Question 1

Who can see my host list?

Accepted Answer

Only you. The list is encrypted in your browser before it syncs — PBKDF2 with 600,000 iterations derives the key from your sync passphrase, AES-256-GCM encrypts the blob. The server stores ciphertext it cannot read, and the passphrase never leaves your device.

Question 2

Is my SSH private key safe?

Accepted Answer

Private keys never sync. A key you attach to a host is encrypted with your sync passphrase, stored only in this browser, decrypted in memory when the session starts, and never uploaded.

Question 3

Do I need the desktop app?

Accepted Answer

Yes — PocketShell web opens the hosts you saved in the PocketShell desktop app. The two sync end-to-end encrypted through your Google account, so the web client stays in step with the desktop.

Question 4

Do I need to install anything on my servers?

Accepted Answer

No. Servers need nothing beyond the SSH port you already use. Sessions arrive at the SSH bridge on AWS (eu-west-1) over an authenticated WebSocket and continue to your host as a normal SSH login — no agent, no daemon, no extra ports.

Question 5

Which devices can I use?

Accepted Answer

Anything with a modern browser: Linux, macOS, Windows, Chromebooks, iPads, and Android tablets — including locked-down machines where you can't install software.

Question 6

What happens to my session when the tab closes?

Accepted Answer

The terminal in the tab ends with it — your agent doesn't. Sessions live on your machine under aplexer, the same session layer the PocketShell desktop and Android apps attach to. Reconnect from any browser, attach again, and the screen is exactly where your agent left it.

Question 7

What if I lose my sync passphrase?

Accepted Answer

Then the synced blob is undecryptable — by design. Zero-knowledge means there is no reset: you'd sign in again, re-enter your hosts, and set a new passphrase. That's the trade for a server that can never read your data.

Question 8

What does it cost?

Accepted Answer

Nothing. PocketShell is free while access is allowlisted — no card, no tiers. If that ever changes, existing users will hear it from us first.

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