# 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]]