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Aether Platform

Desktop Access & Hybrid Work

Aether Platform supports not only browser-based IDEs but also robust integration with the local tools developers already love. Using the connect-from-vscode utility, you can establish secure remote development environments without managing complex SSH keys.

Next-Gen SSH Auth: JWT & MFA

Traditionally, SSH public key authentication was considered secure, but Key Management (loss, leakage, rotation) has always been a significant operational burden. Aether Platform solves this fundamentally.

1. Freedom from Key Management

Users never generate or manage SSH key pairs. connect-from-vscode uses short-lived JWTs (JSON Web Tokens) issued at login to authenticate SSH sessions on-demand.

2. MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication) for SSH

You can now apply MFA, leveraging smartphone biometrics or authenticator apps, directly to your SSH and VS Code Remote connections. This brings financial-grade security—combining “Possession” (phone) and “Inherence” (biometrics)—to your development environment.

Architecture

Communication is encapsulated over a secure tunnel running on HTTPS (WebSocket).

graph LR
    Local[Local PC (VS Code)]
    Proxy[Aether Edge Gateway]
    Workspace[Cloud Workspace]

    Local -- "WebSocket (mTLS)" --> Proxy
    Proxy -- "SSH over UDS" --> Workspace
  • Firewall Friendly: Uses only TCP/443, allowing connections even from behind strict corporate firewalls.
  • Zero Config: Establish connections using temporary credentials without cluttering your ~/.ssh/config.

Using connect-from-vscode

Simply install the CLI tool to get started.

Terminal window
# Install Aether CLI
npm install -g @aether-platform/cli


# Establish connection
aether connect-from-vscode <workspace-id>

Running this command automatically launches your local VS Code and opens the remote workspace in a new window.

Leveraging Hybrid Workflows

Semi Cloud Off-Loading (Hybrid Architecture)

“Semi Cloud Off-Loading” is a hybrid model where development happens on your familiar local PC, while heavy tasks (AI inference, RAG generation, builds) are offloaded to Aether. By transparently utilizing cloud resources via connect-from-vscode, you can enjoy powerful backend capabilities while keeping local machine load to a minimum.

Heavy Lifting in the Cloud, Coding Locally

  • Indexing: Run IntelliSense indexing for massive Rust or C++ codebases on cloud instances with 32 vCPUs.
  • Low Latency: Key inputs and UI rendering happen on your local PC, providing a snappy, lag-free experience.

Local Port Forwarding

Web applications running in the cloud (e.g., localhost:3000) are automatically forwarded, allowing you to preview them in your local browser at http://localhost:3000.