explaingit

jetkvm/kvm

★ 4,627TypeScriptAudience · ops devopsComplexity · 4/5Setup · hard

TLDR

JetKVM is an open-source hardware and software system that streams a computer's screen at 1080p 60fps and lets you control it remotely with a keyboard and mouse, even before the operating system boots.

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((JetKVM))
    What it does
      Remote KVM control
      Pre-OS access
      1080p 60fps stream
    Tech stack
      Go backend
      React TypeScript UI
      WebRTC streaming
      H.264 video
    Features
      Cloud relay free
      SSH device access
      Low latency 30ms
    Use cases
      Server BIOS access
      Headless machine control
      Replace IPMI
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Things people build with this

USE CASE 1

Access a server in a data center remotely and enter its BIOS settings before the operating system loads

USE CASE 2

Diagnose and fix a computer that failed to boot without needing physical access to the machine

USE CASE 3

Control a headless home server or lab machine without connecting a physical monitor and keyboard

USE CASE 4

Replace a commercial KVM-over-IP or IPMI solution with a self-hostable open-source alternative

Tech stack

TypeScriptReactGoC

Getting it running

Difficulty · hard Time to first run · 1h+

Requires a dedicated JetKVM hardware device, the software runs on it, not on a general-purpose computer.

In plain English

JetKVM is an open-source project that lets you control a computer remotely as if you were sitting in front of it with a keyboard, mouse, and monitor. The letters KVM stand for Keyboard, Video, Mouse, which describes the three inputs being captured and transmitted. This kind of tool is useful when a machine is physically inaccessible, for example a server in a data center, a computer that failed to boot, or any machine where you need to get into the BIOS settings before the operating system loads. A regular remote desktop tool like VNC or RDP requires the operating system to already be running, but a KVM solution works at a lower level. JetKVM streams video at 1080p and 60 frames per second with a latency of 30 to 60 milliseconds, using H.264 video compression. This makes the remote session feel responsive. Remote access over the internet is available through JetKVM Cloud, which uses WebRTC, a technology that allows peer-to-peer connections without requiring the user to configure firewall rules. Cloud access is listed as free and optional. The software runs on a dedicated JetKVM hardware device. The device itself is accessible via SSH, which allows technical users to customize the software. The backend that runs on the device is written in Go, and the web interface served by the device is written in React and TypeScript. Some lower-level parts are written in C. The repository includes a development deployment script for contributors who want to build and test changes on a local device. Comprehensive setup and contribution instructions are in a separate DEVELOPMENT.md file. The project also has a Discord server for community support and discussion. Code of conduct and contribution guidelines are included in the repository.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1
I have a JetKVM device connected to my server. Walk me through setting it up so I can access that server remotely over the internet using JetKVM Cloud.
Prompt 2
How do I SSH into a JetKVM device to run my own scripts or inspect how the software is configured?
Prompt 3
Show me how to build the JetKVM web interface from source and deploy it to a JetKVM device to test a UI change.
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