Bast.sh: native SSH picker and key manager
Browse SSH hosts, transfer files over SFTP, sync cloud VMs, manage keys, and connect from the terminal.
Bast.sh wraps the OpenSSH already on your machine. Hosts stay in ~/.ssh/config. Use the TUI, or automate with bast --json.
curl -fsSL https://bast.sh/install | shLatest release v0.10.2
web-01
GCP synced · known host
Access
~/.ssh/bast/keys/work
gcp_demo_web-01
About
2026-07-26 13:40 (4)
Hosts
Browse, group, and favorite every host OpenSSH already knows. Search fast, edit metadata, and connect without leaving the terminal.
Keys
Generate, import, export, and install native OpenSSH keys. Passphrases stay local. No proprietary key store.
Cloud sync
Pull live hosts from GCP, AWS, Azure, Hetzner Cloud, box.ascii.dev, Upstash Box, and Vercel Sandbox. Synced hosts stay read-only and owned by the cloud.
Bast vault
Encrypt Bast-managed hosts, keys, and metadata on your machine, then sync ciphertext between macOS, Linux, and Windows 11 devices.
Mobile view
On phone SSH apps and narrow panes, the list and detail stack so everything stays readable. Tap Connect or keep using the keyboard.
SFTP
Dual-pane local and remote browser in the TUI. Copy and move with the same OpenSSH config Connect already uses.
@D_Is_Purple
@tedbrine I like it! Nice job
@asciidotdev
@tedbrine @AniC_dev absolute banger
@__rgbx
@tedbrine I shared it with my team! They lovveed it! You did a great job my friend 👏❤️
@maxktz
@tedbrine amazing design🔥
@Itri_SpecialGuy
@tedbrine Bast is already really powerful features-talking, you just need to put more effort and budget into marketing (Which I know is rough)
@RexaDB
Had been using http://bast.sh by @tedbrine for some time and it had been a game changer for me! Keep it up!!
@D_Is_Purple
@tedbrine I like it! Nice job
@asciidotdev
@tedbrine @AniC_dev absolute banger
@__rgbx
@tedbrine I shared it with my team! They lovveed it! You did a great job my friend 👏❤️
@maxktz
@tedbrine amazing design🔥
@Itri_SpecialGuy
@tedbrine Bast is already really powerful features-talking, you just need to put more effort and budget into marketing (Which I know is rough)
@RexaDB
Had been using http://bast.sh by @tedbrine for some time and it had been a game changer for me! Keep it up!!
@mridultharejaa
@tedbrine @googlecloud amazing man love it
@connorhpbrn
@tedbrine underrated
@luaroncrew
@tedbrine @asciidotdev @AniC_dev huge
@nickventuri
@tedbrine this beats digging through my messy ssh config file
@imjudekim
@tedbrine wait this is so cool. starred!
@1kartikkabadi1
@tedbrine @asciidotdev @AniC_dev no wayyss. this is pretty amazing!
@mridultharejaa
@tedbrine @googlecloud amazing man love it
@connorhpbrn
@tedbrine underrated
@luaroncrew
@tedbrine @asciidotdev @AniC_dev huge
@nickventuri
@tedbrine this beats digging through my messy ssh config file
@imjudekim
@tedbrine wait this is so cool. starred!
@1kartikkabadi1
@tedbrine @asciidotdev @AniC_dev no wayyss. this is pretty amazing!
@lassejv
@tedbrine lets goooo!
@stuartelimu
@tedbrine First time seeing this and I’m sold! Definitely doing this
@leodev
@tedbrine ok this is so useful!
@jess_daniel10
@tedbrine Nice! I tried it out and it’s very clean
@AniC_dev
@tedbrine @asciidotdev this is epic
@lassejv
@tedbrine lets goooo!
@stuartelimu
@tedbrine First time seeing this and I’m sold! Definitely doing this
@leodev
@tedbrine ok this is so useful!
@jess_daniel10
@tedbrine Nice! I tried it out and it’s very clean
@AniC_dev
@tedbrine @asciidotdev this is epic
Bast, Termius, or PuTTY?
All three get you onto servers. Bast is for people who already live in the terminal and want a faster way around OpenSSH, not another app that owns your hosts. See all comparisons: Termius, PuTTY, MobaXterm, SecureCRT.
| Question | BastTerminal picker | TermiusGUI SSH client | PuTTYClassic Windows client |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where does it run? | Inside your terminal on macOS, Linux, and Windows 11 | As a separate GUI app on desktop and phones | As a Windows desktop app |
| How do you connect? | Calls the OpenSSH binary already on your machine | Uses Termius's own SSH client | Uses PuTTY's own SSH stack and .ppk keys |
| Where are hosts stored? | Your normal ~/.ssh/config (Bast does not replace it) | Inside Termius's own host database | As saved PuTTY sessions |
| Cloud hosts? | Imports from GCP, AWS, Azure, Hetzner Cloud, and box.ascii.dev | Mostly manual setup | Not built in |
| Sync between machines? | Optional encrypted Bast vault for managed hosts and keys | Through a Termius account | No |
| File transfers? | Dual-pane SFTP in the same TUI | Built-in SFTP UI on paid plans | Separate PSCP / PSFTP tools |
| Cost? | Free and open source (MIT) | Free tier, paid plans for sync and extras | Free |
FAQ
Short answers to the questions people ask before installing.
- Does Bast replace OpenSSH?
- No. Bast launches the ssh binary already on your machine and reads your existing ~/.ssh/config. It adds a managed Include for hosts you create in Bast. Your config stays the source of truth.
- Does Bast work on Windows?
- Yes. Bast runs natively on Windows 11 with Windows OpenSSH, including Windows Terminal, PowerShell, and Command Prompt. It also runs inside WSL as a Linux application. Native Windows and WSL use separate home directories and SSH configuration.
- Where are hosts and keys stored?
- Connection settings stay in OpenSSH config. Bast-managed hosts live under ~/.ssh/bast/, keys under ~/.ssh/bast/keys/, and metadata (groups, tags, notes) in ~/.config/bast/state.json.
- Is Bast vault end-to-end encrypted?
- Yes. Vault encrypts Bast-managed hosts, keys, and metadata on your machine before anything is uploaded. Bast servers only store ciphertext. The passphrase never leaves your device.
- How is Bast different from Termius?
- Termius is a GUI client with its own host database and account sync. Bast stays in the terminal, speaks native OpenSSH, and keeps hosts in ~/.ssh/config. Pick Bast when you want a faster picker without leaving your SSH setup behind.
- Can I automate Bast or use it with AI agents?
- Yes. Prefer bast --json for scripts, and install the agent skill with npx skills add ellipse-software/bast -g -y.
Sponsors
Bast is free and open source. Sponsorships fund development.
