Electerm is a free, open-source, cross-platform terminal emulator and SSH/SFTP/FTP client for Windows, macOS, and Linux. Manage servers, transfer files, and sync configs seamlessly.
🔍 What is Electerm?
Electerm is a free, open-source, cross-platform (Windows, macOS, and Linux) terminal emulator and SSH/SFTP/FTP client that integrates a file manager. It lets users handle remote server management and file transfers within a single interface. Featuring a modern UI, it supports multiple authentication methods, bookmarks, synced connection info, and protocols including SFTP, Telnet, RDP, and VNC.
It goes beyond a basic SSH client by integrating:
- 📂 File transfer.
- 🗂️ Multi-tab management.
- 🔄 Session persistence.
Most remote management tasks can be completed within a single application.
As an open-source project, Electerm has gained significant traction on GitHub. With an active community and continuously improving features, it's ideal for developers and system administrators looking to boost productivity.
🎯 Core Features
🔌 Comprehensive Protocol Support
- SSH / Telnet / Serial port.
- SFTP / FTP file transfer.
- RDP / VNC remote desktop.
📁 Efficient File Management
- Drag-and-drop upload/download.
- Double-click to edit remote files directly.
- Visual file operations.
🗂️ Multi-Tab and Session Management
- Multi-tab terminal sessions.
- Session persistence with quick reconnect.
- Global hotkeys (default
Ctrl+2to show/hide the window).
🎨 Personalization and Customization
- Multiple theme color schemes.
- Background image & transparency adjustment.
- Custom syntax highlighting rules.
⚙️ Advanced Features
- Multiple authentication methods including password and public key.
- Zmodem / Trzsz file transfer support.
- SSH tunneling and proxy configuration.
- Data sync to GitHub/Gitee Gist.
- Quick commands.
📊 Terminal Tool Comparison
| Feature | Electerm | Xshell | Termius | PuTTY |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🖥️ Cross-platform | ✅ Windows/Mac/Linux | ❌ Windows only | ✅ Windows/Mac/Linux/iOS/Android | ❌ Windows only |
| 📂 Graphical SFTP | ✅ Built-in transfer | ✅ Supported | ✅ Supported | ❌ None |
| 💾 Session Management | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| 🎨 Graphical UI | ✅ Modern UI | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ Basic interface |
| 🆓 Open-source & Free | ✅ Fully open-source | ❌ Commercial | △ Basic free, paid Pro | ✅ Free |
| 🎭 Theme Customization | ✅ Multiple themes | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| 🔄 Data Sync | ✅ Cloud sync config | ❌ | ✅ Cloud sync (paid Pro) | ❌ |
| 🌐 Multi-language | ✅ Chinese & more | △ Partial | △ Partial | △ Partial |
📌 Summary Recommendations:
- Electerm: Open-source, free, cross-platform with SFTP and multi-language support — perfect for developers and ops engineers.
- Xshell: Powerful professional features, but Windows-only and commercial.
- Termius: Great mobile experience for cross-device use, but Pro features require payment.
- PuTTY: Lightweight classic, free with no ads, but minimal features — suits minimalist needs.
💡 Tips and Best Practices
⚡ Efficient Session Management
- Use bookmarks to save frequent connections.
- Group by project or environment.
- Leverage global hotkeys for efficiency.
🚀 Advanced File Operations
- Double-click remote files to edit directly.
- Simplify transfers with drag-and-drop.
- Use Zmodem/Trzsz for large file transfers.
🎭 Personalization
`# Example: Regex to highlight IP addresses
\b(?<!\.)(?:\d{1,3}\.){3}\d{1,3}(?!\.\d)`🔄 Data Sync and Backup
- Use the Gist sync feature.
- Export configurations regularly.
- Share configurations across multiple devices.
⌨️ Efficient Command Operations
- Use the quick commands feature.
- Batch-send commands to multiple terminals.
- Customize command shortcuts.
📥 Download and Installation
🪟 Windows
`# Install via winget
winget install electerm
# Install via scoop
scoop bucket add dorado https://github.com/chawyehsu/dorado
scoop install dorado/electerm`🍎 macOS
`brew install --cask electerm`🐧 Linux
`# Snap install
sudo snap install electerm --classic
# Or install via tar.gz
wget https://github.com/electerm/electerm/releases/download/v1.25.40/electerm-1.25.40-linux-x64.tar.gz
tar -xzf electerm-*.tar.gz
./electerm/electerm`📦 NPM
`npm i -g electerm`🔧 Build from Source
`git clone [email protected]:electerm/electerm.git
cd electerm
npm i
npm start`✅ Conclusion
Electerm is:
- 🌍 A truly cross-platform tool.
- 🔧 Feature-rich and well-balanced.
- 💾 Supports data sync and backup.
- 🆓 Completely free and open-source.
Ideal For:
- Users working across multiple operating systems.
- Those who prefer open-source, free tools.
- Users needing an integrated terminal + file manager + SSH/SFTP solution.
👉 Try Electerm now and experience the efficiency and convenience of all-in-one terminal management!
📚 Project Resources
- GitHub: electerm/electerm
- Official Website: https://electerm.html5beta.com/
Note: This is the English translation of the original Chinese version.