Ferrix
Ferrix is a free terminal multiplexer for Linux and macOS, written in Rust and inspired by GNU Screen and tmux.
What Ferrix is
Ferrix is a free terminal multiplexer for Linux and macOS, written in Rust and inspired by GNU Screen and tmux. It lets users create, attach to, detach from, list, and end terminal sessions, then organize work across windows and split panes. Multiple clients can connect to the same session. Remote connections support TCP/TLS, SSH tunnels, and Mosh transport. For persistence and review, Ferrix offers session snapshots and compressed recording with replay; optional crash recovery autosaves every five minutes, but is experimental. The project also describes a hot-loaded WASM plugin system, with plugins listed among experimental build options. Configuration uses TOML, hot reload, and custom keybindings. Security features listed include TLS 1.3, bcrypt password hashing, rate limiting, role-based permissions, and read-only session locking. Builds are documented at 4.6 MB for a minimal configuration and 9.7 MB for a full one. Installation is currently documented from source or Cargo; Homebrew and crates.io options are marked as coming soon. The README recommends independent security validation for mission-critical deployments.
Good
- Multiple clients can attach to one session.
- Remote access supports TCP/TLS, SSH tunnels, and Mosh.
- Session recording includes compression and replay.
- TOML configuration supports hot reload and custom keybindings.
Watch out
- Crash recovery is marked experimental.
- Plugins are listed among experimental build options.
- Homebrew and crates.io installation are coming soon.
- Penetration testing remained on the pre-v1.0 work list.
Who it suits
Ferrix suits command-line users on Linux or macOS who want remote session access, snapshots, recording, and multiple windows or panes. Its documented experimental features may also interest users comfortable with unfinished capabilities.
Verdict
Ferrix combines session management, pane layouts, remote connections, and recording in a free terminal multiplexer. Its experimental features and stated need for independent security validation are worth considering before mission-critical use.
The facts
Each one read from Ferrix's own pages, with the date it was checked.
What it does
- Build options
- The README gives a 4.6 MB minimal build and a 9.7 MB full build, with feature flags for selecting capabilities.checked 3 Oct 2001
- Build sizes
- The documented minimal build is 4.6 MB and the full-feature build is 9.7 MB.checked 4 Oct 2001
- Configuration
- Ferrix uses TOML configuration and supports hot reload and customizable keybindings.checked 4 Oct 2001
- Installation
- The README says to install from source or Cargo for now and marks the Homebrew tap and crates.io installation as coming soon.checked 3 Oct 2001
- Install availability
- The README says Homebrew and crates.io installation were coming soon and documents building from source with Cargo.checked 4 Oct 2001
- Intended users
- The README recommends Ferrix for users seeking remote access, session snapshots, observability, and modern security features.checked 4 Oct 2001
- License
- Ferrix is dual-licensed under MIT or Apache-2.0.checked 4 Oct 2001
- Multi-client
- Multiple clients can attach to the same session simultaneously.checked 4 Oct 2001
- Plugins
- Its plugin architecture is WASM-based, and the README describes it as sandboxed.checked 4 Oct 2001
- Product
- Ferrix is a Rust terminal multiplexer inspired by GNU Screen and tmux.checked 3 Oct 2001
- Purpose
- Ferrix is a Rust terminal multiplexer inspired by GNU Screen and tmux.checked 4 Oct 2001
- Recording
- Ferrix can record and replay terminal sessions with compression.checked 3 Oct 2001
- Remote access
- Remote sessions support TCP/TLS, SSH tunnels, and Mosh transport.checked 4 Oct 2001
- Remote connections
- Remote sessions support TCP/TLS, with SSH tunnel and Mosh transport also listed.checked 3 Oct 2001
- Security
- The README lists TLS 1.3, bcrypt password hashing, configurable rate limiting, role-based permissions, and read-only session locking.checked 4 Oct 2001
- Security caveat
- The README says penetration testing remained on its pre-v1.0 work list and recommends independent validation for mission-critical deployments.checked 4 Oct 2001
- Session management
- It supports creating, attaching to, detaching from, listing, and terminating terminal sessions.checked 3 Oct 2001
- Session recovery
- Ferrix supports session snapshots and optional crash recovery that autosaves every five minutes; crash recovery is marked experimental.checked 3 Oct 2001
- Sessions and panes
- It supports creating, attaching to, detaching from, and managing sessions, windows, and split panes.checked 4 Oct 2001
- Snapshots and recording
- Ferrix offers session snapshots and compressed session recording with replay.checked 4 Oct 2001
- Support and community
- The README directs users to GitHub Issues for bug reports and GitHub Discussions for community discussion.checked 4 Oct 2001
Where it runs
- Windows and panes
- Users can split panes, navigate between them, manage layouts, and work across multiple windows.checked 3 Oct 2001
