Live: gitguy268.github.io/tabshell · tabshell.vercel.app

brew trust gitguy268/tap
brew install gitguy268/tap/tabshell
tabshell

Then open http://localhost:8686/. The browser VM works right away; for Docker mode, start Docker and run tabshell docker-image once.

1. Install Node.js 20 or newer and Docker.

2. Get the code:

   git clone https://github.com/Gitguy268/tabshell.git
   cd tabshell

3. Install and build:

   npm ci
   npm run image
   docker build -t tabshell-ubuntu -f docker/Dockerfile .
   npm run build

   On a Mac you can double-click start.command instead. It does all of this for you.

4. Start it:

   npm start

5. Open http://localhost:8686/ in your browser. Press Ctrl+C in the terminal to stop.

* Built from the superfile, opencode and container forks when they're checked out next to TabShell (../superfile, ../opencode, ../container); scripts/build-tools.sh skips any that are missing. container on Linux is the fork's podman front-end (docs/linux.md in the container fork): container run --rm alpine echo hi, container ls -a, container here alpine sh.

Both modes share one terminal: xterm.js drawing on the GPU through its WebGL renderer, with resize, colours, mouse and full-screen programs. The header's theme menu switches the terminal and page between Default, Light, Nujabes and Ye: Graduation, or follows your system's light or dark setting, and remembers your choice. Every theme has a full 16-colour palette that the tests check for readable contrast. The two named themes also show a line of text in the header; with Ye: Graduation, click it for another. They are unofficial tributes; see NOTICE.

• Reset throws the machine away and starts a fresh one: files, packages, history and the screen.
• Clear only clears the screen.
• Network sets the relay the Browser VM uses to reach the internet.

On a Mac: download or clone this repository and double-click start.command. It:

• starts Docker Desktop;
• builds what's missing (the first run takes a few minutes);
• serves TabShell on http://localhost:8686;
• opens it in your browser.

Close the Terminal window to stop it. If macOS says it can't open start.command because it was downloaded from the internet, right-click it and choose Open once.

Opening index.html directly doesn't work. Browsers won't run the app from a file:// address.

Anywhere else, with Node.js 20+ and Docker:

npm ci
./scripts/build-tools.sh                # optional: spf, opencode, container from ../ checkouts
npm run image                           # Alpine VM image → public/alpine/
docker build -t tabshell-ubuntu -f docker/Dockerfile .  # Ubuntu image for Docker mode
npm run build
npm start                               # http://localhost:8686

Without Docker running, only Browser VM mode works. The Alpine image is built with Docker, so that first step needs it once, or a copy of public/alpine/ from a build.

Browser VM. It boots in about 30 seconds the first time. After that it restores where you left off.

apk add python3        # about 30 s through the default relay
python3
snek                   # arrow keys to steer, Esc or q to quit

Docker mode is Ubuntu, logged in as dev with passwordless sudo:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y python3
/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Homebrew/install/HEAD/install.sh)"
eval "$(/home/linuxbrew/.linuxbrew/bin/brew shellenv)"
brew install node
git clone https://github.com/taniarascia/snek && cd snek && npm i && npm run play

Switching modes keeps both machines. Each one is only wiped by its own Reset.

browser: xterm.js + WebGL renderer
 ├─ Browser VM: v86 (WebAssembly) ─ Alpine on a 9p filesystem ─ virtio console
 │                  └─ network: Wisp relay over a WebSocket
 └─ Docker:     server.mjs (127.0.0.1:8686) ─ WebSocket proxy ─ ttyd ─ bash in Ubuntu (Docker or apple/container)

• No Homebrew in Browser VM. v86 emulates a 32-bit PC, and Homebrew only supports 64-bit Linux. Use Docker mode for Homebrew.
• Browser VM speed. It's an emulator: plain shell work is fine, while compiling or installing large packages is slow.
• Containers in the Browser VM. Images live in the VM's 512 MB of memory and share its network, so small images like alpine work and big ones don't fit.
• Relay. The Browser VM's internet traffic goes through a third-party relay unless you run your own. See Network in the app.
• Docker mode is local. It isn't available on the hosted page, only through start.command or npm start.
• Shells after a reload. Reloading in Docker mode starts a new shell. Files and packages stay, but programs running in the old shell are stopped.
• Image updates. When a new version of TabShell ships a changed Linux image, a VM saved on the old image can't be restored and you get a fresh one.
• Browser storage. A saved Browser VM is about 150 MB with Python installed, and grows with what you add. Clearing the site's data in your browser has the same effect as Reset.

See CONTRIBUTING.md. Report security problems privately as described in SECURITY.md. By taking part you agree to the Code of Conduct.

MIT © Lucas Van De Weerd. Third-party software and its licences are listed in NOTICE. TabShell isn't affiliated with any of the projects it uses.