XplorerXplorer

SSH Remote Browsing

SSH Remote Browsing

Xplorer includes a full SSH/SFTP client that lets you browse and manage files on remote servers as if they were local.

Connecting

SSH Connection Manager

  1. Navigate to /ssh or click the SSH icon in the sidebar
  2. Click New Connection
  3. Enter connection details:
    • Host: Server hostname or IP
    • Port: SSH port (default: 22)
    • Username: SSH username
    • Authentication: Password or SSH key

Authentication Methods

| Method | Description | | -------- | -------------------------------- | | Password | Enter password directly | | SSH Key | Provide path to private key file |

Remote File Browsing

Once connected, the SSH File Browser provides:

  • Directory listing — Browse remote directories with file icons, sizes, and dates
  • Navigation — Back, forward, up, and direct path entry
  • File preview — Preview text files directly from the remote server

File Operations

Upload

Transfer local files to the remote server via SFTP.

Download

Download remote files to your local filesystem.

Directory Management

  • Create remote directories
  • Delete remote files and directories

Connection Management

Active Connections

View and manage all active SSH connections from the SSH panel.

Connection Pool

Xplorer maintains a connection pool with session caching for performance. Connections are automatically cleaned up when:

  • You disconnect manually
  • The application closes
  • The server drops the connection

Connection Status

The SSH panel shows real-time connection status:

  • Connected — Active and ready
  • Connecting — Authentication in progress
  • Disconnected — Connection closed
  • Error — Connection failed (with error details)

SSH File Browser Page

The dedicated SSH explorer page (/ssh/:connectionId) provides a full file browser experience identical to the local explorer, but operating on remote files:

  • Same grid/list/detail views
  • Same context menu operations
  • Same preview panel
  • Navigation history within the remote filesystem

Technical Details

Protocol

Uses SSH2 protocol via the ssh2 Rust crate, which provides:

  • SSH session management
  • SFTP channel for file operations
  • Exec channel for command execution

Security

  • Passwords are not stored on disk by default
  • SSH key authentication is supported
  • All data is encrypted in transit via SSH