Question 1

How do I set up port forwarding with Net::SSH in Ruby?

Accepted Answer

Use the `ssh.forward.local` method as shown in the synopsis—for example, `ssh.forward.local(1234, 'www.example.com', 80)` forwards local port 1234 to port 80 remotely. You'll need to manage the event loop with `ssh.loop` to keep the connection active.

Question 2

Net::SSH vs using system SSH command with backticks in Ruby?

Accepted Answer

Net::SSH offers more programmatic control, enabling parallel execution and port forwarding within Ruby, while system commands are simpler for one-off tasks but less flexible and harder to manage output and errors.

Question 3

How to use public key authentication with Net::SSH?

Accepted Answer

Specify key paths in connection options, but for ed25519 keys, you must first install the `ed25519` and `bcrypt_pbkdf` gems. Then use `Net::SSH.start('host', 'user', keys: ['/path/to/key'])` to authenticate.

Question 4

Does Net::SSH support SSH agent forwarding?

Accepted Answer

The README doesn't explicitly cover agent forwarding, but Net::SSH likely supports it through its channel API. Check the official documentation at net-ssh.github.io for specific methods and configuration examples.

Question 5

What's the best way to run multiple commands in parallel with Net::SSH?

Accepted Answer

Call `ssh.exec` for each command and then use `ssh.loop` to execute them concurrently over a single connection, as demonstrated in the synopsis for efficient resource usage.

Question 6

Is Net::SSH compatible with Ruby 2.x or newer versions?

Accepted Answer

Compatibility details are in the gemspec, but the project aims to support recent Ruby versions. Review the CI badges or net-ssh.gemspec for tested versions, as older Ruby might require specific releases.

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