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tobi: keep commands running in detachable sessions across your devices

Tobi is a tool that enables detachable command sessions across devices. When used with self-hosted knots, the URL may vary depending on the setup. By running `tobi -- nu`, a daemon is started with the command running, automatically detaching if the terminal window is closed. Detached sessions are cleared after 24 hours of being detached.

To create a session on a specific host, use `tobi host.id -- nu`, with the host being optional. Users can also create sessions using `tobi .id -- nu`. Hosts can include a user (tobi you@host.id) if the SSH config does not assign one or if a different user is desired. The fuzzy selector across the network can be accessed by simply running `tobi`.

Starting a login shell on a selected host initiates a session without leaving the picker. Offline or unreachable hosts appear but cannot be selected. Attachments can be made using `tobi hx`, `tobi host`, TAB, or `tobi hs.id` with fuzzy search. Unlike tmux, Tobi does not nest, and running it inside a Tobi session will replace the session with the target session.

Multiple viewers can join a single Tobi session, using the minimum terminal size. Tobi relies on tssh if present in the PATH; otherwise, it uses ssh. The tailscale binary is necessary for discovery, but Tobi functions without any additional requirements. A Nix flake is provided for easy installation using `nix profile add git+https://tangled.org/ptr.pet/tobi` or `nix-env -f . -i tobi`.

Alternatively, install it using `nix profile add -f .` or build from source with Go. If a target host lacks Tobi, it will automatically install itself or upgrade an outdated version upon installation. Supported OS/architectures include Linux amd64, arm64, and macOS arm64. The Charm UI, Tailscale, LLMS, and more were utilized during development; details on the extent of usage are left to the reader.

Written by urgent.news from Lobsters's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

Read the original at tangled.org →

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