Getting started with Grid Transit
This guide walks through installing Grid Transit, connecting to your first server, and using the compare / sync / conflict-resolution workflow from start to finish.
1 Installation
Grid Transit ships in two forms — pick whichever suits you. Both install nothing beyond the app itself.
Portable
- Download
Grid-Transit-Portable.exe - Double-click it — the app opens directly, no setup screen.
- Move the .exe anywhere (USB drive, another PC) and it keeps working.
Installer
- Download
Grid-Transit-Setup.exe - Run it, choose an install folder, and finish the wizard.
- Launch Grid Transit from the Start Menu shortcut it creates.
Seeing a SmartScreen warning? That's expected — this build isn't code-signed with a paid certificate yet. Click More info → Run anyway to continue. The app is fully open source, so you can inspect exactly what it does.
2 First Launch — a quick tour
When Grid Transit opens, you'll see four main areas:
Switches the sidebar between Connections, Local Explorer, Remote Explorer, and History.
Shows the content for whichever rail item is active — e.g. your saved connection profiles.
The file comparison table, diff viewer, merge editor, and transfer log tabs live here.
Scan Directory re-compares files, Sync Selected executes the transfers you've checked.
3 Creating a connection profile
Open the Connections tab in the left rail, then click + New.
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Profile Name | Any label — e.g. "Production Server". |
| Protocol | SFTP (recommended, SSH-based), FTP, or FTPS. |
| Host | Your server's domain or IP address. |
| Port | 22 for SFTP, 21 for FTP/FTPS (defaults are pre-filled). |
| Remote Root Directory | The folder on the server to compare, e.g. /var/www/html. |
| Local Project Directory | The matching folder on your PC, e.g. C:/projects/my-site. |
| Username / Password | Your server login credentials, stored locally on your machine only. |
Click Test Connection before saving — Grid Transit will verify the host is reachable and the remote directory exists. Once it succeeds, save the profile and it becomes your active connection.
No server yet? You can point "Host" at another local folder on your own PC instead of a real address. Grid Transit will treat it as the "remote" side using plain file copies — handy for trying out the compare/sync/merge workflow risk-free before connecting to a real server.
4 Scanning & understanding statuses
Click Scan Directory to compare local and remote. Grid Transit lists every file it finds instantly, then quietly compares file contents in the background to classify each one:
Use the Rebuild Cache button if you ever suspect stale results — it forces a full re-check instead of trusting the cached comparison from last time.
5 Selecting & syncing files
- Click a row (or its checkbox) to select it — synced files can't be selected since there's nothing to do.
- Use the Changes / Conflicts filters to narrow the list down.
- Click Sync Selected in the top toolbar to execute uploads, downloads and deletions for everything checked.
- Watch live progress, transfer speed and per-file status in the transfer queue that appears.
6 Resolving conflicts
When a file shows the Conflict status, you have three options from the File Comparison screen:
Discards the remote change and pushes your local file up.
Discards your local change and pulls the server's file down.
Opens both versions in an editable, git-style <<<<<<< / ======= / >>>>>>> block so you can hand-pick lines from each side, then save the merged result to both local and remote.
7 Exclusion filters
Open the settings gear icon to manage exclusions — patterns are matched against every scanned path (both as an exact folder/file name and as a wildcard).
You can also right-click any file in the comparison table and choose Exclude File to add a pattern on the fly.
8 Transfer history
The History tab (and the System Transfer Trails tab in the main area) log every upload, download and deletion with a timestamp, size, and success/failure status — useful as an audit trail when something on the server changes unexpectedly.
Need a clean slate? The reset icon at the bottom of the left rail clears cached comparison data and history — it does not touch your actual files.
9 Troubleshooting
"Connection failed" when testing a profile
Double-check host, port and protocol match what your hosting provider gave you. For SFTP, port 22 is standard; for FTP/FTPS, it's usually 21. Make sure your local firewall or VPN isn't blocking outbound connections on that port.
"Local project directory does not exist"
The Local Project Directory field needs a real, existing folder path on your PC. Create the folder first, or point it at an existing project.
Scan results look stale
Click Rebuild Cache to force Grid Transit to re-check every file instead of trusting its comparison cache.
Windows blocked the app
SmartScreen may flag it as unrecognized because it isn't code-signed. Choose More info → Run anyway. The source is open — you're welcome to review it.
10 FAQ
Is Grid Transit free?
Yes — it's free and open source under the MIT License, with no account, subscription, or telemetry.
Where are my saved passwords stored?
Connection profiles are stored locally in your browser/app storage, encrypted before being written to disk. They never leave your machine.
Does it work on macOS or Linux?
The current downloadable builds target Windows. Since the app is built on Electron and Node.js, it can be built for other platforms from source.
Ready to try it?
Grab the download and connect your first server in under two minutes.
Go to Downloads