·8 min read

From Hobby Project to Professional Tool: The FoxTerm Story

FoxTerm started as a weekend project to solve a personal frustration. Today, it's a professional SSH client used by developers worldwide. Here's how we got here.

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Every great product starts with a problem. For FoxTerm, that problem was simple: existing SSH clients weren't good enough.

The Frustration

Like many developers, we spent hours every day SSH-ing into servers. We tried dozens of clients:

  • Terminal.app — Too basic, no tabs, limited customization
  • iTerm2 — Powerful but bloated, slow startup, Electron-like resource usage
  • Tabby — Web-based, sluggish, frequent crashes
  • Warp — Interesting AI features, but heavy and proprietary
  • Electron-based clients — Slow, memory-hungry, disconnected from the OS

None felt right. They were either too simple (missing features we needed) or too complex (buried under layers of abstraction).

The Decision

In early 2024, we made a decision: build our own SSH client. Not as a business plan, but as a craft project. We wanted something that:

  • Felt native on macOS and iOS
  • Was fast and responsive
  • Respected our privacy
  • Looked beautiful
  • Actually enjoyed using

The Architecture

We started with a blank slate and clear principles:

1. Native First

Swift and SwiftUI for UI. No Electron, no WebView, no cross-platform abstractions. If it runs on Apple platforms, it should feel like an Apple app.

2. Modular Design

Instead of a monolithic codebase, we organized features into modules: SSH, VNC, SFTP, Terminal, Crypto, etc. Each module has a single responsibility and clear boundaries.

3. Best-of-Breed Dependencies

We didn't reinvent everything:

  • Ghostty for terminal emulation (GPU-accelerated)
  • libssh for SSH protocol
  • libvncclient for VNC
  • OpenSSL for cryptography

But we wrapped them carefully, adding our own optimizations and security layers.

4. Security by Default

Secure Enclave support for SSH keys. App Sandbox containment. Zero telemetry. These aren't afterthoughts — they're foundational.

The Development Process

Phase 1: Core SSH (Months 1-3)

Basic SSH terminal with:

  • Password and key authentication
  • PTY allocation
  • Basic terminal rendering

We used Ghostty early, which saved months of terminal emulation work.

Phase 2: SFTP & File Management (Months 4-6)

Added:

  • SFTP file browser
  • Drag-and-drop upload/download
  • Remote file editing

This transformed FoxTerm from a terminal into a workflow tool.

Phase 3: VNC Remote Desktop (Months 7-9)

Integrated libvncclient with:

  • SSH tunneling
  • Touch gestures for iOS
  • Performance optimizations

Now FoxTerm could handle graphical remote access.

Phase 4: Docker/Podman UI (Months 10-12)

Added container management:

  • Visual container list
  • Compose stack deployment
  • Real-time monitoring

This was the feature that surprised users most — an SSH client managing containers?

Phase 5: Polish & Launch (Months 13-15)

Refined the UI, added themes, improved performance, and prepared for launch.

The Launch

We launched on the Mac App Store in mid-2025 with:

  • macOS 14.0+ support
  • iOS/iPadOS 17.0+ support
  • Free core features
  • Pro upgrade for advanced features

Response was overwhelming. Within weeks, we had thousands of users and hundreds of reviews.

What Users Said

"Finally, an SSH client that doesn't feel like it was built in 2005."

"The VNC integration is genius. I manage headless servers visually now."

"Zero telemetry? In 2025? This is the app I've been waiting for."

"Docker management over SSH is a game-changer. No more CLI gymnastics."

The Business Model

FoxTerm is free for core features:

  • SSH terminal
  • SFTP file manager
  • Basic VNC
  • Port forwarding

Pro features ($9.99/year or $29.99 lifetime):

  • Advanced VNC (JPEG compression, certificate auth)
  • Docker/Podman UI
  • System monitoring
  • Priority support

We chose affordable pricing because we believe professional tools should be accessible.

What's Next

The roadmap includes:

  • SSH certificates — Enterprise-scale key management
  • Team sharing — Share connections securely
  • Custom themes — User-created theme marketplace
  • Plugin system — Extend FoxTerm with custom features
  • Linux support — Yes, really (via Flatpak)

The Philosophy

FoxTerm isn't trying to be everything to everyone. It's a tool for developers who care about:

  • Craftsmanship — Well-built software that respects your time
  • Privacy — No surveillance, no data collection
  • Performance — Fast, responsive, efficient
  • Beauty — Tools should be pleasant to use

We're not a venture-backed startup chasing growth. We're craftspeople building tools we want to use ourselves.

Join Us

FoxTerm is available on the Mac App Store for macOS, iPadOS, and iOS. Try it free, upgrade if you love it.

And if you have ideas, bug reports, or just want to say hi — we're listening. Email us at support@foxterm.app or find us on GitHub.

Thanks for being part of the journey.

Download FoxTerm at foxterm.app.