Replace .NET WinForms handler with the Rust build in CI; drop SshHandler

Remove the .NET/WinForms project (SshHandler/, SshHandler.sln) now that
the Rust rewrite (SshHandlerRs/) covers the same behavior with a
~250KB binary and no CLR startup cost, and its Default-Apps-style
registration is confirmed working.

Rewire the release workflow to build ssh-handler.exe natively on
windows-latest with the MSVC toolchain instead of dotnet publish, and
package it alongside the .bat and .sh handlers as release assets
(ssh-handler-rs-*.exe, openssh_protocol_handler-*.bat,
ssh-handler-*.sh) when a v* tag is pushed.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 5 <noreply@anthropic.com>
Claude-Session: https://claude.ai/code/session_01GYCT2RpUjFfBfp6CD4rREw

.github/workflows/build.yml

@@ -16,38 +16,14 @@ jobs:
     - name: Checkout repository
       uses: actions/checkout@v4
 
-    - name: Configure Git Line Endings
+    - name: Setup Rust
-      run: git config --global core.autocrlf input
+      uses: dtolnay/rust-toolchain@stable
-
-    - name: Setup .NET
-      uses: actions/setup-dotnet@v4
       with:
-        dotnet-version: 8.0.x
+        targets: x86_64-pc-windows-msvc
 
-    - name: Restore dependencies
+    - name: Build ssh-handler (Rust)
-      run: dotnet restore
+      working-directory: SshHandlerRs
-
+      run: cargo build --release --target x86_64-pc-windows-msvc
-    # 1. Build Framework-Dependent FIRST (The tiny one)
-    - name: Build Framework-Dependent (Requires .NET 8)
-      run: >
-        dotnet publish SshHandler/SshHandler.csproj --configuration Release 
-        --self-contained false 
-        /p:PublishSingleFile=true 
-        -o ./publish-dotnet8
-
-    # 2. Clean to prevent artifact leakage
-    - name: Clean intermediate files
-      run: dotnet clean SshHandler/SshHandler.csproj
-
-    # 3. Build Standalone SECOND (The heavy one)
-    - name: Build Standalone (Includes Runtime)
-      run: >
-        dotnet publish SshHandler/SshHandler.csproj --configuration Release 
-        --runtime win-x64 
-        --self-contained true 
-        /p:PublishSingleFile=true 
-        /p:IncludeNativeLibrariesForSelfExtract=true
-        -o ./publish-standalone
 
     - name: Ensure Unix Line Endings for Shell Script
       shell: pwsh
@@ -64,11 +40,10 @@ jobs:
       run: |
         $tag = "${{ github.ref_name }}"
         if (-not $tag -or $tag -eq "main") { $tag = "manual" }
-        
+
-        # Rename Executables
+        # Rename Rust executable
-        Move-Item ./publish-standalone/SshHandler.exe "./SshHandler-$tag-Standalone.exe"
+        Move-Item SshHandlerRs/target/x86_64-pc-windows-msvc/release/ssh-handler.exe "./ssh-handler-rs-$tag.exe"
-        Move-Item ./publish-dotnet8/SshHandler.exe "./SshHandler-$tag-dotnet8.exe"
+
-        
         # Rename Scripts
         Copy-Item "ssh-handler.sh" "./ssh-handler-$tag.sh"
         Copy-Item "openssh_protocol_handler.bat" "./openssh_protocol_handler-$tag.bat"
@@ -78,8 +53,7 @@ jobs:
       if: startsWith(github.ref, 'refs/tags/')
       with:
         files: |
-          SshHandler-*-Standalone.exe
+          ssh-handler-rs-*.exe
-          SshHandler-*-dotnet8.exe
           ssh-handler-*.sh
           openssh_protocol_handler-*.bat
         generate_release_notes: true

.gitignore

@@ -1,24 +1,4 @@
 # .gitignore
 
-# User-specific files
-*.rsuser
-*.suo
-*.user
-*.userosscache
-*.sln.docstates
-
-# Build results
-[Dd]ebug/
-[Dd]ebugPublic/
-[Rr]elease/
-[Rr]eleases/
-x64/
-x86/
-[Aa][Rr][Mm]/
-[Aa][Rr][Mm]64/
-bld/
-[Bb]in/
-[Oo]bj/
-
 # Rust
 /SshHandlerRs/target/

