSH, SCP/SFTP, RDP, and VNC, plus a local terminal on the machine you're using. RDP and VNC are proxied through Apache Guacamole.

Does Termi support two-factor authentication (2FA)?

Yes. Termi supports TOTP-based 2FA (compatible with Google Authenticator, Authy, and similar apps) as well as passwordless login via passkeys/WebAuthn.

Does Termi have a desktop app?

Yes. Native desktop apps are available for macOS, Windows, and Linux (x64 and arm64) — see Desktop App for downloads and installation instructions.

How is my SSH password or private key stored?

Every credential is encrypted with AES-256-GCM before it's written to the database, and is only decrypted in memory when actually needed. See Security for the full model.

Does Termi collect any telemetry or analytics?

No. Termi has zero telemetry and no third-party analytics or cloud dependency by design.

Can I share server access with my team?

Yes. Termi supports inviting other users to a specific server via a share link, without ever exposing the underlying password or key to them. Access can be revoked per user, per server.

Can I export or back up my server list?

Yes. Termi can export your full server inventory to encrypted JSON, plain JSON, Excel, or CSV, and import it back in (additively — imports never overwrite existing servers).

What's the difference between Termi and a regular SSH client?

A regular SSH client (like Terminal, PuTTY, or iTerm) connects to one server at a time from your local machine and has no concept of teams, encrypted credential storage, or web access. Termi is a server management platform: it stores and encrypts credentials for your whole fleet, adds RDP/VNC and file management alongside SSH, works from any browser or mobile device, and supports sharing access with teammates — all self-hosted on your own infrastructure.

Does Termi work on mobile?

Yes. Termi is a full Progressive Web App (PWA) — install it on iOS or Android and it behaves like a native app, complete with a touch-optimized on-screen keyboard for terminal use.

Where can I get help or report a bug?

• Usage questions: GitHub Discussions
• Bug reports: open an issue
• Security vulnerabilities: see Security — do not report these in public issues

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Hitting a specific error message? See Troubleshooting. Didn't find your answer there either? Ask in GitHub Discussions.