Sync SSH hosts between machines

Copying dotfiles is not really sync

People sync SSH state by dragging ~/.ssh through chat, git, or a password manager note. Private keys get over-shared. Metadata gets lost. Two machines drift apart within a week.

GUI clients solve this with accounts. That works until your host map becomes vendor data and paid-plan features gate the workflow.

Bast vault

Vault encrypts Bast-managed hosts, keys, and metadata on your machine before anything is uploaded. Bast servers store ciphertext. The passphrase never leaves the device.

Cloud VM inventory is separate on purpose: re-sync GCP, AWS, or Azure per machine through provider CLIs so cloud credentials stay where they belong.

Link two machines

1. Install Bast on both machines and create or import the hosts and keys you want managed.
2. Run bast vault login and set a passphrase. Link the second machine with the same vault.
3. Sync, then verify hosts appear and connections still use system ssh. Read the Vault docs for exact commands and threat model details.

What syncs, and what does not

Vault syncs Bast-managed state. It does not try to become the owner of every externally maintained SSH config block on your disk. That split keeps OpenSSH authoritative while still giving you multi-machine continuity.