diri- How to add a server and start an agent on it
- What diri installs there, and what it does not
- What happens when the connection drops
1Before you start
You need a server you can already reach with ssh, a project folder on it, and an agent installed and signed in there. diri uses your normal SSH setup, including aliases from ~/.ssh/config, and never copies your local agent logins to the server.
Supported servers: Linux on x86_64 or arm64, and Macs with Apple silicon.
ssh devboxIf that works in Terminal, diri can use it too.
2Add the server
- Open Settings → Remote and click Add Host.
- Enter the SSH destination, for example
devboxor[email protected], and click Save Host.
diri connects, checks the platform, uploads and verifies a small helper program, and tests whether sessions can survive a disconnect. It needs no tmux, no sudo and nothing preinstalled.
3Start a remote session
Open New Agent, click the folder row, and pick your server under Machine. Then choose a folder on it with Browse, pick an agent, and start.
The agent runs on the server. Its row in the sidebar works exactly like a local one.
4Check what survives a disconnect
A working connection does not mean the server keeps processes alive after you disconnect. diri tells you what it found:
- native detach
- Sessions keep running on their own after you disconnect.
- user supervisor
- diri uses a supervisor your account already has to keep them running.
- non-persistent
- The server may stop the session when the connection closes. Stay connected, or use a different server.
No mode survives the server itself restarting.
5Reconnect after a drop
On a server that keeps sessions alive, a dropped connection is harmless. When diri reconnects, it reattaches to the same session and redraws its screen. Do not start a duplicate agent just because the connection blinked.
Try it with a small throwaway task before you rely on it for long work.