How do I use ssh-mcp-server?

1. Click on "Deploy Server". 2. Wait a few minutes for the server to deploy. Once ready, it will show a "Started" state. 3. In the chat, type @ followed by the MCP server name and your instructions, e.g., "@ssh-mcp-server run 'df -h' on production" That's it! The server will respond to your query, and you can continue using it as needed. Here is a step-by-step guide with screenshots.

ssh-mcp-server

by TheSashaDev

Overview Schema Source Related Servers Discussions Admin

TypeScript

Local

ssh-mcp-server

npm License: AGPL-3.0

MCP server for executing commands, uploading and downloading files on remote servers via SSH. Zero-config for single servers — just pass credentials inline.

English

ssh-mcp-server is an MCP server for controlled SSH automation from AI tools. It supports command execution, file uploads/downloads, multi-server configs, async jobs, and clean AI-readable output.

Related MCP server: sshops

Русский

ssh-mcp-server — MCP-сервер для контролируемой SSH-автоматизации из AI-инструментов. Он поддерживает выполнение команд, загрузку/скачивание файлов, конфигурации нескольких серверов, фоновые задачи и чистый вывод, удобный для AI.

Українська

ssh-mcp-server — MCP-сервер для контрольованої SSH-автоматизації з AI-інструментів. Він підтримує виконання команд, завантаження/скачування файлів, конфігурації кількох серверів, фонові задачі та чистий вивід, зручний для AI.

Features

Command execution — sync/async modes, timeout, background polling
Reliable file transfers — 5 automatic fallback strategies
Multi-server — easy switching with workspace-based auto-selection
AI-Native output — ANSI stripped, binary detected, control chars removed
Zero-config mode — pass server credentials directly in MCP config, no extra files needed
Fast — SFTP session caching, connection pooling, 64-stream parallel transfers

Tools

Tool	Description
`ssh_servers`	List configured servers and their workspace bindings
`ssh_execute`	Run a shell command (sync or async with polling)
`ssh_upload`	Upload a local file to remote server
`ssh_download`	Download a remote file to local machine

Quick Start

Zero-Config (Inline)

No files needed — pass server credentials directly in your AI tool's MCP config:

{
  "ssh": {
    "command": "npx",
    "args": [
      "-y", "@thesashadev/ssh-mcp-server",
      "--host", "1.2.3.4",
      "--username", "ubuntu",
      "--password", "your-password"
    ]
  }
}

With Config File

For multi-server setups, create ssh-servers.json in your working directory:

{
  "servers": [
    {
      "id": "dev",
      "name": "Dev Server",
      "host": "1.2.3.4",
      "username": "ubuntu",
      "password": "your-password",
      "workspaces": ["D:\\projects\\my-app"]
    }
  ]
}

Then run:

npx -y @thesashadev/ssh-mcp-server

🔌 Client Integration

Single server:

claude mcp add ssh -- npx -y @thesashadev/ssh-mcp-server --host 1.2.3.4 --username ubuntu --password secret

Two servers:

claude mcp add ssh -- npx -y @thesashadev/ssh-mcp-server \
  --host 1.2.3.4 --username ubuntu --password secret --id dev \
  --host 5.6.7.8 --username deploy --key ~/.ssh/id_rsa --id prod

Or with config file:

claude mcp add ssh -- npx -y @thesashadev/ssh-mcp-server

(Place ssh-servers.json in your project root)

Edit claude_desktop_config.json:

Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json
macOS: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

Single server:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ssh": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y", "@thesashadev/ssh-mcp-server",
        "--host", "1.2.3.4",
        "--username", "ubuntu",
        "--password", "secret"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Two servers:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ssh": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y", "@thesashadev/ssh-mcp-server",
        "--host", "1.2.3.4", "--username", "ubuntu", "--password", "secret", "--id", "dev",
        "--host", "5.6.7.8", "--username", "deploy", "--key", "~/.ssh/id_rsa", "--id", "prod"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Open Settings → Cursor Settings → MCP → + Add New MCP Server.