SshHandler.sln

@@ -1,21 +0,0 @@
-Microsoft Visual Studio Solution File, Format Version 12.00
-# Visual Studio Version 17
-VisualStudioVersion = 17.0.31903.59
-MinimumVisualStudioVersion = 10.0.40219.1
-Project("{50924D75-2903-46D4-86DD-02269EFDBCA9}") = "SshHandler", "SshHandler\SshHandler.csproj", "{960BAB18-309B-42D0-B67E-B4EF8E7F7490}"
-EndProject
-Global
-	GlobalSection(SolutionConfigurationPlatforms) = preSolution
-		Debug|Any CPU = Debug|Any CPU
-		Release|Any CPU = Release|Any CPU
-	EndGlobalSection
-	GlobalSection(ProjectConfigurationPlatforms) = postSolution
-		{960BAB18-309B-42D0-B67E-B4EF8E7F7490}.Debug|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Debug|Any CPU
-		{960BAB18-309B-42D0-B67E-B4EF8E7F7490}.Debug|Any CPU.Build.0 = Debug|Any CPU
-		{960BAB18-309B-42D0-B67E-B4EF8E7F7490}.Release|Any CPU.ActiveCfg = Release|Any CPU
-		{960BAB18-309B-42D0-B67E-B4EF8E7F7490}.Release|Any CPU.Build.0 = Release|Any CPU
-	EndGlobalSection
-	GlobalSection(SolutionProperties) = preSolution
-		HideSolutionNode = FALSE
-	EndGlobalSection
-EndGlobal

SshHandler/Form1.Designer.cs

@@ -1,113 +0,0 @@
-partial class Form1
-{
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Required designer variable.
-    /// </summary>
-    private System.ComponentModel.IContainer components = null;
-
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Clean up any resources being used.
-    /// </summary>
-    /// <param name="disposing">true if managed resources should be disposed; otherwise, false.</param>
-    protected override void Dispose(bool disposing)
-    {
-        if (disposing && (components != null))
-        {
-            components.Dispose();
-        }
-        base.Dispose(disposing);
-    }
-
-    #region Windows Form Designer generated code
-
-    /// <summary>
-    /// Required method for Designer support - do not modify
-    /// the contents of this method with the code editor.
-    /// </summary>
-    private void InitializeComponent()
-    {
-        this.label1 = new System.Windows.Forms.Label();
-        this.targetTextBox = new System.Windows.Forms.TextBox();
-        this.legacyCheckBox = new System.Windows.Forms.CheckBox();
-        this.connectButton = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
-        this.cancelButton = new System.Windows.Forms.Button();
-        this.SuspendLayout();
-        // 
-        // label1
-        // 
-        this.label1.AutoSize = true;
-        this.label1.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(12, 15);
-        this.label1.Name = "label1";
-        this.label1.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(73, 15);
-        this.label1.TabIndex = 0;
-        this.label1.Text = "Connect to:";
-        // 
-        // targetTextBox
-        // 
-        this.targetTextBox.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(15, 33);
-        this.targetTextBox.Name = "targetTextBox";
-        this.targetTextBox.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(357, 23);
-        this.targetTextBox.TabIndex = 1;
-        // 
-        // legacyCheckBox
-        // 
-        this.legacyCheckBox.AutoSize = true;
-        this.legacyCheckBox.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(15, 71);
-        this.legacyCheckBox.Name = "legacyCheckBox";
-        this.legacyCheckBox.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(206, 19);
-        this.legacyCheckBox.TabIndex = 2;
-        this.legacyCheckBox.Text = "Enable Legacy Mode (for old devices)";
-        this.legacyCheckBox.UseVisualStyleBackColor = true;
-        // 
-        // connectButton
-        // 
-        this.connectButton.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(297, 106);
-        this.connectButton.Name = "connectButton";
-        this.connectButton.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(75, 23);
-        this.connectButton.TabIndex = 3;
-        this.connectButton.Text = "Connect";
-        this.connectButton.UseVisualStyleBackColor = true;
-        this.connectButton.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.connectButton_Click);
-        // 
-        // cancelButton
-        // 
-        this.cancelButton.DialogResult = System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult.Cancel;
-        this.cancelButton.Location = new System.Drawing.Point(216, 106);
-        this.cancelButton.Name = "cancelButton";
-        this.cancelButton.Size = new System.Drawing.Size(75, 23);
-        this.cancelButton.TabIndex = 4;
-        this.cancelButton.Text = "Cancel";
-        this.cancelButton.UseVisualStyleBackColor = true;
-        this.cancelButton.Click += new System.EventHandler(this.cancelButton_Click);
-        // 
-        // Form1
-        // 
-        this.AcceptButton = this.connectButton;
-        this.AutoScaleDimensions = new System.Drawing.SizeF(7F, 15F);
-        this.AutoScaleMode = System.Windows.Forms.AutoScaleMode.Font;
-        this.CancelButton = this.cancelButton;
-        this.ClientSize = new System.Drawing.Size(384, 141);
-        this.Controls.Add(this.cancelButton);
-        this.Controls.Add(this.connectButton);
-        this.Controls.Add(this.legacyCheckBox);
-        this.Controls.Add(this.targetTextBox);
-        this.Controls.Add(this.label1);
-        this.FormBorderStyle = System.Windows.Forms.FormBorderStyle.FixedDialog;
-        this.MaximizeBox = false;
-        this.MinimizeBox = false;
-        this.Name = "Form1";
-        this.ShowIcon = false;
-        this.StartPosition = System.Windows.Forms.FormStartPosition.CenterScreen;
-        this.Text = "SSH Connection";
-        this.ResumeLayout(false);
-        this.PerformLayout();
-    }
-
-    #endregion
-
-    private System.Windows.Forms.Label label1;
-    private System.Windows.Forms.TextBox targetTextBox;
-    private System.Windows.Forms.CheckBox legacyCheckBox;
-    private System.Windows.Forms.Button connectButton;
-    private System.Windows.Forms.Button cancelButton;
-}

