Devzat – Chat over SSH, with some nice quality-of-life features (github.com)

Article summary

Devzat is a custom SSH server that allows users to connect to a chat instead of a shell prompt, providing features like rooms, markdown support, and direct messages. It can be accessed from any device with an SSH app and has a Slack bridge for integration. The project is open-source and has a plugin API for custom integrations. Devzat can be self-hosted, and its creator provides documentation for setting up an instance.

Main themes

• SSH-based chat
• Custom server implementation
• Security considerations
• Open-source development
• Self-hosting
• Plugin API

What commenters say

• Using SSH for chat is a viable and secure option, given its maturity in processing text.
• There are potential security concerns with using SSH for chat, such as escape codes and metadata exposure.
• Implementing a public key infrastructure (PKI) with SSH is possible but not widely adopted due to usability and deployment issues.
• Some commenters prefer using established and vetted technologies like OpenSSH and LibreSSL for security reasons.
• Others suggest that using a custom SSH stack, like the one used in Devzat, can be a viable alternative to traditional SSH implementations.
• The use of SSH for chat raises concerns about privacy, such as the potential for server owners to know which public SSH key is being used.
• Some commenters appreciate the simplicity and flexibility of using SSH for chat, citing examples of existing projects like ssh-chat.
• The security of SSH-based chat systems depends on proper configuration and precautions, such as disabling SSH forwarding and using secure protocols.