OrbitHub brings remote connection profiles and sessions into one native desktop app. Built with C++17 and Qt 6 Widgets, it targets Linux, Windows, and macOS.

What It Does

  • Organizes connection profiles in SQLite with search, sorting, tags, and nested folders.
  • Supports drag-and-drop moves between folders and list or folder views.
  • Opens sessions in tabs with automatic connection, session state indicators, and disconnect on close.
  • Provides an embedded SSH terminal with themes, password and private-key authentication, and known-hosts policies.
  • Embeds RDP sessions with keyboard and mouse input, resizing, domain authentication, and security and performance options.
  • Includes a timestamped event log with filtering and export.

Passwords are requested when connecting and are not stored in the profile database.

Development Status

OrbitHub is in active development, with packaging and distribution the current focus. Integrated SSH and RDP workflows are implemented; VNC implementation is deferred.

The repository includes platform build instructions and Linux packaging scripts for Debian packages and an optional Flatpak bundle. See the progress tracker for milestone details.

Repository metadata and release assets are refreshed from Gitea during the static site build when the build environment has access to the repository.

Repository README

OrbitHub is a cross-platform native desktop app for managing and launching remote sessions from one place.

It is implemented in C++17 with Qt6 Widgets and built with CMake.

Supported target platforms:

  • Windows
  • Linux
  • macOS

Current Status

OrbitHub is in active development.

  • Milestones completed: M0-M5, and M7-M9
  • Current milestone: Milestone 10 (v1.0 Stabilization)
  • Deferred milestone: Milestone 6 (VNC Fully Working)
  • Latest checkpoint tag: v2026.9.14.2
  • VNC implementation milestone (M6) is currently deferred

Progress and milestone details:

Latest release (installers for Windows, Linux, and macOS):

User Guide:

  • docs/USER_GUIDE.md (also available as a PDF attached to each release, and in-app via Help -> User Guide)

Screenshots

Profile list with folders

Profiles organized into folders, with protocol, host, and tags shown at a glance. (Sample data shown; not real hosts.)

Active SSH terminal session

An interactive SSH terminal session in a tab, with the event log below.

Active RDP session

An embedded RDP session in a tab.

Implemented Features

Profile Management

  • SQLite-backed profile storage
  • Create, edit, delete profiles
  • Protocol-aware profile validation (SSH/RDP/VNC)
  • Profile search and sorting
  • Tags support
  • Folder/subfolder support
  • List and Folders profile views
  • Right-click profile tree actions:
    • New Folder
    • New Connection
  • Drag-and-drop profile moves between folders with persistence

Session Experience

  • Multi-tab session window
  • Auto-connect on tab open
  • Disconnect on tab close
  • Session state indicators on tabs
  • Timestamped event log with filtering and export

SSH

  • Embedded interactive terminal (in-app typing)
  • Theme support (Dark, Light, Solarized Dark)
  • Password and private-key auth flows
  • Known-hosts policy support

RDP

  • Embedded in-window RDP rendering surface (no external launcher)
  • Keyboard/mouse input forwarding
  • Resize handling and resolution renegotiation
  • Domain-aware authentication support
  • RDP security/performance profile options

App UX

  • App icon and themed About dialog
  • File menu:
    • New Profile
    • New Folder
    • Quit
  • Help menu:
    • About OrbitHub

Build and Run

Detailed platform instructions:

Quick start (Linux/macOS with Ninja):

cmake -S . -B build -G Ninja
cmake --build build
./build/orbithub

Packaging

Detailed packaging instructions for all platforms:

Linux (.deb):

./packaging/linux/build-deb.sh

Linux (Flatpak):

./packaging/flatpak/build-flatpak.sh

Windows (Inno Setup installer):

.\packaging\windows\build-installer.ps1

macOS (.dmg):

./packaging/macos/build-dmg.sh

Dependencies

Core dependencies:

  • Qt 6 (Widgets, SQL)
  • CMake 3.21+
  • C++17 toolchain

Protocol/runtime dependencies:

  • SSH client (ssh) available on PATH for SSH sessions

Bundled/vendored third-party components:

  • KodoTerm
  • libvterm
  • FreeRDP/WinPR

Licensing

Project license:

License links:

Important third-party license notes:

  • Qt6 is dynamically linked in this project build setup.
  • Qt6 is used under LGPLv3 terms in this project build setup.
  • KodoTerm and libvterm are MIT-licensed.
  • FreeRDP/WinPR is Apache-2.0 licensed.

Repository license files:

See in-app Help -> About OrbitHub for license links and third-party inventory.

Repository Structure

  • src/ - application source code
  • docs/ - build guide, spec, and progress tracking
  • third_party/ - vendored third-party dependencies
  • build/ - local build output (generated)

Notes

  • Passwords are requested at connect time and are not stored in the profile database.
  • This repository currently prioritizes integrated SSH and RDP workflows while VNC implementation is pending.