SshHandler/Form1.cs

@@ -1,40 +0,0 @@
-using System;
-using System.Windows.Forms;
-
-public partial class Form1 : Form
-{
-    // This property will store the result for the main program
-    public string FinalSshCommand { get; private set; }
-
-    public Form1(string initialTarget)
-    {
-        InitializeComponent();
-        targetTextBox.Text = initialTarget;
-        // Select the text for easy editing
-        targetTextBox.SelectAll();
-        targetTextBox.Focus();
-    }
-
-    private void connectButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
-    {
-        string target = targetTextBox.Text;
-        bool useLegacy = legacyCheckBox.Checked;
-
-        string legacyArgs = "-o KexAlgorithms=+diffie-hellman-group1-sha1,diffie-hellman-group14-sha1 " +
-                            "-o HostKeyAlgorithms=+ssh-rsa " +
-                            "-o MACs=+hmac-sha1,hmac-sha1-96";
-
-        // Build the arguments for ssh.exe
-        string arguments = $"-A -C {(useLegacy ? legacyArgs : "")} {target}";
-
-        FinalSshCommand = arguments;
-        this.DialogResult = DialogResult.OK; // Set dialog result to OK
-        this.Close(); // Close the form
-    }
-
-    private void cancelButton_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
-    {
-        this.DialogResult = DialogResult.Cancel; // Set dialog result to Cancel
-        this.Close();
-    }
-}

