SSHFS GUI

A complete graphical interface for SSHFS with advanced authentication and configuration options

Overview

SSHFS GUI is a comprehensive Python-based graphical interface for mounting remote filesystems via SSHFS. It provides an intuitive way to connect to remote servers using either password or public key authentication, with advanced configuration options and persistent connection management.

I vibed this with Claude 4 Sonnett (and then revised it a little) for my convenience because I tried to use a similar GUI on Github that was missing options I use. Note that you can easily use third-party Python packages to build a native .exe or .app of this. Alternatively, ask an AI tool how to make shortcut to it using the cool icon in the img folder.

Features

🔐 Flexible Authentication

• Password-based authentication with show/hide toggle
• Public key authentication with file browser
• Automatic detection of default SSH keys (~/.ssh/id_rsa)

📁 Directory Management

• Easy remote and local directory selection
• Automatic local directory creation
• Configurable mount points

⚙️ Advanced Options

• Connection mode selection (passive/active)
• Auto-reconnect functionality
• allow_other option for Finder/application access
• Custom SSHFS options support
• Server keepalive configuration

💾 Configuration Management

• Save and load recent server configurations
• Persistent settings across sessions
• Quick access to frequently used connections

🔧 Connection Tools

• Built-in SSH connection testing
• Real-time status logging
• Easy mount/unmount operations
• Comprehensive error handling

Requirements

• Python 3.6+
• tkinter (usually included with Python)
• sshfs installed on your system
• SSH client (ssh command)

Installing SSHFS

macOS (as of v15.5):

I don't recommend installing sshfs through Homebrew, because I believe it depends on libfuse or some related Linux library.

Rather, install BOTH MacFUSE AND SSHFS from here: https://macfuse.github.io/

Note that you have to change your device's security settings and enable the MacFuse kernel extension following these instructions: https://github.com/macfuse/macfuse/wiki/Getting-Started

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install sshfs

CentOS/RHEL:

sudo yum install sshfs

Installation

1. Clone or download the repository
2. Ensure Python 3 and required dependencies are installed

Usage

Basic Usage

python3 sshfs_gui.py

Authentication Methods

Password Authentication:

1. Select "Password" authentication method
2. Enter your server credentials
3. Provide your password when prompted

Public Key Authentication:

1. Select "Public Key" authentication method
2. Browse to your private key file (or use default ~/.ssh/id_rsa)
3. Ensure your public key is installed on the remote server

Mounting Filesystems

1. Configure Connection: Enter server details and authentication info
2. Set Directories: Specify remote path and local mount point
3. Test Connection (optional): Verify SSH connectivity
4. Mount: Click "Mount" to establish the filesystem connection
5. Save Configuration: Store settings for future use

Advanced Options

• Allow Other Users: Enable -o allow_other for Finder/application access
• Additional Options: Add custom SSHFS parameters
• Auto-reconnect: Maintain connection stability
• Connection Mode: Configure passive/active mode

Configuration

Configurations are automatically saved to ~/.sshfs_gui_config.json and include:

• Server connection details
• Authentication preferences
• Directory mappings
• Advanced options

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Empty window when running as executable:

• Run directly with python3 sshfs_gui.py instead
• Check that all dependencies are properly bundled

Permission denied with allow_other:

• Ensure user_allow_other is enabled in /etc/fuse.conf
• Add the line user_allow_other to the file if missing

Connection timeouts:

• Verify SSH connectivity: ssh username@server
• Check firewall settings and network connectivity
• Use "Test Connection" feature to diagnose issues

Mount point already in use:

• Unmount existing filesystem: fusermount -u /path/to/mount
• Or use the "Unmount" button in the GUI

Development

The application is built with Python's tkinter for cross-platform compatibility and uses subprocess calls to execute SSHFS commands. Key components:

• GUI Framework: tkinter with ttk styling
• Configuration: JSON-based settings persistence
• Process Management: subprocess for SSHFS execution
• Threading: Non-blocking connection tests

Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please feel free to submit issues, feature requests, or pull requests.

License

This project is open source. Feel free to use, modify, and distribute according to your needs.