Debug a server with an AI assistant that reads your SSH terminal
Hatoba is an open-source SSH client with an AI panel that reads the terminal screen, runs commands and edits files on the host; you can approve each command, let a model approve safe ones, or turn approval off.
Source
scarletkc on Hacker News · 2026-10-13 · Project link
Written in our own words. Credit to the original author. Link checked 2026-10-23.
What they did
Hatoba is an open-source SSH client with an AI panel that reads the terminal screen, runs commands and edits files on the host; you can approve each command, let a model approve safe ones, or turn approval off.
Result (as claimed)
Settings sync end-to-end encrypted through your own Cloudflare account.
Tools they used
Cost: Pricing depends on the tools you pick; check each official pricing page.
Set it up
Pick a contained repo or task
Start on a branch or side project where mistakes are cheap.
Install and configure
Set up Hatoba, Cloudflare. Read what it can run on your machine and limit permissions where possible.
Run it on a real task
Give it a well-scoped issue and let it work. Review the diff like any pull request.
Add guardrails
Keep tests and CI in the loop, and never let an agent push to main or touch production secrets unattended.
Copy the full setup prompt
Paste into your agent and it will walk you through the setup, asking before anything that sends, posts or spends.
You are helping me set up this AI use case end to end in Claude Code. Goal: Debug a server with an AI assistant that reads your SSH terminal What the original author did: Hatoba is an open-source SSH client with an AI panel that reads the terminal screen, runs commands and edits files on the host; you can approve each command, let a model approve safe ones, or turn approval off. Reported result (as claimed by the author): Settings sync end-to-end encrypted through your own Cloudflare account. Source: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50076388 Tools they used: Hatoba, Cloudflare Category: Dev & ops Please: 1. Ask me 3 short questions about my situation (accounts I have, budget, what I want the output to look like). 2. Propose a step-by-step plan using these tools or cheaper alternatives, with the time and cost of each step. Use official pricing pages; say "check pricing" if unsure. 3. Then do the setup with me one step at a time, waiting for my OK before anything that sends messages, posts publicly, spends money or deletes data. 4. Finish with a checklist to run it again next time.
You are helping me set up this AI use case end to end in Codex. Goal: Debug a server with an AI assistant that reads your SSH terminal What the original author did: Hatoba is an open-source SSH client with an AI panel that reads the terminal screen, runs commands and edits files on the host; you can approve each command, let a model approve safe ones, or turn approval off. Reported result (as claimed by the author): Settings sync end-to-end encrypted through your own Cloudflare account. Source: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50076388 Tools they used: Hatoba, Cloudflare Category: Dev & ops Please: 1. Ask me 3 short questions about my situation (accounts I have, budget, what I want the output to look like). 2. Propose a step-by-step plan using these tools or cheaper alternatives, with the time and cost of each step. Use official pricing pages; say "check pricing" if unsure. 3. Then do the setup with me one step at a time, waiting for my OK before anything that sends messages, posts publicly, spends money or deletes data. 4. Finish with a checklist to run it again next time.
You are helping me set up this AI use case end to end in Grok Bot. Goal: Debug a server with an AI assistant that reads your SSH terminal What the original author did: Hatoba is an open-source SSH client with an AI panel that reads the terminal screen, runs commands and edits files on the host; you can approve each command, let a model approve safe ones, or turn approval off. Reported result (as claimed by the author): Settings sync end-to-end encrypted through your own Cloudflare account. Source: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50076388 Tools they used: Hatoba, Cloudflare Category: Dev & ops Please: 1. Ask me 3 short questions about my situation (accounts I have, budget, what I want the output to look like). 2. Propose a step-by-step plan using these tools or cheaper alternatives, with the time and cost of each step. Use official pricing pages; say "check pricing" if unsure. 3. Then do the setup with me one step at a time, waiting for my OK before anything that sends messages, posts publicly, spends money or deletes data. 4. Finish with a checklist to run it again next time.
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Guides for this use case
How to make AI agents ask for approval before they act · How to control coding agents from your phone · How to build AI agents for SEO and ads
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