SshHandler/Form1.resx

@@ -1,67 +0,0 @@
-<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
-<root>
-  <xsd:schema id="root" xmlns="" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:msdata="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:xml-msdata">
-    <xsd:import namespace="http://www.w3.org/XML/1998/namespace" />
-    <xsd:element name="root" msdata:IsDataSet="true">
-      <xsd:complexType>
-        <xsd:choice maxOccurs="unbounded">
-          <xsd:element name="metadata">
-            <xsd:complexType>
-              <xsd:sequence>
-                <xsd:element name="value" type="xsd:string" minOccurs="0" />
-              </xsd:sequence>
-              <xsd:attribute name="name" use="required" type="xsd:string" />
-              <xsd:attribute name="type" type="xsd:string" />
-              <xsd:attribute name="mimetype" type="xsd:string" />
-              <xsd:attribute ref="xml:space" />
-            </xsd:complexType>
-          </xsd:element>
-          <xsd:element name="assembly">
-            <xsd:complexType>
-              <xsd:attribute name="alias" type="xsd:string" />
-              <xsd:attribute name="name" type="xsd:string" />
-            </xsd:complexType>
-          </xsd:element>
-          <xsd:element name="data">
-            <xsd:complexType>
-              <xsd:sequence>
-                <xsd:element name="value" type="xsd:string" minOccurs="0" msdata:Ordinal="1" />
-                <xsd:element name="comment" type="xsd:string" minOccurs="0" msdata:Ordinal="2" />
-              </xsd:sequence>
-              <xsd:attribute name="name" type="xsd:string" use="required" msdata:Ordinal="1" />
-              <xsd:attribute name="type" type="xsd:string" msdata:Ordinal="3" />
-              <xsd:attribute name="mimetype" type="xsd:string" msdata:Ordinal="4" />
-              <xsd:attribute ref="xml:space" />
-            </xsd:complexType>
-          </xsd:element>
-          <xsd:element name="resheader">
-            <xsd:complexType>
-              <xsd:sequence>
-                <xsd:element name="value" type="xsd:string" minOccurs="0" msdata:Ordinal="1" />
-              </xsd:sequence>
-              <xsd:attribute name="name" type="xsd:string" use="required" />
-            </xsd:complexType>
-          </xsd:element>
-        </xsd:choice>
-      </xsd:complexType>
-    </xsd:element>
-  </xsd:schema>
-  <resheader name="resmimetype">
-    <value>text/microsoft-resx</value>
-  </resheader>
-  <resheader name="version">
-    <value>2.0</value>
-  </resheader>
-  <resheader name="reader">
-    <value>System.Resources.ResXResourceReader, System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089</value>
-  </resheader>
-  <resheader name="writer">
-    <value>System.Resources.ResXResourceWriter, System.Windows.Forms, Version=4.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=b77a5c561934e089</value>
-  </resheader>
-  <data name="$this.ClientSize" type="System.Drawing.Size, System.Drawing">
-    <value>384, 141</value>
-  </data>
-  <data name="$this.Text" xml:space="preserve">
-    <value>SSH Connection</value>
-  </data>
-</root>

SshHandler/Program.cs

@@ -1,106 +0,0 @@
-using Microsoft.Win32;
-using System;
-using System.Diagnostics;
-using System.Security.Principal;
-using System.Windows.Forms;
-
-static class Program
-{
-    private const string ProtocolName = "ssh";
-
-    [STAThread]
-    static void Main(string[] args)
-    {
-        Application.EnableVisualStyles();
-        Application.SetCompatibleTextRenderingDefault(false);
-
-        // If no arguments, run setup mode.
-        if (args.Length == 0)
-        {
-            SetupHandler();
-        }
-        // Otherwise, run handler mode.
-        else
-        {
-            HandleConnection(args[0]);
-        }
-    }
-
-    static void HandleConnection(string url)
-    {
-        string target = url.Replace("ssh://", "").TrimEnd('/');
-        if (!target.Contains("@"))
-        {
-            target = $"{Environment.UserName}@{target}";
-        }
-
-        // Show the form as a dialog
-        using (var form = new Form1(target))
-        {
-            if (form.ShowDialog() == DialogResult.OK)
-            {
-                // If user clicked "Connect", run the command
-                ProcessStartInfo psi = new ProcessStartInfo
-                {
-                    FileName = "ssh.exe",
-                    Arguments = form.FinalSshCommand,
-                    UseShellExecute = true,
-                    CreateNoWindow = false
-                };
-                Process.Start(psi);
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
-    static void SetupHandler()
-    {
-        if (!IsAdmin())
-        {
-            MessageBox.Show("Please run this application as an administrator to register the URL handler.", "Admin Privileges Required", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error);
-            return;
-        }
-
-        // The path is simple and correct because it's a native app
-        string exePath = Application.ExecutablePath;
-        string commandStr = $"\"{exePath}\" \"%1\"";
-
-        var confirmResult = MessageBox.Show(
-            "This will register this application to handle all ssh:// links.\n\n" +
-            $"Command:\n{commandStr}\n\n" +
-            "Do you want to proceed?",
-            "Registry Setup",
-            MessageBoxButtons.YesNo,
-            MessageBoxIcon.Information);
-
-        if (confirmResult == DialogResult.Yes)
-        {
-            try
-            {
-                // Write the keys to HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT
-                using (RegistryKey key = Registry.ClassesRoot.CreateSubKey(ProtocolName))
-                {
-                    key.SetValue("", $"URL:{ProtocolName} Protocol");
-                    key.SetValue("URL Protocol", "");
-                }
-                using (RegistryKey key = Registry.ClassesRoot.CreateSubKey($"{ProtocolName}\\shell\\open\\command"))
-                {
-                    key.SetValue("", commandStr);
-                }
-                MessageBox.Show("Successfully registered ssh:// protocol handler!", "Success", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Information);
-            }
-            catch (Exception ex)
-            {
-                MessageBox.Show($"Failed to write to registry:\n{ex.Message}", "Error", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error);
-            }
-        }
-    }
-
-    private static bool IsAdmin()
-    {
-        using (WindowsIdentity identity = WindowsIdentity.GetCurrent())
-        {
-            WindowsPrincipal principal = new WindowsPrincipal(identity);
-            return principal.IsInRole(WindowsBuiltInRole.Administrator);
-        }
-    }
-}

