FAQ

Answers for common Roost questions.

Can I run coding agents for hours?

Yes. Run agents inside the box the same way you would on a Linux server, preferably inside tmux or another session manager. You can disconnect from SSH and reconnect later; keep the box running while the agent is active, then suspend it when the work is done.

Do I need to create an account?

No. The first time you connect, Roost creates your account automatically from your SSH key fingerprint. No registration, email, or password is required.

I do not have an SSH key. How do I get started?

Generate an Ed25519 SSH key and press Enter to accept the default file path and passphrase prompts. Then connect to Roost normally. Your SSH public key is your Roost identity, so no signup, email, or password is required.

$ ssh-keygen -t ed25519$ ssh getroost.dev help

Can I access my box from multiple devices?

Yes. You can copy your private key to another device, or link an additional SSH public key to your Roost account. Each linked key gets access to your boxes, and Roost prevents removing your last key so you do not lose access.

$ ssh getroost.dev key add "<pubkey>"$ ssh getroost.dev key list$ ssh getroost.dev key rm <fingerprint>

Is my data backed up?

No. Roost does not perform managed backups. You are responsible for your data, so use scp to copy important files somewhere you control.

$ scp -O -r <box>@getroost.dev:/path/to/files ./backup

How do I transfer files?

Use scp over the same SSH address you use to connect to a box. If your OpenSSH client defaults scp to SFTP mode, use legacy scp mode with -O. Roost does not currently expose an SFTP subsystem through the box SSH proxy.

$ scp -O file.txt dev1@getroost.dev:/root/$ scp -O dev1@getroost.dev:/root/file.txt ./

Is Roost a disposable sandbox?

No. A Roost box is meant to behave like a persistent remote Linux machine. It can be suspended when you are done, then resumed later with its filesystem and working environment still in place.