Anyterm consists of some Javascript on a web page, an XmlHttpRequest channel on standard ports back to the server, an HTTP proxy such as Apache's mod_proxy and the Anyterm daemon. The daemon uses a pseudo-terminal to communicate with a shell or other application, and includes terminal emulation.

Key presses are picked up by the Javscript which sends them to the daemon; changes to the emulated screen are sent from the daemon to the Javascript which updates its display.

Performance is quite reasonable and SSL can be used to secure the connection.