Node updates

Update the node daemon while accounting for its running sessions.

Before you start

Review current work and the server's compatibility requirements. The server checks a minimum node version and an exact protocol version independently.

For the instance-wide update page, sign in as an administrator. In the server dashboard sidebar, open Server Settings → Updates. In Components, select Re-check to refresh release information and find the Nodes rows below the server and desktop apps.

Compare the target node's Running and Newest versions.
Read its status and any explanation of why an update is unavailable.
Select Update on that node's row.
Wait for installation and reconnection, then confirm the reported running version.

The server offers a node release compatible with its requirements and the node's platform. Update all processes the eligible nodes in order and stops at the first failure. The failed node's row explains the problem; check which machines completed before trying again.

A truly offline node cannot receive an update command. A connected node held for compatibility can be unavailable for normal work while still accepting an offered update. The page distinguishes minimum-version, protocol, and encryption-pairing issues. See Version compatibility for those checks.

An accepted update is not proof of completion. If the page says the node has not reported the target version yet, reload and inspect that machine's service before retrying. The running version after reconnection establishes what was installed.

Update from a node's detail page

A node owner or a user with edit access can also open Nodes in the dashboard sidebar and select the node. In its Updates card, choose Update to latest to request the newest release this server can offer. The card displays the installed version and any refusal.

For a node managed by Subshell Client, open the app's tray menu → This Machine… → Update for its local update workflow. Updating the node daemon and updating the desktop app are separate operations; check the app's release when you need a newer bundled version.

Check and update with the CLI

On the node:

subshell update --check
subshell update

The node CLI checks the newest published node release by default. It does not ask the control plane which version is compatible. Review the dashboard update page described above before applying it, and use --to <version> when you need the version offered there.

Review any refusal concerning live panes. Use maintenance when you need a controlled stop.

Offline and selected updates

--to <version> selects a published version. --from <file> uses a staged local binary; you are responsible for the trustworthiness of that file. --no-restart replaces the binary but leaves restart to the caller.

--force can accept a downgrade and override a live-pane refusal. It is not a substitute for reviewing compatibility and session impact.