Get version 1.3.1 from the download page. Both platforms are 64-bit.

Download saltbush-1.3.1-windows-x64-setup.exe and run it. It installs for your own user (no administrator rights) under %LOCALAPPDATA%\Programs\Saltbush Terminal and adds Saltbush Terminal to the Start menu. Remove it from Settings → Apps or with the Uninstall shortcut; your settings are kept.

For a portable copy, extract saltbush-1.3.1-windows-x64.zip anywhere and run Saltbush Terminal\saltbush.exe. Keep the DLL files next to it.

• Settings are kept in %APPDATA%\saltbush.
• Credential passwords go into Windows Credential Manager.
• Python scripts need Python 3 from python.org with python on the PATH. Lua is built in.
• The OpenSSH engine and SFTP sessions use Windows' own ssh.exe and sftp.exe.
• Serial ports are the COM ports Windows lists.

The Windows version has been tested under Wine. Tell us if something does not work on your PC.

Download saltbush_1.3.1_amd64.deb, open a terminal in that folder and run:

sudo apt install ./saltbush_1.3.1_amd64.deb
saltbush

It needs Ubuntu 24.04, Debian 13 or newer. apt installs libssh and the other libraries, and suggests lrzsz (Xmodem/Ymodem), libsecret-tools (credential passwords) and python3. Remove it with sudo apt remove saltbush.

tar xf saltbush-1.3.1-linux-x86_64.tar.gz
cd saltbush-1.3.1-linux-x86_64
./install.sh

This installs into ~/.local without root. ./install.sh –uninstall removes it again. It needs glibc 2.34 or later and libssh (libssh-4 or your distribution's equivalent).

Settings are kept in ~/.config/saltbush (SALTBUSH_CONFIG chooses another folder). The file is written safely and readable only by you; if it ever cannot be read it is kept as settings.json.bad-<date> rather than overwritten.

• SSH asks about the host key every time: the session's Known hosts file (Session Options → SSH2) must be writable.
• A session says it uses the OpenSSH client: it needs a feature the built-in engine does not have (X11 or agent forwarding, a jump host, a certificate, compression or extra -o options). Install the OpenSSH client.
• Serial port will not open on Linux: add yourself to the dialout group and log in again.
• Python script does not start: install Python 3; on Windows tick “Add python.exe to PATH” in its installer.