# tmate tmate is a fork of [[TMux]] built for one job: **instant terminal sharing**. Run `tmate`, get an SSH URL, send it to someone. They're in your session, no VPN, no port forwarding, no account. A separate read-only URL lets people watch without touching. ## How it works The fork connects your session outward to a relay server (tmate.io by default), and guests SSH into the relay. Because the connection is outbound, it traverses NAT and firewalls that would block inbound SSH, which is exactly what makes it effortless *and* what you should think about before using it. ## Use cases - Pair debugging and pair programming in a real shell, not a screen-share video - Remote support on machines you can't reach inbound - Live demos where the read-only link is the feature ## The trust caveat Your terminal traffic transits a third-party relay. The traffic is encrypted, but the default relay sees session metadata and holds the rendezvous. For anything sensitive, self-host the relay (`tmate-ssh-server` is open source), at which point tmate becomes a legitimately private sharing tool rather than a convenience with an asterisk. ## References - https://tmate.io - https://github.com/tmate-io/tmate ## Related - [[TMux]]: the parent project (same keybindings, same feel) - [[Terminal Multiplexers]]