'\" t
.\"     Title: cockpit-desktop
.\"    Author: [see the "AUTHOR(S)" section]
.\" Generator: Asciidoctor 2.0.26
.\"      Date: 2026-05-20
.\"    Manual: cockpit
.\"    Source: cockpit
.\"  Language: English
.\"
.TH "COCKPIT\-DESKTOP" "1" "2026-05-20" "cockpit" "cockpit"
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.SH "NAME"
cockpit-desktop \- Cockpit Desktop integration
.SH "SYNOPSIS"
.sp
\fBcockpit\-desktop\fP \fIURLPATH\fP [\fISSH_HOST\fP]
.SH "DESCRIPTION"
.sp
The \fBcockpit\-desktop\fP program provides secure access to Cockpit pages
in an already running desktop session. It starts a web server
(\fBcockpit\-ws\fP) and a web browser in an isolated network namespace, and
a \fBcockpit\-bridge(8)\fP in the running user session.
.sp
This avoids having to log into Cockpit, and having to enable
\fBcockpit.socket\fP system\-wide. The network isolation ensures that no
other user, and not even other processes in the user\(cqs session, can
access this local web server.
.sp
\fBURLPATH\fP is the Cockpit page to open, i. e. the path component of
Cockpit URLs. It is highly recommended to only open a
.URL "https://cockpit\-project.org/guide/latest/embedding.html" "particular page frame" ","
not the entire Cockpit navigation and menu. For example, the
path \f(CR/cockpit/@localhost/storage/index.html\fP will open the Storage
page. It is also possible to give abbreviated forms of urls, such as
\(lq/storage\(rq or \(lq/network/firewall\(rq.
.sp
\fISSH_HOST\fP is an optional SSH remote host specification (\fIhostname\fP
or \fIusername@hostname\fP). If given, \fBcockpit\-bridge\fP will be started
on the remote host through \fBssh(1)\fP instead, i. e. the Cockpit web
browser will show that remote host. Note that this is more of an
experimental/demo feature.
.SH "ENVIRONMENT"
.sp
The \fBBROWSER\fP environment variable specifies the browser command (and
possibly options) that will be used to open the requested Cockpit page.
If not set, \fBcockpit\-desktop\fP attempts to use an internal minimalistic
WebKit browser, and failing that, will attempt to detect some reasonable
alternatives.
.SH "BUGS"
.sp
Please send bug reports to either the distribution bug tracker or the \c
.URL "https://github.com/cockpit\-project/cockpit/issues/new" "upstream bug tracker" "."
.SH "AUTHOR"
.sp
Cockpit has been written by many
.URL "https://github.com/cockpit\-project/cockpit" "contributors" "."
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.sp
\fBcockpit\-ws(8)\fP, \fBcockpit\-bridge(1)\fP