FAQ
Quick answers on platforms, SSH, security and updates.
The basics
Is Quay Term free?
Yes. Quay Term is free to download and use. It is licensed under GPL-3.0-only.
Which systems does it run on?
macOS on Apple silicon or Intel, Windows x64, and Linux x64 (AppImage, .deb or .rpm). There are no Windows or Linux builds for ARM. On Windows, local PowerShell and cmd tabs work as plain terminals but do not get command marks yet. See the system requirements.
What can it connect to?
Remote hosts over SSH and SFTP, with jump hosts and port forwards, plus local terminals on your own machine. Serial, Telnet, RDP and VNC are not supported.
SSH and files
Does it use my existing SSH setup?
Yes. It can import hosts, ProxyJump and forwards from ~/.ssh/config, sign in with your private keys, and check hosts against your OpenSSH known_hosts file.
Which sign-in methods does it support?
Password, private key, ssh-agent and keyboard-interactive, which covers one-time codes and second factors. ssh-agent on Windows is not verified yet.
Can I transfer files without signing in again?
Yes. The SFTP browser uses the same login as the terminal tab. You can browse, upload, download, rename, delete and make folders, drop files onto the panel to upload, and follow or cancel transfers in a queue.
Can I move my sessions to another computer?
Yes. Export your sessions, secrets and snippets to one encrypted file, then import it on the other computer. Secrets are included only if you choose. See how exports are encrypted.
Security and privacy
Where are my passwords and key passphrases stored?
In the operating system keychain. On a machine with no keychain (for example a headless Linux box) they go in a file sealed with a master password. They are not stored in the saved-sessions database, which does keep host names, users and key paths unencrypted. See how secrets are handled.
What happens if a server's host key changes?
Quay Term refuses the connection. For a host it has not seen before, it shows the fingerprint and asks whether to trust it. The check runs at every jump host. See how host keys are checked.
Does Quay Term phone home?
No. It has no telemetry, analytics or crash reporting. The one network request the app makes by itself is the update check against GitHub Releases, a few seconds after launch; you can turn it off in Settings > Terminal, and nothing is downloaded until you click Install. This website is separate, and uses analytics only if you accept. See the privacy page.
Install and updates
Why does my OS warn me when I open the installer?
The installers are not code-signed or notarized yet. macOS builds are ad-hoc signed only, and Windows builds have no certificate, so Gatekeeper and SmartScreen show a warning on first launch. See how to open it.
How do I check a download is genuine?
Compare its SHA-256 with the value listed next to the file on the download page. See how to verify a download.
How do updates work?
Settings > About > Check for updates, then Install and restart. Updates come from GitHub Releases and are verified against a public key built into the app; the app refuses anything that does not match. Versions before 0.2.1 need one manual install first. See how updates are signed.
Still have a question? Ask us on GitHub.