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Split View

Split View allows you to open and manage multiple SSH terminal sessions to different servers in a single tab. It's ideal for monitoring clusters, deploying commands simultaneously, and comparing outputs across environments.

Overview​

What is Split View Terminal? Instead of opening multiple separate tabs, you can split your screen to display multiple terminals at once.

Common use cases:

  • Monitor multiple servers in a cluster
  • Deploy commands to multiple nodes simultaneously
  • Compare outputs between dev, staging, and production
  • Debug issues across multiple servers at once

Opening Split View​

From Host Group Context Menu​

  1. Right-click on a host group
  2. Select "Open in Split View"
  3. System will open split view with all hosts in that group
info

The group must have at least 2 hosts with authentication configured to show the Split View option.

From Multi-Select Hosts​

  1. Select multiple hosts (Ctrl/Cmd + Click)
  2. Right-click on one of the selected hosts
  3. Select "Open in Split View"
info

You can select from 2 to 10 hosts at a time.

Layout Modes​

Split View has 2 display modes:

Column Layout​

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  [Terminal 1]  │ [Terminal 2]  │ [Terminal 3]  │ [Terminal 4]│
│  ┌───────────┐ │ ┌───────────┐ │ ┌───────────┐ │ ┌───────────┐│
│  │ Host 1    │ │ │ Host 2    │ │ │ Host 3    │ │ │ Host 4    ││
│  ├───────────┤ │ ├───────────┤ │ ├───────────┤ │ ├───────────┤│
│  │           │ │ │           │ │ │           │ │ │           ││
│  │ Terminal  │ │ │ Terminal  │ │ │ Terminal  │ │ │ Terminal  ││
│  │ Content   │ │ │ Content   │ │ │ Content   │ │ │ Content   ││
│  │           │ │ │           │ │ │           │ │ │           ││
│  └───────────┘ │ └───────────┘ │ └───────────┘ │ └───────────┘│
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Characteristics:

  • Displays all terminals simultaneously
  • Responsive grid (1-4 columns depending on screen size)
  • Fixed height for each terminal
  • Floating controls in the top-right corner

Best for:

  • Monitoring multiple servers simultaneously
  • Needing to see outputs from all servers
  • Comparing outputs between servers

Full-Width Layout​

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ [Sidebar]     │ [Active Terminal - Full Width]              │
│               │                                              │
│ [📡Broadcast] │ ┌──────────────────────────────────────────┐│
│ [Column]      │ │ Host 2 - user@192.168.1.2              ││
│               │ └──────────────────────────────────────────┘│
│ Host 1        │                                              │
│ Host 2 ◀      │         Terminal Content                    │
│ Host 3        │         (Full Width)                        │
│ Host 4        │                                              │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Characteristics:

  • One terminal full-width at a time
  • Sidebar with hosts list
  • Tabs to switch between hosts
  • Terminals maintain state when hidden

Best for:

  • Focused work on individual servers
  • Clean workspace without distraction
  • Deep work on one server at a time

Switching Layouts​

How to Switch​

  1. Find the Layout Toggle button:

    • Column Layout: Floating button in the top-right corner
    • Full-Width Layout: Button in the sidebar

  2. Click to switch between the two modes

tip

Layout preference resets to default (full-width) when you close the tab. Currently there is no persistence for layout preference.

Broadcast Input​

Broadcast Input allows you to type a command once and have it sent to all terminals in the split view.

When to Use Broadcast​

  • Deploy commands to all nodes
  • Configuration updates across multiple servers
  • Cluster-wide operations
  • Emergency fixes

Enabling Broadcast Mode​

  1. Click the Broadcast Input toggle button
  2. Button becomes highlighted and shows the 📡 icon
  3. Sidebar and terminal headers display the 📡 icon to indicate broadcast mode is active

Using Broadcast​

  1. With broadcast mode enabled, type a command into any terminal
  2. Command syncs to all terminals
  3. All terminals receive and display the same input
warning

Commands are only sent to connected terminals. Disconnected terminals are skipped.

Disabling Broadcast Mode​

Click the Broadcast Input toggle button again to disable.

Closing Terminals in Split View​

Closing a Single Terminal​

  1. Click the X button on the terminal/host item
  2. System disconnects SSH for that host
  3. Terminal is removed from split view
warning

If only 1 host remains after closing, the system may show a warning or close the tab automatically.

Closing the Entire Split View Tab​

Click X on the tab or use Ctrl/Cmd + W

Keyboard Shortcuts​

ShortcutAction
Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + BToggle Broadcast Input
Ctrl/Cmd + WClose current tab
Ctrl/Cmd + TabNext tab
Ctrl/Cmd + Shift + TabPrevious tab

Troubleshooting​

Split View doesn't appear in context menu​

Causes:

  • Group has fewer than 2 hosts
  • Hosts in group don't have authentication configured

Solutions:

  1. Check that the group has enough hosts
  2. Ensure all hosts have SSH credentials

Broadcast mode not working​

Causes:

  • Some terminals are disconnected

Solutions:

  1. Check connection status of all terminals
  2. Reconnect disconnected terminals before broadcasting

Layout resets when closing/reopening tab​

Causes:

  • Layout preference is not currently persisted

Solutions: This is current behavior. Layout resets to default (full-width) when reopening the tab.

Limitations​

LimitValue
Maximum terminals per split view10
Minimum terminals to open split view2
Terminal switching time< 100ms
Layout switching time< 200ms

Next Steps​