XPipe 21.0: Terminal Docking for Windows and Cisco Switch Integration

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XPipe has been released in version 21.0, bringing numerous innovations for managing servers and network devices. The most significant change is the terminal docking feature for Windows, which allows terminal windows to be embedded directly into the XPipe interface. The new release also integrates Cisco switches and expands Proxmox support.

Terminal docking works with most Windows terminals, such as the regular Windows Terminal or the free WezTerm. Users can now embed, detach, or minimize terminal windows directly within XPipe. A toggle button – located in the bottom right of the window – controls the feature, which can be disabled in the settings if needed. A WSL distribution is required for use with terminal multiplexers like zellij. The developers also promise significantly improved RAM usage for the application.

Manage Cisco Switches Directly

Another key innovation is the automatic detection of Cisco IOS devices during SSH connections. XPipe lists the network ports that can be managed directly from the interface. Administrators can view and update port status, filter ports, and open, close, or reset interfaces. Interface monitoring with error display and resetting counters is also possible. Finally, a device restart can also be initiated from within XPipe.

Originally, Cisco integration was limited to the paid Professional plan. The feature will be available for free for a few weeks after the release but will then become part of the commercial Professional plan. The developers are considering expanding to other network switch manufacturers if user feedback is positive; however, there are no concrete plans for this yet.

Proxmox containers and Scripting Improvements

XPipe has enhanced its Proxmox support: container networks are now fully supported, allowing administrators to centrally manage services and tunnels not only for virtual machines but also for LXC containers. Opening SPICE consoles with virt-viewer or remote-viewer is now also included. Additionally, XPipe automatically determines whether a localhost tunnel is needed for the Proxmox dashboard – for example, with self-signed HTTPS certificates.

The scripting system has been fundamentally revised and simplified. Users can now integrate external script sources via URLs, for instance, from Git repositories or via HTTP. Scripts run shell-independently: a zsh script will also work on systems with bash as the login shell, as long as zsh is installed. The developers have removed the complex organization via script groups. Optionally, scripts can be shared centrally in Git repos and imported with a click.

Git Synchronization and SSH Improvements

Furthermore, XPipe has optimized Git synchronization: users can set the sync frequency to once per session or manually, which reduces the number of commits and consolidates multiple changes. Commit messages now display the names of deleted entries instead of cryptic IDs. Synchronization to simple local directories without Git is also possible, as is synchronization to read-only remotes. Individual Git credentials can be prioritized if desired.

The developers have fixed several bugs in SSH config management: entries no longer disappear on restart, writing works better – for example, for VS Code – and identity recognition for patterns has been improved. A custom agent override is possible, and XPipe now also supports include wildcards. Other minor improvements include modern icons, opening AWS web dashboards, Yakuake support, virt-viewer as a VNC client, and generating WinSCP ppk files. All information about the changes can be found in the Release Notes on GitHub.

XPipe uses an open-core model: the community version is free and offers unlimited connections, file management, scripting, and vault synchronization for private use. The paid versions Homelab, Professional, and Enterprise offer additional features such as enterprise tool integrations, bulk licensing, and priority support. In January, XPipe introduced AWS integration for CLI, EC2, SSM, and S3, as well as SSH key generation in version 20.0.

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