https://github.com/haliphax/xthulu

Python asyncio community server (HTTPS, SFTP, SSH) with a modern terminal interface
https://github.com/haliphax/xthulu

ansi ascii asyncio bbs community console curses docker docker-compose ncurses postgresql python redis server sftp ssh terminal textmode tty xterm

Last synced: 3 months ago
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Python asyncio community server (HTTPS, SFTP, SSH) with a modern terminal interface

• Host: GitHub
• URL: https://github.com/haliphax/xthulu
• Owner: haliphax
• License: mit
• Created: 2020-03-03T05:10:48.000Z (over 6 years ago)
• Default Branch: main
• Last Pushed: 2025-12-29T00:22:21.000Z (5 months ago)
• Last Synced: 2025-12-31T18:23:06.276Z (5 months ago)
• Topics: ansi, ascii, asyncio, bbs, community, console, curses, docker, docker-compose, ncurses, postgresql, python, redis, server, sftp, ssh, terminal, textmode, tty, xterm
• Language: Python
• Homepage: https://haliphax.github.io/xthulu/
• Size: 3.04 MB
• Stars: 25
• Watchers: 4
• Forks: 0
• Open Issues: 12
• Metadata Files:
  • Readme: README.md
  • Changelog: CHANGELOG.md
  • Contributing: CONTRIBUTING.md
  • Funding: .github/FUNDING.yml
  • License: LICENSE.md

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README

          
# xthulu

xthulu _("ch-THOO-loo")_ Python asyncio community server

![Header image](https://github.com/haliphax/xthulu/raw/assets/banner.jpg)

[![Build](https://img.shields.io/github/actions/workflow/status/haliphax/xthulu/docker-build.yml?label=Build)](https://github.com/haliphax/xthulu/actions/workflows/docker-build.yml)

[![Checks](https://img.shields.io/github/actions/workflow/status/haliphax/xthulu/checks.yml?label=Checks)](https://github.com/haliphax/xthulu/actions/workflows/checks.yml)

[![Tests](https://img.shields.io/github/actions/workflow/status/haliphax/xthulu/tests.yml?label=Tests)](https://haliphax.testspace.com/spaces/318003?utm_campaign=metric&utm_medium=referral&utm_source=badge)

[![Coverage](https://img.shields.io/coverallsCoverage/github/haliphax/xthulu?label=Coverage)](https://coveralls.io/github/haliphax/xthulu)

While **xthulu** is intended to be a _community_ server with multiple avenues of

interaction (e.g. terminal, browser, REST API), its primary focus is to provide

a modern SSH terminal interface which pays tribute to the [bulletin boards][] of

the 1990s. Rather than leaning entirely into [DOS][]-era nostalgia, modern

character sets (UTF-8) and [terminal capabilities][] are taken advantage of.

- 📔 [Contributor guide][]

- 📽️ [Demo video][] (animated GIF)

## Progress

- 📊 [Alpha release project board][]

- ✅ [Feature check list][]

## Setup

```shell

# in the project root

bin/setup

```

Manual steps

---

If you want to perform the steps in the setup script manually for some reason,

here they are:

### Create a configuration file and generate host keys

```shell

# in the data/ directory

cp config.example.toml config.toml

ssh-keygen -f ssh_host_key -t rsa -b 4096 -N ""

```

### Prepare the docker images

```shell

# in the docker/ directory

docker compose build base-image

docker compose pull --ignore-buildable

```

### Create and seed the database

> ℹ️ Note the names of the scripts. The `bin/xt` script is the command line

> interface for server tasks, while the `bin/xtu` script is for userland.

```shell

# in the project root

bin/xt db create --seed

bin/xtu db create --seed

```

### Build the static web assets

```shell

# in the project root

bin/build-web

```

---

### Start the services

```shell

# in the docker/ directory

docker compose up -d

```

## Connect

### Connect to the terminal server

There is a `guest` account which demonstrates the ability for some accounts to

bypass authentication.

```shell

ssh guest@localhost

```

There is a `user` account with a password for testing password authentication.

```shell

ssh user@localhost  # password is also "user"

```

### Connect to the web server

For the time being, the web server only demonstrates simple interoperability

between the REST API and static pages. It is available at https://localhost.

There is a demo application that can be used for chatting with other users

connected via both the web and the SSH server.

> ⚠️ [Traefik][] will be using an untrusted certificate, and you will likely be

> presented with a warning.

The same credentials may be used here; for the `guest` account, any password (or

a blank password) will work.

[alpha release project board]: https://github.com/users/haliphax/projects/1

[blessed]: https://blessed.readthedocs.io/en/latest/intro.html

[bulletin boards]: https://archive.org/details/BBS.The.Documentary

[contributor guide]: ./CONTRIBUTING.md

[demo video]: https://github.com/haliphax/xthulu/raw/assets/demo.gif

[dos]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MS-DOS

[feature check list]: ./CHECKLIST.md

[terminal capabilities]: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terminal_capabilities

[traefik]: https://traefik.io/traefik