What are some of the emerging SSH use cases and scenarios in cloud computing and web development?

1 Remote development with SSH

One of the main advantages of SSH is that it enables you to work on remote servers and devices without having to install or configure any software locally. This is especially useful for web developers, who can use SSH to edit, debug, and deploy code on cloud platforms and hosting services. For example, you can use SSH to connect to a virtual machine (VM) or a container running on a cloud service provider, and use your preferred code editor or integrated development environment (IDE) to work on your project files. You can also use SSH to run commands, scripts, and tools on the remote server, and monitor the performance and status of your application.

2 SSH tunneling and port forwarding

Another common SSH use case is to create secure and encrypted tunnels between different devices and servers, and forward network traffic through them. This is also known as SSH tunneling or port forwarding, and it can help you overcome network restrictions, firewall rules, and security risks. For example, you can use SSH tunneling to access a web application or a database that is running on a private network or a remote server, and expose it to your local browser or client. You can also use SSH tunneling to securely transfer files between devices and servers, or to create a proxy server that routes your web traffic through a different location.

3 SSH multiplexing and multiparty access

SSH also allows you to establish multiple connections and sessions over a single SSH connection, and share them with other users. This is known as SSH multiplexing and multiparty access, and it can improve your efficiency, collaboration, and security. For example, you can use SSH multiplexing to reuse an existing SSH connection for multiple sessions, and avoid the overhead of creating and authenticating new connections. You can also use SSH multiparty access to grant other users access to your SSH sessions, and collaborate on remote tasks and projects. This can be done by using tools like tmux or screen, which create terminal multiplexers that allow you to split and share your terminal windows.

4 SSH certificates and keys

SSH relies on cryptographic keys and certificates to authenticate users and devices, and to encrypt the communication between them. SSH keys and certificates are more secure and convenient than passwords, as they do not require user input or storage, and they can be easily generated and managed. However, SSH keys and certificates also pose some challenges, such as how to distribute, rotate, revoke, and audit them. For example, you may have to deal with multiple SSH keys and certificates for different devices and servers, and keep track of their expiration dates and permissions. You may also have to protect your SSH keys and certificates from theft, loss, or compromise.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?