Putty in Windows is similar to which linux tool?

If you administer Linux/Unix systems from Windows, you need three things: a secure terminal, reliable file transfer, and sane key management. PuTTY delivers all three in a GUI bundle; OpenSSH provides the same core capabilities natively on Linux . This piece explains when to pick PuTTY, what’s actually in the suite, and how to map each task to Linux tools—without drowning you in options.

What PuTTY really is ?

PuTTY is a toolkit for secure remote access from Windows. In one package you get a graphical SSH client, a key generator/converter, an SSH agent, and utilities for file transfer and automation. Despite OpenSSH being built into Windows 10/11, PuTTY remains the #1 choice when you need a convenient GUI, Serial/COM support, saved session profiles, and first-class support for the .ppk key format.
Alongside it in the ecosystem are:

PuTTY — the terminal app for SSH/Telnet/Serial with saved profiles and networking knobs (proxy, keepalives, logging).
PuTTYgen — generates and converts keys (notably the .ppk format).
Pageant — an SSH agent that keeps your private key in memory so clients can authenticate without prompting every time.
PSCP/PSFTP — secure file transfer via SCP/SFTP.
Plink — a CLI client for scripting and headless tunnels.

All of the above are first-party components documented in the official PuTTY User Manual. If you use PuTTY, you’re expected to use PuTTYgen/Pageant/PSCP as part of the workflow.

When PuTTY is the right choice on Windows

Choose PuTTY when you want a clean GUI with saved sessions, need Serial/COM access to network gear, or your organization standardizes on .ppk keys and Pageant. If you prefer the command line, Windows 10/11 also ships OpenSSH Client as a Feature on Demand—so ssh, scp, and sftp are available directly in PowerShell.

A minimal, correct setup

Generate a key in PuTTYgen (protect it with a passphrase), place the public key in ~/.ssh/authorized_keys on the server, point PuTTY at your .ppk under Connection → SSH → Auth, save the session, and enable keepalives if your path includes NAT/firewalls. These are standard, documented PuTTY flows—not vendor folklore.

The Linux side: exact equivalents

On Linux you don’t need PuTTY because OpenSSH is part of the base toolkit:

Terminal access: ssh — the canonical client.
File transfer: scp and sftp over SSH.
Keys: ssh-keygen to create/manage keys (modern builds default to strong types like Ed25519 when invoked appropriately).
Agent: ssh-agent + ssh-add to keep keys in memory and avoid repeated prompts.
Profiles: ~/.ssh/config to define human-readable host aliases and per-host options.

If a GUI helps your workflow on Linux, Remmina or cross-platform Termius sit on top of the same OpenSSH foundations; the mapping above doesn’t change.

Security baseline that actually moves the needle

Prefer key-based authentication over passwords; store keys in an agent; verify the server’s host key fingerprint on first connect. Those aren’t “tips”—they’re how SSH is designed to be used (and they’re spelled out in the OpenSSH manuals).

PuTTY vs. Linux equivalents

Task	Windows (PuTTY stack)	Linux (OpenSSH)	What to remember
Secure terminal	PuTTY (GUI), Plink (CLI)	ssh	Same protocol, different UI.
File transfer	PSCP / PSFTP	scp / sftp	Both are SSH-based; SFTP is session-friendly.
Keys	PuTTYgen	ssh-keygen	Generate once; use agents everywhere.
Agent	Pageant	ssh-agent + ssh-add	Keeps private keys in memory for seamless auth.
Profiles	Saved Sessions	~/.ssh/config	Human-readable per-host options/aliases.
Serial/COM	Built into PuTTY	screen/minicom (separate tools)	Only Windows PuTTY bundles Serial in the same GUI

Conclusion

PuTTY is the most practical all-in-one GUI bundle on Windows when you need secure terminal access, file transfer, key management, and Serial/COM support in a single tool. On Linux, the same jobs are covered natively by OpenSSH (ssh, scp/sftp, ssh-keygen, ssh-agent) with optional GUI front ends like Remmina or Termius and screen/minicom for serial work. Choose PuTTY if you prefer a GUI with saved sessions, .ppk/Pageant, or you regularly use Serial/COM. Choose OpenSSH CLI if you’re comfortable in the terminal and want portable scripts and config via ~/.ssh/config. Security best practices are identical in both worlds: keys over passwords, use an agent, verify host fingerprints, and enable keepalives on unstable links. Bottom line: pick the interface you’ll actually use consistently—the protocol and security model are the same.