Delphis

Secure remote development environments using Tailscale and VS Code Remote SSH protocol.

Overview

Delphis enables seamless remote development across machines on your Tailscale network. Share your local environment or join a remote one with zero-config networking and end-to-end encryption.

Compatible with VS Code, Cursor, and any editor supporting the VS Code Remote SSH protocol.

Prerequisites

• Tailscale installed and running
• Docker (for sharing environments)
• VS Code, Cursor, or compatible editor

Quick Start

Install Delphis as a dev dependency in your project:

bun add -D delphis
# or any other package manager

You can use the delphis command directly in your project's terminal:

bunx delphis share
bunx delphis join

You can also add to your project's package.json scripts:

{
  "scripts": {
    "dev:share": "delphis share",
    "dev:join": "delphis join"
  }
}

Configuration

All configuration is optional via environment variables in your project's .env file:

DELPHIS_LAUNCH_EDITOR=code  # or 'cursor'
DELPHIS_USERNAME=delphis
DELPHIS_PASSWORD=your_password
DELPHIS_PORT=22444
DELPHIS_FOLDER=/delphis

Defaults work out of the box without any configuration.

Usage

Share Your Environment

bunx delphis share
# or
npx delphis share

Starts a Docker container with SSH access to your current directory, discoverable on your Tailscale network.

Join a Remote Environment

bunx delphis join
# or
npx delphis join

Discovers available remote environments on your Tailnet and opens your editor connected to the selected host.

Pass additional editor arguments:

bunx delphis join -- --new-window

Stop Sharing

bunx delphis unshare

Check Status

bunx delphis status

How It Works

Share: Delphis runs a Docker container with SSH server, mounts your project directory, and makes it accessible via Tailscale's encrypted mesh network.

Join: Delphis discovers remote environments on your Tailnet using UDP broadcast, then launches your editor with the appropriate SSH connection.

Security: All traffic is encrypted through Tailscale's WireGuard-based VPN. No ports exposed to the public internet.

Documentation

Environment Variables

Variable	Default	Description
DELPHIS_LAUNCH_EDITOR	code	Editor binary to launch
DELPHIS_USERNAME	delphis	SSH username
DELPHIS_PASSWORD	-	SSH password
DELPHIS_PORT	22444	SSH port
DELPHIS_FOLDER	/delphis	Remote folder path

Troubleshooting

Tailscale not found: Install from tailscale.com and ensure it's in your PATH.

Tailscale not running: Run tailscale up to connect to your Tailnet.

No environments discovered: Ensure the remote machine is running delphis share and is on your Tailnet.

FAQ

Is it secure?

While no software can claim 100% security, Delphis is designed with security in mind:

• All traffic is encrypted through Tailscale's WireGuard-based VPN
• No ports are exposed to the public internet
• Files are bind-mounted to the container with appropriate isolation
• The project is open source for transparency and community review

Which editors are supported?

Delphis works with any editor that supports the VS Code Remote SSH protocol, including:

• Visual Studio Code
• Cursor
• VSCodium
• Any editor with VS Code Remote SSH extension support

Can multiple people join the same environment?

Yes! Multiple developers can join the same shared environment simultaneously. Each will have their own editor instance connected to the same remote workspace, enabling real-time collaboration.

Why does it require Docker?

Docker provides a consistent, isolated environment for the SSH server and ensures clean setup/teardown. This approach:

• Avoids modifying your host system's SSH configuration
• Provides consistent behavior across different operating systems
• Makes cleanup simple (just stop the container)
• Isolates the development environment from your host

Why does it require Tailscale?

Tailscale provides a secure, encrypted network connection between your machines, ensuring all traffic is private and end-to-end encrypted. This approach:

• Avoids exposing your local machine's ports to the public internet
• Provides a secure, encrypted connection between your machines
• Ensures all traffic is private and end-to-end encrypted
• Isolates the development environment from your host

What happens to my files?

Your files remain on your local machine. Docker bind-mounts your project directory into the container, so:

• Changes made remotely are immediately reflected locally
• No file syncing or copying is involved
• When you stop sharing, the container is removed but your files are untouched

Do both machines need to run the same OS?

No! Delphis works across different operating systems. You can share from Linux and join from macOS, or any other combination, as long as both machines have the required prerequisites installed.

How is this different from VS Code's built-in Remote SSH?

Delphis builds on top of Remote SSH but adds:

• Zero-config discovery of available environments on your Tailnet
• Automatic Docker-based environment setup
• No manual SSH configuration needed
• Built-in Tailscale network integration
• Git co-authorship first-class support

What's the performance impact?

Performance is generally excellent due to:

• Tailscale's peer-to-peer connections (no relay server in most cases)
• WireGuard's minimal overhead
• Direct file access (bind mounts, not file syncing)
• The main factor is your network speed between machines

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License | Contributing