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Getting Started with Hej Shell

Welcome to Hej Shell! This guide will help you get started with managing your SSH connections securely.

1. Create Your Account

Start by creating a free Hej Shell account. You can sign up using.

  • Email & Password: Traditional registration with end-to-end encryption
  • Google Account: Quick sign-up with your Google account
  • Kakao Account: Sign up with your Kakao account (for Korean users)

What is a Vault?

A vault is an encrypted storage for sensitive information like SSH passwords and private keys. It's protected by your vault password with end-to-end encryption - even Hej Shell servers cannot access its contents.

What is a Recovery Key?

A recovery key is a 24-word backup phrase that allows you to recover your data if you forget your vault password. It's only shown once during vault setup, so make sure to save it in a secure location.

💡 Pro Tip

After signing up and setting your vault password, Hej Shell automatically generates a Recovery Key. Save this key securely - it's the only way to recover your data if you forget your vault password!

2. Download the Desktop App

HejShell is available as a native desktop application for.

  • macOS: Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3) and Intel
  • Windows: Intel supported
  • Linux: AppImage, .deb supported

Download the latest version from our download page.

3. Create Your First SSH Connection

1Create a Project

Projects help you organize your connections. Think of them as folders for different environments or clients.

  1. Open HejShell and click the + button in the sidebar
  2. Select "New Project"
  3. Enter a name (e.g., "Personal Servers", "Work Servers")
  4. Click Create

2Add a Folder (Optional)

Folders let you organize connections within a project.

  1. Right-click on your project
  2. Select "New Folder"
  3. Enter a folder name (e.g., "Production", "Development")

3Add an SSH Connection

  1. Right-click on a project or folder
  2. Select "New Connection"
  3. Fill in the connection details.
  • •Name: A friendly name for your connection
  • •Host: The server address (e.g., example.com or 192.168.1.100)
  • •Port: SSH port (default: 22)
  • •Username: Your SSH username

•Authentication:

  • •Password: Enter your password (encrypted)
  • •SSH Key: Select a private key from your key manager

4. Click Save

⚠️ Security Note

All credentials (passwords and private keys) are encrypted with end-to-end encryption. Not even HejShell servers can access your credentials.

4Connect to Your Server

  1. Click on your connection in the sidebar
  2. HejShell will automatically establish the SSH connection
  3. You're now connected! Start typing commands in the terminal.

4. Managing SSH Keys

HejShell includes a built-in SSH key manager for secure key storage.

Generate a New SSH Key

  1. Go to Settings → SSH Keys
  2. Click "Generate New Key"

3. Choose the following.

  • •Key Type: RSA, ED25519, or ECDSA (recommended: ED25519)
  • •Key Size: 4096 bits for RSA
  • •Passphrase: Optional but recommended
  1. Click Generate
  2. Copy the public key and add it to your server's ~/.ssh/authorized_keys

Import an Existing SSH Key

  1. Go to Settings → SSH Keys
  2. Click "Import Key"
  3. Select your private key file (e.g., id_rsa, id_ed25519)
  4. Enter the passphrase if your key is encrypted
  5. Click Import

5. Next Steps

Now that you're set up, explore more features.

Need help?

If you're having trouble getting started, check out our troubleshooting guide

Getting Started Guide | Hej Shell