HTS(1)

📦
version 3.3 · 3 versions
, in debian trixie, ubuntu noble, ubuntu questing, ubuntu resolute, ubuntu stonking

💖 HTS(1) — General Commands Manual 💖

okay bestie, welcome to the HTS(1) page, the one and only manual for hts, the httptunnel server. grab a snack, this is gonna be quick but cute.

✨ NAME ✨

hts — the httptunnel server. she serves. literally. 👑

🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

hts [options] [host:][port]

🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

okay so real talk, this manual page is the brief rundown of the hts command. not the whole novel, just the vibe. 💅

hts listens for incoming httptunnel connections at PORT — and heads up, the default port is 8888 — and if you want, she'll optionally bind to the ip address HOST. main character behavior honestly.

the moment a connection is made? the I/O gets redirected to wherever you pointed her with the --device, --forward-port or --stdin-stdout switch. that's the whole plot twist. ✨

💅 OPTIONS 💅

she follows the usual GNU command line syntax, meaning the long options start with two dashes (-). a summary of options is right down here, no gatekeeping. 🫶

  • -h, --help — show the summary of options. your lil cheat sheet. 💖
  • -c, --content-length BYTES — use HTTP PUT requests of BYTES size. and yes, k, M, and G postfixes are recognized, so go off with the units. 📏
  • -d, --device DEVICE — use DEVICE for input and output. she's talking to a device now, iconic.
  • -F, --forward-port HOST:PORT — connect to PORT at HOST and use it for input and output. the classic move.
  • -k, --keep-alive SECONDS — send keepalive bytes every SECONDS seconds. the default is 5, no cap. 💌
  • -M, --max-connection-age SEC — the maximum time a connection will stay open is SEC seconds. default is 300, so five whole minutes of commitment. ⏳
  • -s, --stdin-stdout — use stdin/stdout for communication. note that this implies --no-daemon, bestie, keep that in mind. 🙈
  • -S, --strict-content-length — always write Content-Length bytes in requests. always. no skipping. 🎀
  • -V, --version — output version information and exit. quick lil flex then bye. 👋
  • -w, --no-daemon — don't fork into the background. she stays right here with you. 🫂
  • -p, --pid-file LOCATION — write a PID file to LOCATION. receipts, but for processes. 🧾
  • -C, --chroot LOCATION — chroot to LOCATION before serving clients. locking it down before the party starts. 🔒
  • -u, --user USER — change user and group identities before serving clients. glow-up via privilege drop, we love to see it. 🌈

🔥 EXAMPLES 🔥

Start httptunnel server

hts -F localhost:22 8888

so at host REMOTE, you set up the httptunnel server to listen on port 8888 and forward to localhost:22. chef's kiss. 💋

Start httptunnel client

htc -F 2222 -P PROXY_ADDRESS:8000 REMOTE_IP:8888

at host LOCAL, you set up the httptunnel client to forward localhost:2222 to REMOTE_IP:8888 via a local proxy at PROXY_ADDRESS:8000. the way that just works?? 😭

Or, if using a buffering HTTP proxy

htc -F 2222 -P PROXY_ADDRESS:8000 -B 48K REMOTE_IP:8888

Now you can connect through the tunnel on host LOCAL

ssh ssh://localhost:2222

go forth and tunnel, bestie. 🦋

👑 AUTHOR 👑

this manual page was contributed by Teemu Hukkanen <tjhukkan@iki.fi>, and it was originally written for the Debian GNU/Linux system. respect the origin story. 🙌

🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

and that's the whole HTS(1) page from the General Commands Manual, periodt. 💖✨ go forth, tunnel responsibly, and remember: she's the server, she's serving. bye bestie!! 🎀🦋🌸

📦 where this page comes from