Selected project
Ptarmigan
Built a portable Windows coding workspace with integrated tools, remote connections, and explicit permission controls.
Purpose
Ptarmigan provides a focused coding workspace that developers can carry between Windows computers without running an installer. It brings project files, terminals, browsers, Git, automation, and remote connections into one desktop environment while making each tool’s authority visible instead of hiding access behind a general permission.
Technical implementation
The portable desktop application uses Electron and Node.js around a sandboxed capability broker. PowerShell supports Windows-native workflows, while SSH, SFTP, WinRM, databases, containers, GitHub, and Azure extend the workspace beyond the local machine. Explicit permission boundaries, secure input handling, updater verification, and packaging tests protect how those capabilities are granted and distributed.
- Electron
- Node.js
- PowerShell
- Windows
Selected screens
Route every tool through a broker Architecture diagram — every local or remote operation crosses the capability broker before a sandboxed tool can run.
Make authority explicit Architecture diagram — the requested scope is reviewed explicitly, converted into a bounded grant, and recorded for audit.
Reach beyond the desktop safely Architecture diagram — named connections receive opaque resource IDs and remain separate instead of inheriting blanket access.
All projects About James Buckley