Sessions
A session is one shared terminal: the host runs a real shell (or any program), everyone else mirrors it live over the encrypted relay.
$ ptln startBare ptln opens your session manager; hosting a shared shell is always ptln start.
| Flag | Does what |
|---|---|
--open | guests can type immediately (default: view-only until granted) |
--invite-only=false | allow anonymous view-only joins from the bare link (default requires an account on your instance) |
--team <slug> | host for a team, so its members can see it |
--invite a@x.com,@teammate | invite by email address and/or teammate @handle when the session opens |
-- <command> | run a program instead of your $SHELL, e.g. ptln start -- vim notes.md |
Join
$ ptln join 'https://ptln.example.com/j/<code>#k=<key>'The link points at whichever instance the host is signed in to. Joining requires an account on that instance, so the host always sees who is on the line. You start view-only.
Set one up from the web
Open Start a session — the launch hub's Shared session tab — pick the team, tick the members to invite or paste email addresses, and it creates the session in a planned state. The next screen gives you the one command to paste; the session goes live and everyone invited is notified the moment you run it. (/sessions/new redirects to the hub.) ptln start on its own needs no web setup.
Who can drive
- Personal session (
ptln start) — you drive, everyone else watches. For more than one driver, host for a team. - Team session (
ptln start --team <slug>) — members with Full access can be granted the keyboard; Viewers watch only. No seat cap on either — see Team & members.
| Role | Can |
|---|---|
| Host | owns the session: grant/revoke typing, end it, kick, lock |
| Full access | host, and be granted the keyboard |
| Viewer | watch only — cannot type, even if granted |
Everyone on the line is a verified account on your instance (shown with ✓).
Requesting control: ctrl-\ then r. The host grants with ctrl-\ g (opens typing to all full-access guests) or /pgrant <name> (just you). Works inside full-screen apps.
A viewer cannot be granted typing. The host promotes them first with ptln team access <handle> full (or the team page); the member then rejoins to pick it up, and the grant works after that.
Screen size
The shared terminal is sized to the smallest connected screen, so everyone sees an identical layout with no wrapping or redraw artifacts. Resize any window and the session re-clamps live to the largest size that still fits everyone.
Reconnecting
Host and joiners reconnect on their own after a dropped connection — same session, same key, within seconds. After ~3 minutes of failed retries it gives up and tells you to start a fresh session. A clean host exit (/pexit) ends it for everyone immediately, with no reconnect attempts.
Quitting
Ctrl-C is passed through to the shell (raw mode) and will not quit partyline.
- Host:
/pexitorctrl-\ q— ends the session for everyone. - Guest:
/pexitorctrl-\ d— you leave.