The idea that started Zync

An SSH client handles access to real infrastructure. The keys and credentials you give it may unlock a personal server, a staging environment or a production system. Where that information lives matters.

I started building Zync because I wanted the convenience of a modern SSH client with a different starting point: users should control their credentials and workspace data, without needing a provider-hosted database for ordinary SSH work.

That is the reason behind the local-first approach. Work on your device. Choose encrypted credential storage when you need it. If you want Google Drive backup, encrypt the selected data locally before uploading it to your own account.

Start with control over your data

A useful SSH client needs to be convenient, but convenience should not make the location of your credentials difficult to understand.

In Zync, existing private-key files can remain on your device. The optional Local Vault provides encrypted storage for credentials you assign to it. Saved hosts, settings and workspace state are local. Using those core features does not require a Zync account.

These are separate choices. A local key does not require Vault, and the Local Vault does not require Google Drive.

Local-first is not a claim that every feature stays offline. Usage analytics are enabled by default and can be disabled in Settings; they exclude commands, credentials, vault contents and terminal output. Optional cloud AI, plugins and Public URLs have their own network boundaries. The security guide explains those distinctions.

Keep the connection and its work together

Data ownership was the starting point. The next question was how to make the everyday work around a connection easier.

You open a terminal to inspect a service, browse a configuration file, then start a tunnel to reach an internal web interface. Moving between unrelated tools means repeatedly checking which host, directory and environment each one belongs to.

In Zync, you can run commands in a terminal, browse remote files over SFTP, and manage port forwarding from the same application. A host dashboard gives you another view of the machine. Local terminals are available too, so your work does not have to begin with a remote connection.

For a staging deployment, you can inspect the application directory and reach its internal web interface while keeping the host in view. You should spend less effort finding your session and more effort understanding the system.

Use the setup you already have

Many developers already maintain SSH configuration files and private keys. Zync supports existing key files and importing supported host entries, so adopting it does not require starting over. You can organize connections with readable names and folders. See the connection guide for authentication and import options.

The terminal remains a terminal. Your shell, command-line tools and remote programs still do the work. A desktop interface should help you reach them, not demand that you replace them.

Make backup optional rather than a requirement

Moving between machines is a real need. Keeping data local should not mean giving up every way to carry your setup with you.

Zync’s optional Google Drive backup encrypts selected data before upload to your own account. You choose when to upload or restore it. Review the selected data and credential setup rather than assuming that every local key file is included. The backup guide explains that workflow.

The discussion also explored a backend that teams could host themselves. That is a future direction, not a feature of the current desktop app. It should not be confused with the Google Drive workflow available today.

Help shape what comes next

Useful feedback describes the task, not just the missing control. Tell us what you were trying to do, what interrupted you and what you expected instead.

You can send feedback from Settings or open an issue. Please remove credentials and private infrastructure details from screenshots and recordings.

If this sounds like your daily workflow, try Zync. Start with one familiar host. Open its terminal and files, and see whether keeping that context together makes the next task easier.