Pathem
Browse all guides

Connect to servers and object storage

Save an explicit connection, confirm its security and path, and test a small transfer before trusting a large one.

Collect the right details

Obtain the protocol, host or endpoint, account name, authentication method, and initial path from the server administrator or service configuration. A local cloud-sync folder and a direct S3/WebDAV connection are different access methods.

Use least-privilege test credentials when possible. Do not paste passwords, access keys, private keys, or unredacted connection exports into a support report. A security warning is information to investigate, not a routine prompt to bypass.

Save and test a connection

  1. Run Connections… from Command Palette. Choose Add to create a new saved site.
  2. Select the actual protocol and enter a clear display name. Fill in the host/endpoint, port if needed, user, and initial path for that protocol.
  3. For SFTP key authentication, use the key-file chooser for the intended private key. Do not substitute a public .pub file for a private key when a private key is required.
  4. For object storage, verify the bucket/container path, region, endpoint, and account fields against your provider's configuration. Similar-looking S3-compatible services can require different endpoints.
  5. Save the connection and choose Connect. Review host identity, encryption, and credential prompts carefully.
  6. List a harmless directory, download a small file into a test folder, and compare its contents. If write access is intended, upload a disposable file to a dedicated test location and confirm it there before a large transfer.

Keep destinations and credentials distinct

  1. Use a connection group, color, or paired local folder to make similar sites easier to distinguish. Confirm the remote path, not only the saved site's friendly name.
  2. When copying between a local and remote pane, inspect the direction explicitly. Remote actions do not necessarily have the same undo guarantees as local filesystem operations.
  3. Use Import from FileZilla… only with a file you control. Inspect imported sites and authentication choices before connecting; an import is not a connectivity or security test.
  4. If a transfer fails, check its actual partial result before retrying. Authentication, host verification, path permissions, network availability, and rate limits are different causes.

Do not ignore plaintext or certificate warnings

SFTP and FTP are different protocols. Plain FTP can expose credentials and file content; prefer an encrypted protocol supported by your server. For WebDAV and object storage, use the expected secure endpoint and do not disable certificate validation to hide an error.

Protocol support in Pathem does not guarantee that every server, authentication configuration, or vendor extension has been tested. Start with a small read/write check on your actual server. Never use a production overwrite as the first connectivity test.

Keep going