VVTerm

VVTerm is an open-source SSH terminal app built by Vivy Technologies Co., Limited for Apple platforms — iPhone, iPad, and Mac. The source code is licensed under GPL-3.0 and available on GitHub, while App Store binaries are distributed under a custom EULA. It targets iOS 16.1+ and macOS 13.3+ on Apple Silicon hardware only.

What It Is

VVTerm is a native SSH terminal client designed specifically for the Apple ecosystem. Rather than porting a cross-platform tool, it is built from the ground up with SwiftUI and AppKit to feel at home on each Apple device. It handles server connections, credential management, remote file browsing, and iCloud-based sync in a single app, without requiring separate SFTP clients or credential managers.

Core Technical Architecture

VVTerm uses a feature-first Swift codebase organized under App, Core, and Features directories. Key technical dependencies include:

• libghostty (from the Ghostty project) for GPU-accelerated terminal rendering
• libssh2 + OpenSSL for SSH transport and cryptography
• CloudKit for server metadata sync across devices
• Apple Keychain for local credential storage
• mlx-swift for on-device voice-to-command with MLX model management and Apple Speech fallback

The app supports multi-session management with tabs, split panes, reconnect handling, and persisted session state. It also includes tmux-aware startup, attach, install, and recovery flows.

Connection Modes and Transport Options

VVTerm goes beyond standard SSH to support modern connection transports without requiring separate tools:

• Standard SSH with password, SSH key, and SSH key + passphrase authentication
• Mosh for mobile-friendly connections
• Tailscale SSH for private network access
• Cloudflare Tunnel SSH (Cloudflare Access) for zero-trust connections

Local network SSH discovery is also available via Bonjour and subnet probing.

Built-in SFTP File Browser

A full SFTP file browser is included for both iOS and macOS, covering:

• Directory browsing with breadcrumbs, sorting, and hidden-file toggles
• File preview for text, image, and video files inline
• Upload, download, export/share, rename, move, delete, and new folder operations
• POSIX permission editing and remote-file conflict resolution

This eliminates the need for a separate SFTP client when managing remote files from an Apple device.

Apple-Specific Features

VVTerm leans into Apple platform capabilities throughout:

• iCloud sync for server configurations and terminal theme preferences, with credentials staying in Keychain
• Full-app lock and per-server biometric unlock
• iOS keyboard accessory bar with Esc, Tab, Ctrl, and arrow keys
• iOS Live Activity status for active terminal connections
• Privacy-mode support
• Voice-to-command pipeline using on-device MLX models with Apple Speech fallback
• Remote server stats with live CPU and memory history

Open-Source Licensing Model

VVTerm uses a dual-license model. Source code in the repository is licensed under GNU GPL v3.0, making it freely available to build, modify, and redistribute under those terms. Official App Store binaries are distributed under VVTerm's custom App Store EULA. The GitHub repository had 329 stars and 31 forks as of its last recorded metadata, with active development continuing through mid-2026.