Linux · System Tools

Cockpit Client

Name: Cockpit Client
Author: Cockpit Project

Cockpit Client is a web‑based SSH client that lets you manage servers, containers and VMs from a browser.

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License: LGPL-2.1-or-later
Latest version: 372 (November 10, 2026)
Developer: Cockpit Project
Installs: 1,145 (Flathub, 30 days)

Install Website ↗ Source code ↗

What is Cockpit Client?

Cockpit Client is part of the Cockpit Project, first released in 2014. It builds on the mature Cockpit server, but runs entirely in the browser, using the local SSH configuration to connect to remote machines.

It targets sysadmins, dev‑ops and power users who prefer a graphical interface over command‑line tools. The experience is similar to Windows Remote Desktop or PowerShell, but lighter and more integrated with Linux.

Compared with Windows tools, it feels more native: you use the same SSH keys, known‑hosts, and you never need to open additional ports, making it easier to set up and secure.

Best for: Managing multiple Linux servers from a single, secure web interface without opening new ports.

Key features of Cockpit Client

Web‑based UI accessible from any modern browser
Uses local SSH config (aliases, keys, tokens)
No extra ports required
Supports servers, containers, VMs
Cross‑platform (Linux only)
Open source under LGPL‑2.1
Available in major distro repos
Flathub flatpak distribution

Pros

Zero‑config SSH integration
No firewall changes needed
Cross‑distro availability
Active community and regular updates
Transparent open‑source code

Cons

Only works on Linux hosts
Requires Python on the server
Browser‑based, so limited offline use
No native Windows client

How to install Cockpit Client on Linux

Flatpak (Flathub)flatpak install flathub org.cockpit_project.CockpitClient

Ubuntu / Mintsudo apt install cockpit

Debiansudo apt install cockpit

Fedorasudo dnf install cockpit

Arch / Manjarosudo pacman -S cockpit-packagekit

openSUSEsudo zypper install cockpit

Tips for Windows users

When moving from Windows Remote Desktop or PowerShell, you’ll keep your SSH key files and known‑hosts. Instead of launching a client, open a browser and point it to the Cockpit Client URL. Keyboard shortcuts are standard browser shortcuts; the UI uses familiar icons for start/stop services and view logs. File formats stay the same – you still edit /etc files via the web editor or use scp/rsync for larger transfers.

Recent releases

372 — November 10, 2026
Changes in Cockpit 372: - CVE-2026-91151 - CVE-2026-91150 - Link Red Hat issue references in changelogs - Support version-specific branding directories
370 — October 22, 2026
Changes in Cockpit 370: - systemd: Make chrony sources drop-in world-readable (RHEL-253609) - storaged: Recognize TPM2 key slots (RHEL-167807) - storaged: Support UTF-8 encoding for mount points
368 — September 23, 2026
Changes in Cockpit 368: - Limit concurrent connections CVE-2026-91149 - Harden cockpit-ws against trailing slash CVE-2026-91147 - Sanitize URLs from PackageKit CVE-2026-91148 - Interactive file chooser for SSH keys - Bug fixes and translation updates -…
367 — August 27, 2026
Changes in Cockpit 367: - Translation updates

Cockpit Client: frequently asked questions

Do I need to install a separate Cockpit server?

No. The client connects to any server that has Python installed; the Cockpit webserver is not required and no extra ports are opened.

Can I use it with SSH key authentication?

Yes. It reads your local ~/.ssh/config, known_hosts, and key files, so key‑based login works out of the box.

Is it safe to use over the internet?

It uses standard SSH encryption. Just ensure the server’s SSH is properly secured and that you use strong keys.

Does it support Windows servers?

No, it only works with Linux hosts that have Python installed.

Updated November 3, 2026