interminal
This server gives AI assistants terminal access to both local and remote SSH environments, supporting interactive and long-running commands.
Connect to SSH servers (
connect_ssh): Establish persistent SSH sessions with password or key-based authentication, receiving asession_idfor subsequent commands.Create local shell sessions (
create_local): Spawn a persistent local shell (bash, zsh, PowerShell, etc.) on the host machine with full execution privileges.Execute commands (
execute): Run shell commands in any active session; short commands return output immediately (status=completed), while long-running commands returnstatus=partialwith acommand_idfor further interaction.Poll running command output (
read_output): Retrieve new output from a still-running command without sending input — useful for monitoring builds or background processes.Respond to interactive prompts (
respond): Send text input (e.g., answering[Y/n]prompts or entering passwords) to a command waiting for user input.Send control keys and signals (
send_control): Transmit control characters and key sequences (Ctrl+C, arrow keys, F-keys, ESC, Tab, etc.) to interrupt commands or drive TUI applications like vim, htop, or Zellij.List active sessions (
list_sessions): View all currently open SSH and local sessions, including their type and connection details.Disconnect sessions (
disconnect): Gracefully close a session, terminating all associated processes and freeing resources.Configure command timeouts: Control response timing using
pause_timeout(output silence) andtotal_timeout(hard duration limits).
Interminal
Lightweight MCP server that gives AI assistants terminal access — SSH and local shells — with support for interactive and long-running commands.
Installation
# Run directly, no install needed (recommended)
uvx mcp-interminal
# Or install permanently
pip install mcp-interminalRequires Python ≥ 3.11.
Related MCP server: Terminal MCP
MCP Client Configuration
Claude Desktop (claude_desktop_config.json):
{
"mcpServers": {
"interminal": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": ["mcp-interminal"]
}
}
}Cursor / other clients: same command + args format above.
Tools
Tool | Description |
| Connect to an SSH server; returns |
| Create a local shell session |
| Run a command; returns output or |
| Poll a running command for new output without sending input |
| Send text input to a command waiting at a prompt |
| Send control keys: |
| Close a session and release all resources |
| List all active sessions |
Recommended: Install Zellij
Each execute call runs in an isolated channel — there is no persistent shell between calls. For simple tasks, chaining with && works. For multi-step workflows (project development, debugging, deployment), a terminal multiplexer provides persistent state that survives across calls.
Zellij is strongly recommended on the host machine (local or remote):
# Linux / macOS / WSL
cargo install zellij # or: brew install zellij
# Check if installed
zellij --versionWith Zellij installed, the AI agent will automatically create a persistent session where cd, environment variables, virtual environments, and long-running processes carry over naturally. As a bonus, you can run zellij attach <session-name> to watch the AI's terminal work in real-time.
Key Behaviors
Stateless execute — each call is an isolated channel;
cd /foodoes not persist. Simple tasks: chain with&&. Multi-step workflows: the AI will use a Zellij session for persistent stateLong-running commands return
status="partial"with acommand_id; poll withread_outputor send input withrespondTUI apps (zellij, vim, htop) must be started in the foreground — never background with
&; after the server daemonizes, the partial channel can be abandonedSSH PTY is 500×200 xterm-256color so multiplexer sessions render at your actual terminal size
Optional Dependencies
pip install "mcp-interminal[pty]" # Windows PTY support (pywinpty)
pip install "mcp-interminal[ansi]" # ANSI escape rendering (pyte)
pip install "mcp-interminal[pty,ansi]" # bothMaintenance
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