# Put the workspace where the compute is.

Open a workspace on a Linux server over SSH and the project, terminals and agents run there, next to the compute, while MAO stays the native canvas on your desktop. Pick a host or an ssh-config entry, choose a folder, and work.

## One workspace, one environment

A remote workspace is bound to its own host and project. Your coding agents run beside the files and tools they need instead of working through a fragile local copy.

## Real remote terminal sessions

Use the same canvas to follow remote terminals and agents. The visual model stays consistent whether the project runs on your desktop, a server, or another development machine.

## Workspace state that belongs with the work

The remote workspace owns its layout, notes, and project context, so reconnecting does not mean rebuilding the way your team of agents was arranged.

## Unlimited contexts

Keep a workspace for every client, repository, experiment, or remote machine. MAO does not meter how many projects you can keep organized.

## Frequently asked questions

### Do I need to install MAO on the server?

No. Every MAO download carries the small server a remote workspace needs. MAO installs it on the Linux machine the first time you connect over SSH and updates it when you update MAO.

### Does MAO save my SSH password?

No. MAO asks for SSH passwords and passphrases in its own window and uses a typed password only for that connection, without saving it. For a new host, it shows the full fingerprint and asks whether you trust it.

### What happens when the SSH connection drops?

MAO keeps retrying, more slowly over time, and **Reconnect now** tries again at once. When MAO reconnects, the terminals start again and the agents resume; if the workspace changed on the server meanwhile, MAO asks whether to use the server's copy or keep yours.

### Can MAO open a workspace inside WSL?

Yes. On Windows, MAO's **Open on a server** lists your WSL distributions next to **Another machine**. Pick one to open a project inside it, with no host name to type and no SSH to set up.

### Are remote workspaces part of the MAO free trial?

No. Remote workspaces and the headless MAO server come with the MAO licence, a one-time purchase (US$20 in most countries, less in parts of Asia and South America). The 7-day free trial includes one workspace with one project.

Source: https://trymao.dev/remote-workspaces