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SSH Targets and Port Forwards

Targets represent the machines you want to connect to. While agents are the software running on a machine, a target is the record of that machine's connection details — its address, credentials, and how it fits into your topology.

Targets are the first step in setting up VibeControls. Once you have a target, you can install agents on it, open terminal connections to it, and create port forwards from it.

Target Types​

VibeControls supports several target types:

TypeDescription
DirectThe local machine running the agent. No additional connection setup needed.
SSHA remote machine accessible over SSH.
RDPA remote Windows machine accessible over RDP.
VNCA remote machine accessible over VNC.

Most developers will primarily use Direct and SSH targets.

Creating a Target​

From the Agents Page​

  1. Navigate to Agents in the sidebar
  2. Click the Targets tab
  3. Click New Target
  4. Choose the target type
  5. Fill in the connection details (hostname, port, username, key path or password)
  6. Click Save

Importing SSH Hosts​

If you already have an SSH config file on a connected agent, VibeControls can scan it and import your hosts as targets automatically.

  1. Open the Targets tab under Agents
  2. Click Import from SSH config
  3. Select the agent whose SSH config you want to scan
  4. Review the discovered hosts and select which ones to import
  5. Click Import Selected

This is the fastest way to get a large number of remote machines into VibeControls at once.

Managing SSH Connections​

Once you have an SSH target, you can open a browser-based terminal to it directly from the VibeControls UI — no separate SSH client required.

  1. Navigate to Agents → Targets
  2. Find the target you want to connect to
  3. Click Open Terminal

A terminal tab opens in your browser, connected to the remote machine through your agent's SSH plugin.

SSH Connection Settings​

For each SSH target you can configure:

  • Host — hostname or IP address
  • Port — defaults to 22
  • Username — the user to log in as
  • Authentication — SSH key (recommended) or password
  • Jump host — specify an SSH jump/bastion host if required
  • Keep-alive — how often to send keep-alive packets to maintain the connection

To update connection settings, open the target detail page and click Edit.

Installing an Agent on a Remote Target​

If a remote machine does not yet have a VibeControls agent, you can install one directly through the UI using an existing SSH connection.

  1. Open the target detail page
  2. Click Install Agent
  3. Follow the prompts — VibeControls will SSH into the machine, download the agent, and register it with your workspace
  4. Once installed, the new agent will appear in the Agents list

The remote agent auto-registers itself and, if you choose, automatically configures its gateway credentials so it can participate in platform integrations.

Port Forward Management​

Port forwards let you expose a port running on a target machine (through a connected agent) so you can reach it from your browser or share it with teammates.

Common uses:

  • Access a local web server running on a remote machine
  • Expose a database port for local inspection tools
  • Share a development preview URL with a colleague

Creating a Port Forward​

  1. Navigate to Agents, open an agent detail page
  2. Click the Tunnels tab (or go to Tunnels in the sidebar)
  3. Click New Port Forward
  4. Fill in:
  • Name — a label for this forward
  • Target port — the port on the remote machine to expose
  • Description (optional)
  1. Click Create

VibeControls will generate a tunnel URL you can use to reach the exposed port. See Port Forwarding for the full guide on tunnel URLs and sharing.

Viewing Active Port Forwards​

All active port forwards are listed under Tunnels in the sidebar. Each entry shows:

  • The tunnel name and target port
  • The generated URL
  • When it was created
  • Current status (active, paused, or error)

Deleting a Port Forward​

Open the port forward detail page and click Delete. The tunnel URL will stop working immediately.

Target Health and Connectivity​

The target detail page shows a connection status indicator. VibeControls regularly tests whether it can reach the target through the associated agent.

Status indicators:

  • Connected — the agent can reach this target
  • Unreachable — the last connectivity check failed
  • Unknown — no check has been run yet (usually just after creation)

If a target shows as unreachable, check:

  • The agent assigned to this target is online
  • The hostname/IP and port are correct
  • Any firewalls between the agent and the target allow the connection

Target Permissions​

Access to targets is controlled by your workspace role. See Roles and Permissions for details on who can create, edit, and delete targets.