AIX Remote - SSH

SSH Host Requirements

You can connect to a running SSH server on the following platforms.

Supported:

• x86_64 Debian 8+, Ubuntu 16.04+, CentOS / RHEL 7+ Linux.
• ARMv7l (AArch32) Raspbian Stretch/9+ (32-bit).
• ARMv8l (AArch64) Ubuntu 18.04+ (64-bit).
• macOS 10.14+ (Mojave)
• Windows 10+
• FreeBSD 13 (Requires manual remote-extension-host installation)
• DragonFlyBSD (Requires manual remote-extension-host installation)
• AIX 7.1+ (Requires manual setup - see AIX Support section below)

Requirements

Alpine linux

When running on alpine linux, the packages libstdc++ and bash are necessary and can be installed via running

sudo apk add bash libstdc++

AIX

Requirements for AIX hosts:

• AIX 7.1 or later
• Node.js 16+ installed on the remote AIX system
• GNU bash (AIX ksh may cause issues)
• Sufficient permissions to write to the user's home directory

Known Limitations:

• Some VS Code extensions that rely on native binaries may not function (like watcher)

Setup Instructions:

• Install Node.js on AIX:

# Download and install Node.js for AIX
# Visit https://nodejs.org/en/download/ for AIX packages
# Or use package managers like yum if available

• Ensure bash is available:

# Check if bash is installed
which bash

# If not available, install GNU bash
# This may require installing from AIX Toolbox or building from source

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Installation

Installation Steps

1. Open VSCodium. Turn on Updates and get the latest version.
2. Go to Extensions view.
3. Search for AIX Remote - SSH or tonykuttai.aix-remote-ssh
4. Install the extension
5. Install shell command in PATH: Open Command Palette and run Shell Command: Install codium command in PATH. Close VSCodium.
6. Always start VSCodium with the following flags to enable proposed API on your Host terminal:

codium --enable-proposed-api tonykuttai.aix-remote-ssh

Open VScodium

Always start VSCodium with the following flags to enable proposed API on your Host terminal:

codium --enable-proposed-api tonykuttai.aix-remote-ssh

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Optional Steps Configuration

SSH configuration file

OpenSSH supports using a configuration file to store all your different SSH connections. To use an SSH config file, run the Remote-SSH: Open SSH Configuration File... command from VScodium command palette.

AIX Remote SSH Extension Setup Guide

Complete instructions for installing and using the AIX-compatible Remote SSH extension.

Prerequisites

On Your Local Machine (Windows/Mac/Linux):

• VSCodium installed
• SSH client available (ssh command)
• Network access to your AIX server

On Your AIX Server:

• SSH server running (sshd)
• Node.js 16+ installed at /opt/nodejs/bin/node
• User account with appropriate permissions

Configure SSH Connection

Setup SSH Key Authentication (Recommended)

1. Generate SSH key (if you don't have one):

   ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -C "your_email@example.com"

2. Copy public key to AIX server:

   ssh-copy-id username@your-aix-server.com

3. Test SSH connection:

   ssh username@your-aix-server.com

Configure SSH Config (Optional)

Create or edit ~/.ssh/config:

Host aix-server
    HostName your-aix-server.com
    User your-username
    IdentityFile ~/.ssh/id_ed25519
    ServerAliveInterval 60
    TCPKeepAlive yes

Connect to AIX Server

Using VSCodium Interface:

1. Open Command Palette (Ctrl+Shift+P or Cmd+Shift+P)
2. Type: "Remote-SSH: Connect to Host..."
3. Select the command from the dropdown
4. Enter your connection string:

   username@your-aix-server.com
   

   Or if you configured SSH config:

   aix-server
   

5. Select platform when prompted: Choose "Linux" (AIX will be detected automatically)
6. Enter password or use SSH key authentication

First Connection Process:

1. Extension will detect AIX and start server installation
2. VSCodium server will be downloaded and installed automatically
3. AIX compatibility patches will be applied
4. Wait for installation to complete (may take 2-5 minutes on first connection)
5. Connection established - you'll see "SSH: hostname" in the bottom-left corner

Verify Installation

Check Connection Status:

• Bottom-left corner should show: SSH: your-aix-server
• Green connection indicator in status bar
• Terminal should work (Terminal → New Terminal)

Test Basic Functionality:

1. Open a folder on the AIX server (File → Open Folder)
2. Create a test file and edit it
3. Open integrated terminal (Ctrl+ or Cmd+)
4. Run basic commands:

   pwd
   ls -la
   uname -a

Recommended Extensions for AIX Development:

• C/C++ Extension Pack (for LLVM/C++ development)
• GitLens (for Git integration)
• clangd (for code navigation, you need to install clangd server for AIX seperately)

Getting Help

Log Files to Check:

• Local VSCodium logs: Help → Toggle Developer Tools → Console
• Remote server logs: ~/.vscodium-server/.*.log
• SSH logs: ssh -v username@hostname

Common Log Locations:

# Server installation logs
~/.vscodium-server/.*.log

# Extension host logs  
~/.vscodium-server/data/logs/

# Terminal output
# Available in VSCodium: View → Output → Remote-SSH

Reporting Issues:

Report the issues here

When reporting issues, include:

1. AIX version: oslevel -s
2. Node.js version: /opt/nodejs/bin/node --version
3. VSCodium version: Help → About
4. Extension version: Extensions panel
5. Error logs: From locations listed above

FAQ

Q: Why do I need this extension instead of the official one?

A: The official Remote-SSH extension doesn't support AIX. This extension includes AIX-specific patches and pre-built server components.

Q: Does this work with VS Code?

A: This extension is designed for VSCodium. For VS Code, you may need to modify the installation process.

Q: Can I use this with other UNIX systems?

A: While designed for AIX, it should work with other UNIX systems that the official extension doesn't support.

Q: How do I update the extension?

A: Download the new .vsix file and install it using the same process. VSCodium will update the existing installation.

Q: What if my AIX server uses a different Node.js path?

A: You can modify the server installation script or create a symlink:

sudo ln -s /your/nodejs/path/node /opt/nodejs/bin/node

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That's it! You should now have a fully functional Remote SSH connection to your AIX server through VSCodium.

For the latest updates and issues, visit: https://github.com/tonykuttai/open-remote-ssh

Acknowledgements

This extension is based on jeanp413/open-remote-ssh and adds experimental AIX remote server support via tonykuttai/vscodium-aix-server.