Glossary
The words Pithyx uses in its interface and documentation, in alphabetical order.
Administrator. A user with every right on the box. Administrators manage storage, users, shared folders, file services and apps.
App. A static frontend plus an optional backend, described by a manifest and shipped as a package. See Apps overview.
App id. The reversed domain of the author plus the app name, three to five parts, such as com.mueller.chat. System apps use org.pithyx.<name>.
App pool. The pool an administrator picks at the first install of an app. Each app has a dataset there, and Docker’s data lives there too.
Backend. The containers of an app, described by a Docker Compose file. One instance serves all users and is reached only through the daemon’s proxy.
Box. The machine that runs Pithyx.
Catalog. A Git repository of apps that the Store reads. There is an official one, a community one and any number of own ones.
Channel. stable or beta: which branch of a catalog the box reads.
Configuration backup. A password-encrypted file with the box’s database, Samba password database, certificates and SSH host keys, which can be restored on a fresh install.
Core app. An app that ships with the system, such as Files, Storage, Settings, Resource Monitor, Log Center, Viewer, About Pithyx and Store. Its id starts with org.pithyx..
Daemon. pithyxd, the only privileged process on the box. It serves the desktop and the API.
Dataset. A ZFS file system inside a pool with its own space limit and settings. Each shared folder and each app has one.
Deploy key. A read-only SSH key the box creates so it can fetch a private catalog.
Desktop. The web interface of the box, opened in a browser.
Disk serial confirmation. Destructive storage actions on a disk that holds data need the disk’s serial number to be typed as confirmation.
Error code. A stable identifier of the form area.object.reason. See the error reference.
Group. A set of users that can be given the same rights. The built-in group users contains everyone.
Hot spare. A disk that waits in a pool and takes over when another disk fails.
Job. A long operation that runs in the background with progress. Jobs are not resumed after a restart.
Lifecycle. How long a backend runs: always, or onDemand (while a window is open, plus an idle time).
Live system. The environment on the installation USB stick that runs the web installer.
Log Center. The app that searches the logs of the daemon, the system and the apps.
Manifest. The file pithyx.json that describes an app. See The manifest.
Owner account. The first administrator account, created in the installer.
Package. A .pithyxapp file: an app, built and ready to install.
Permission. Something an app may do, such as read shared folders or reach the internet. An administrator confirms and can revoke each one. Not to be confused with a user’s rights.
Pool. A ZFS pool: disks combined into one storage area, as a mirror, RAID-Z or stripe.
Protocol. A way to reach shared folders from other devices: SMB, SFTP, WebDAV or FTP. Access is set per user.
Quota. A limit on the space a dataset may use.
Recovery codes. Ten one-time codes that replace the authenticator app for two-factor sign-in.
Recovery key. A key shown once at setup (it starts with PTHX). It is the only way to reset an administrator’s password when no other administrator can; without it, reinstall.
Recycle bin. A hidden folder in each shared folder that keeps deleted files for a set time.
Request id. A 32-character identifier that ties one request to its log entries. The desktop never shows it.
Resilver. Rebuilding data onto a replaced or returned disk.
Restore point. An automatic daily snapshot of a shared folder, kept for 7 days.
Rollback. Returning an app to its previous version together with its data.
Sandbox. The restricted iframe in which third-party apps run.
Scrub. A check that reads every block of a pool and repairs errors from redundancy.
SDK. @pithyx/sdk, the API between an app and the desktop. See @pithyx/sdk.
Shared folder. A folder on a pool, its own dataset, that users reach with chosen access (none, read or read-write) from the desktop or over a protocol.
Sideload. Installing an app from a package file instead of a catalog. The Store marks it as not verified.
Simulation mode. The daemon running on fixtures instead of real hardware, for development and tests.
Snapshot. A read-only point-in-time copy of a dataset.
Store. The app where administrators install, update and remove apps and manage catalogs.
System disk. The disk that holds the operating system and the database. Pools and app data are never on it.
Token. A short-lived secret that identifies an app window to the daemon or to a backend. Tickets are one-time tokens for WebSockets.
Topic. A named channel on the WebSocket that delivers live data, such as storage/pools.
Two-factor sign-in. Sign-in with a password and a code from an authenticator app (TOTP). Optional for each user.
Update policy. How the box handles app updates: automatic, notify or none.
Vdev. A group of disks inside a pool, such as one mirror.
Window lease. The counting of open windows of an app that keeps an onDemand backend running.