Session Types

NyaTerm is not just an SSH client. It is a desktop app that puts multiple terminal workflows into one workspace. It currently supports four session types:

• SSH
• Local Terminal
• Telnet
• Serial

Understanding the differences helps explain why some panels or enhancements only appear for certain tabs.

At a glance

Session Type	Typical scenario	Key capabilities
SSH	Remote Linux / Unix administration	SFTP, OTP, resource monitoring, proxy, jump host, tunnels
Local Terminal	Local shell work, scripts, builds	Shared terminal UI, command history, split panes
Telnet	Legacy devices, lab environments, compatibility troubleshooting	Terminal workspace features, but not SSH-only features
Serial	Routers, switches, boards, embedded debug ports	Serial port settings plus terminal workspace features

SSH

SSH is the most capable session type in NyaTerm. It is the best fit when you need to:

• Log in to remote Linux / Unix hosts
• Browse and transfer remote files
• Use OTP, jump hosts, or proxies
• Watch remote resource statistics
• Configure port tunnels

If you need any of these, use SSH first:

• File explorer
• Auto-upload / round-trip editing
• Remote resource monitoring
• SSH tunnels in the Network panel

Local Terminal

Local Terminal is useful when you want your local shell workflow inside the same NyaTerm workspace, for example:

• Running frontend or Rust builds locally
• Running scripts, reading logs, or using Git
• Comparing local and remote output side by side

Its value is not remote access. Its value is that it shares the same workspace model as SSH sessions:

• Tabs
• Split panes
• Terminal search
• Command history and suggestions
• Optional line numbers, timestamps, and highlighting

When creating a local terminal, you can also choose:

• The shell path, such as powershell.exe, cmd.exe, bash, or wsl.exe
• The working directory

Telnet

Telnet is useful for:

• Maintaining older equipment
• Lab environments
• Compatibility scenarios where SSH is not available

You still get NyaTerm's terminal workspace model, but not SSH-specific security or file features. In practice, that usually means no:

• SFTP file explorer
• OTP binding
• SSH jump host
• SSH resource monitoring

If your goal is simply to open a traditional remote terminal quickly, Telnet can be the more direct choice.

Serial

Serial sessions are useful for connecting to:

• Network device console ports
• Routers and switches
• Development boards, embedded devices, and debug ports

When creating a serial session, you can configure:

• Port
• Baud rate
• Data bits
• Parity
• Stop bits

Serial sessions still live inside NyaTerm's tabbed and split workspace, so you can watch serial output in one pane while running commands in an SSH or local terminal pane.

How to choose

A simple rule of thumb:

• Need the full remote workflow? Use SSH
• Need a local shell? Use Local Terminal
• Need a traditional remote terminal? Use Telnet
• Need a device console or debug port? Use Serial

Mix them in one workspace

One of NyaTerm's strengths is that you can mix these session types in the same workspace, for example:

• SSH on the left to watch remote logs
• Local Terminal on the right to run packaging or Git commands
• A Serial tab open to watch device boot output

That is why some features are documented as session-specific. The workspace is shared, but the capability boundary still depends on the underlying session type.

Screenshot suggestion

• Suggested image path: /img/docs/session-types/new-session-tabs.png
• Show the SSH / Local Terminal / Telnet / Serial tabs in the new-session window
• Keeping the default field areas visible helps readers understand the differences