General
What is CH-J Tools?
CH-J Tools is a desktop application for managing servers primarily over SSH. It provides server profiles, an interactive terminal, SFTP file management, monitoring, and an extensible system of installable plugins.
Is CH-J Tools free?
Yes. CH-J Tools is currently distributed free of charge.
Is CH-J Tools open source?
The current edition uses the CH-J Proprietary Software License 1.14. It permits free commercial and non-commercial use under its terms, but does not grant general permission to modify, create development forks or publicly redistribute the software. Full terms, exceptions and third-party licenses are on the License page.
Open licensing information →Which operating systems are supported?
The current Beta 0.1.2 targets Windows 11 x64, macOS on Apple Silicon (ARM64), and Ubuntu 24.04 LTS x64. Installation has been tested on all three systems; the macOS package is signed with an Apple Developer ID Application certificate and notarized by Apple. The Linux version uses a DEB package. Ubuntu 24.04 LTS is the primary test platform; the author has also tested both Alpha and Beta on Zorin OS.
Open documentation →Where can I report bugs or request features?
Share bugs and suggestions on the Community page. Source code is available in this website’s code browser; GitHub contains the public project README.
Open the community →Is CH-J Tools ready for production use?
Not yet. The application is an actively developed Beta 0.1.2 intended for testing. The update-host CA verification exception remains, the Windows installer is not signed with a publisher certificate, and some features are missing. Detached OpenPGP signatures for application updates are mandatory.
Installation
Where can I find installation instructions?
Detailed guides for Windows 11 x64, macOS on Apple Silicon, and Ubuntu 24.04 LTS x64 / Zorin OS are available in the matching language version of the Wiki. They cover requirements, installation steps, first launch, and current platform-specific notices.
Open installation guides →Why does Windows SmartScreen warn about the application?
The Beta 0.1.2 installer for Windows is not yet signed with a trusted publisher certificate and has not built SmartScreen reputation. Continue only with a file downloaded from this website and compare its published SHA-512 checksum before running it.
Open documentation →Why does macOS block the application?
Beta 0.1.2 for macOS is signed with an Apple Developer ID Application certificate and notarized by Apple. Gatekeeper therefore does not block it on first opening and only displays the usual warning for an application downloaded from the internet. Older Beta 0.1.0 and Alpha 0.1.1 are not notarized.
Open documentation →Security
Where are SSH passwords and private keys stored?
Stored SSH passwords, server profiles, and known host keys are held in the local vault protected with scrypt and AES-256-GCM; the master password is not stored. For key authentication, the profile stores the path to the selected private key and Core reads that file locally without copying its contents into the vault.
Does CH-J Tools send my SSH credentials to CH-J servers?
No. When making an SSH connection, Core passes credentials directly to the SSH server configured in the profile. The CH-J distribution server provides the update and plugin catalogue and package downloads; it is not an intermediary for SSH authentication.
Can I use SSH keys instead of passwords?
Yes. A server profile supports authentication with either a password or a private SSH key. Select a local private-key file rather than the public .pub file; an encrypted key can use the passphrase you enter.
Updates
How are application updates delivered?
Core reads an HTTPS catalogue of compatible releases, and the app and plugins each have a separate Alpha, Beta, or Stable channel choice. Core checks the expected size and SHA-512 before using a package. Alpha contains the newest test builds, Beta contains more complete builds for broader testing, and Stable contains verified releases for normal use. Application updates also require a valid detached OpenPGP signature. License acceptance is required again for every new build.
Open releases and checksums →How can I verify a downloaded file?
Download the .asc file and copy the complete SHA-512 from the release details. Verify the CH-J public key and signature using gpg --verify, then compare the downloaded file’s SHA-512. See Updates and signatures for the full guide.
Open documentation →Plugins
What are plugins?
Plugins are separately installable tools that extend the small Core without modifying it. Currently published tools include System Monitor, File Manager, Key Generator, Log Viewer, Users, and NGINX Manager.
Are plugins sandboxed?
Yes. Plugin windows run in the Electron sandbox without Node integration, and Core exposes only capabilities declared by the verified manifest. Plugins have no general access to Node.js, the local disk, the network, or an unrestricted remote shell; the sandbox is still not an absolute security guarantee for untrusted code.