Introduction

OxideTerm is an AI-native workspace for remote servers, not just a terminal. Connect to a server once, then work around it in one place: SSH shell, SFTP, port forwarding, trzsz transfers, lightweight editing, local shell, remote desktop, and OxideSens AI.

OxideTerm is a pure Rust desktop application built with GPUI. GPUI draws the interface directly on a GPU surface; there is no browser runtime, DOM, JavaScript frontend, or system WebView. Release packages are typically 50–70 MB and are available for macOS, Windows, and Linux on x64 and arm64.

The core workspace is local-first: SSH, files, forwarding, local shells, saved connections, and settings do not require an OxideTerm account. OxideSens is BYOK, so requests go only to the provider you configure.

Why OxideTerm?

Pain Point	OxideTerm’s Answer
Remote server work is split across too many tools	One node workspace: terminal, SFTP, forwarding, IDE, monitoring, remote desktop, and OxideSens stay attached to the same node
You still need a local shell	Integrated local terminal: zsh, bash, fish, pwsh, WSL2, and platform shells sit beside remote sessions
Reconnect means losing active work	Grace Period reconnect: OxideTerm probes the old SSH connection before replacing it and restores dependent tools when a new connection is required
Remote file editing needs a heavyweight remote IDE	Native lightweight IDE: a GPUI editor and SFTP-backed file tree, with an optional Linux remote agent for project search and file watching
Every tool opens another SSH connection	Shared connection registry: terminal, SFTP, forwards, and IDE consumers reuse the node’s managed SSH connection
SSH libraries add OpenSSL deployment friction	Pure Rust SSH: `russh` with `ring`, without an OpenSSL runtime dependency
Browser-wrapped desktop apps add another runtime	Native GPUI shell: GPU-rendered Rust UI with no WebView
Automation should not require the desktop app	Standalone `oxideterm` CLI: direct headless access to settings, connections, backups, cloud sync, diagnostics, and other persisted domains

Architecture at a Glance

OxideTerm keeps the desktop UI and domain services in one native process:

┌───────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│              GPUI render loop                │
│ Workspace · tabs · sidebars · native views  │
└──────────────────────┬────────────────────────┘
                       │ in-process Rust calls
┌──────────────────────▼────────────────────────┐
│               Domain services                │
│ NodeRouter · SSH registry · SFTP · forwards │
│ TerminalState · IDE · AI · plugins · sync   │
└───────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Terminal bytes are parsed into Rust-owned terminal state. GPUI reads snapshots of that state and issues GPU draw calls. Management actions call Rust services directly in-process, so terminal traffic and UI actions do not cross a serialization bridge.

The standalone oxideterm CLI follows the same ownership model. It links the relevant domain crates and reads the same persisted stores as the desktop app; it does not contact a desktop-side RPC server.

Native Stack

Layer	Technology	Purpose
Desktop UI	GPUI	Native windows, input, layout, and GPU rendering
Async runtime	Tokio	SSH, transfers, forwarding, monitoring, and background work
SSH	`russh` + `ring`	Pure Rust SSH, SFTP channels, agent support, and ProxyJump
Terminal state	`alacritty_terminal`	VT parsing, grid, scrollback, selection, and search state in Rust
Local PTY	`portable-pty`	Local shells and Windows ConPTY workflows
Editor	Native GPUI editor	Remote editing, syntax highlighting, folding, search, and multi-cursor state
Encryption	ChaCha20-Poly1305 + Argon2id	Encrypted `.oxide` exports and sealed local connection data
Storage	JSON stores + redb	Settings, connections, runtime state, history, and indexes
Plugins	Manifest-only, process, and Wasm/wasmtime	Native extensions through typed, permission-gated host APIs
CLI	`oxideterm`	Direct headless management through shared Rust domain crates

Key Features

Category	Features
Terminal	Local PTY, SSH, Telnet, serial, split panes, broadcast input, recording/playback, Sixel/Kitty graphics, and render profiles
SSH & Auth	Connection reuse, ProxyJump, Grace Period reconnect, Agent Forwarding, password/key/certificate/SSH Agent/keyboard-interactive auth, and known-host verification
SFTP	Dual-pane browser, transfer queue, previews, bookmarks, archive operations, and reconnect-aware sessions
IDE	Native editor, remote file tree, project search, multi-tab workflow, conflict detection, and optional remote agent
Remote Desktop	Native RDP and VNC tabs with keyboard, pointer, clipboard, resize, and reconnect handling
Port Forwarding	Local, remote, and dynamic SOCKS5 forwards with saved rules and reconnect-aware restore
AI (OxideSens)	BYOK providers, MCP, local knowledge retrieval, redacted context, and approved workspace actions
Plugins	WASM runtime, typed host capabilities, plugin settings, enable/disable controls, and custom surfaces
Security	OS keychain, encrypted local connection data, encrypted `.oxide` exports, host-key TOFU, and secret zeroization

Local-First Boundaries

Core remote workflows work without an OxideTerm account or subscription.
Credentials and API keys are stored through the operating system keychain.
OxideSens sends context only when you invoke it and only to your configured provider.
The CLI and desktop app share persisted data, so scripts can inspect and manage OxideTerm without keeping the GUI running.
Cloud sync is optional; local operation remains the default.

What’s Next?

Installation guide — download, install, or build OxideTerm
Terminal — native terminal features and rendering
SFTP — file management over SSH
IDE Mode — remote editing in the native workspace
Port Forwarding — SSH tunnels
OxideSens AI — BYOK AI for remote-server work
CLI — headless management and automation
Security — encryption, credentials, and process boundaries