I didn't want a web panel on my VPS, so I built a desktop for it over plain SSH

Description and use

Davish is a desktop app that manages VPS servers over SSH without installing extra services, providing fast and secure access to containers, logs, nginx settings, and more.

Problem

Managing Linux servers with web panels adds extra open ports, login pages, and root‑running software, increasing attack surface and cost.

Outcome

Davish enables fast, secure, and visual server management over plain SSH, eliminating the need for web panels and reducing attack surface.

Workflow

• Launch Davish and connect via existing SSH keys and ~/.ssh/config
• Use terminal, file explorer, editor, Docker, Nginx, services, logs, cron, ports, security, SSH keys, packages, git, disk tools within the app
• Perform destructive actions with explicit command preview and confirmation
• Use sudo by opening a terminal with the command pre‑typed
• Navigate servers with ⌘1…⌘9 and search with ⌘K

Evidence

Davish uses the SSH keys and ~/.ssh/config you already have (including ProxyJump through a bastion). There's no account and no login screen.

Source

No agent, no daemon, no extra port. If the server runs sshd with SFTP, Davish works.

Source

Anything destructive (stopping a service, deleting a file, removing a container, replacing a crontab) shows the exact command before it runs, and a command log records everything Davish ran.

Source