SshHandler/SshHandler.csproj

@@ -1,12 +0,0 @@
-<Project Sdk="Microsoft.NET.Sdk">
-
-  <PropertyGroup>
-    <OutputType>WinExe</OutputType>
-    <TargetFramework>net8.0-windows</TargetFramework>
-    <Nullable>enable</Nullable>
-    <UseWindowsForms>true</UseWindowsForms>
-    <ImplicitUsings>enable</ImplicitUsings>
-    <ApplicationIcon>ssh_icon.ico</ApplicationIcon>
-  </PropertyGroup>
-
-</Project>

SshHandlerRs/README.md

@@ -1,18 +1,22 @@
 # ssh-handler (Rust)
 
-A from-scratch rewrite of `SshHandler` (the .NET/WinForms `ssh://` protocol
+The Windows `ssh://` protocol handler, in Rust — raw Win32 (via `windows-rs`)
-handler) in Rust, targeting raw Win32 (via `windows-rs`) instead of a managed
+instead of a managed GUI framework. This started as a rewrite of an earlier
-GUI framework. Same behavior, same registry keys, same dialog layout — just
+.NET/WinForms version (since removed) whose self-contained publish was
-without the .NET runtime.
+~150MB and paid CLR startup cost on every single `ssh://` link click. This
-
+version has no runtime, no GC, no JIT — cold start is just process creation
-Why: the WinForms build's self-contained publish is ~150MB and pays CLR
+plus a native dialog box. Release build is ~250KB.
-startup cost on every single `ssh://` link click. This version has no
-runtime, no GC, no JIT — cold start is just process creation plus a native
-dialog box. Release build is ~250KB.
 
 ## Building
 
-Cross-compiling from Linux (what CI does):
+CI (`.github/workflows/build.yml`) builds natively on `windows-latest` with
+the MSVC toolchain:
+
+```sh
+cargo build --release --target x86_64-pc-windows-msvc
+```
+
+Cross-compiling from Linux also works, e.g. for local iteration:
 
 ```sh
 rustup target add x86_64-pc-windows-gnu
@@ -20,19 +24,21 @@ sudo apt install mingw-w64
 cargo build --release --target x86_64-pc-windows-gnu
 ```
 
-Or natively on Windows with the MSVC toolchain:
-
-```sh
-cargo build --release
-```
-
 The dialog is a native Win32 resource (`resources/ssh_handler.rc`), compiled
 via `embed-resource` in `build.rs` — no GUI toolkit dependency.
 
 ## Behavior
 
 - No arguments: setup mode. Checks for admin rights, confirms with the user,
-  then writes the `ssh://` protocol registration under `HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT`.
+  then registers `ssh_handler_rs` as an `ssh://` handler using the "Default
+  Programs" capability model (a dedicated ProgID with
+  `Capabilities\UrlAssociations`, plus a
+  `HKLM\SOFTWARE\RegisteredApplications` entry) — the same pattern
+  `openssh_protocol_handler.bat` uses, and the one Windows 10/11 actually
+  honors in Settings > Apps > Default Apps > "Choose default apps by link
+  type". A bare `HKCR\ssh\shell\open\command` write (what the old .NET
+  version did) gets silently ignored once a `UserChoice` already exists for
+  the protocol, which is the common case.
 - `ssh://user@host` argument: handler mode. Parses the target (defaulting the
   username to the current Windows user if omitted), shows a small dialog to
   confirm/edit the target and optionally enable "legacy mode" (older