Or add to ~/.cursor/mcp.json:

Single server:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ssh": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y", "@thesashadev/ssh-mcp-server",
        "--host", "1.2.3.4",
        "--username", "ubuntu",
        "--password", "secret"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Two servers:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ssh": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y", "@thesashadev/ssh-mcp-server",
        "--host", "1.2.3.4", "--username", "ubuntu", "--password", "secret", "--id", "dev",
        "--host", "5.6.7.8", "--username", "deploy", "--key", "~/.ssh/id_rsa", "--id", "prod"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Edit ~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json (macOS/Linux) or %USERPROFILE%\.codeium\windsurf\mcp_config.json (Windows):

Single server:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ssh": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y", "@thesashadev/ssh-mcp-server",
        "--host", "1.2.3.4",
        "--username", "ubuntu",
        "--password", "secret"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Two servers:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ssh": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y", "@thesashadev/ssh-mcp-server",
        "--host", "1.2.3.4", "--username", "ubuntu", "--password", "secret", "--id", "dev",
        "--host", "5.6.7.8", "--username", "deploy", "--key", "~/.ssh/id_rsa", "--id", "prod"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Add to mcp_config.json:

Single server:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ssh": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y", "@thesashadev/ssh-mcp-server",
        "--host", "1.2.3.4",
        "--username", "ubuntu",
        "--password", "secret"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Two servers:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ssh": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y", "@thesashadev/ssh-mcp-server",
        "--host", "1.2.3.4", "--username", "ubuntu", "--password", "secret", "--id", "dev",
        "--host", "5.6.7.8", "--username", "deploy", "--key", "~/.ssh/id_rsa", "--id", "prod"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Add to codex.toml:

Single server:

[mcp_servers."ssh"]
command = "npx"
args = [
  "-y", "@thesashadev/ssh-mcp-server",
  "--host", "1.2.3.4",
  "--username", "ubuntu",
  "--password", "secret"
]
enabled = true

Two servers:

[mcp_servers."ssh"]
command = "npx"
args = [
  "-y", "@thesashadev/ssh-mcp-server",
  "--host", "1.2.3.4", "--username", "ubuntu", "--password", "secret", "--id", "dev",
  "--host", "5.6.7.8", "--username", "deploy", "--key", "~/.ssh/id_rsa", "--id", "prod"
]
enabled = true

Edit ~/.config/cody/mcp_servers.json:

Single server:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ssh": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y", "@thesashadev/ssh-mcp-server",
        "--host", "1.2.3.4",
        "--username", "ubuntu",
        "--password", "secret"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Two servers:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ssh": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y", "@thesashadev/ssh-mcp-server",
        "--host", "1.2.3.4", "--username", "ubuntu", "--password", "secret", "--id", "dev",
        "--host", "5.6.7.8", "--username", "deploy", "--key", "~/.ssh/id_rsa", "--id", "prod"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Add to .continue/config.json:

Single server:

{
  "mcpServers": [
    {
      "name": "ssh",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y", "@thesashadev/ssh-mcp-server",
        "--host", "1.2.3.4",
        "--username", "ubuntu",
        "--password", "secret"
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Two servers:

{
  "mcpServers": [
    {
      "name": "ssh",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y", "@thesashadev/ssh-mcp-server",
        "--host", "1.2.3.4", "--username", "ubuntu", "--password", "secret", "--id", "dev",
        "--host", "5.6.7.8", "--username", "deploy", "--key", "~/.ssh/id_rsa", "--id", "prod"
      ]
    }
  ]
}

Configuration

Three ways to configure servers (in priority order):

1. CLI Arguments (Zero-Config)

Pass directly in your MCP config args:

--host 1.2.3.4 --username ubuntu --password secret
--host 1.2.3.4 --username deploy --key ~/.ssh/id_rsa

Arg	Description
`--host`	SSH host (starts a new server block)
`--port`	SSH port (default: 22)
`--username`	SSH user
`--password`	Password auth
`--key`	Path to private key
`--passphrase`	Key passphrase
`--id`	Server ID (default: "default")
`--name`	Display name
`--remote-dir`	Default remote directory
`--workspace`	Local directory binding

Multiple servers: repeat --host blocks:

--host 1.2.3.4 --username dev --password pass1 --id dev
--host 5.6.7.8 --username prod --key ~/.ssh/id_rsa --id prod

2. Environment Variables

For single-server setups via env:

SSH_HOST=1.2.3.4 SSH_USER=ubuntu SSH_PASSWORD=secret

Env Var	Description
`SSH_HOST`	SSH host
`SSH_PORT`	SSH port
`SSH_USER`	Username
`SSH_PASSWORD`	Password
`SSH_KEY`	Private key path
`SSH_PASSPHRASE`	Key passphrase
`SSH_REMOTE_DIR`	Default remote dir
`SSH_WORKSPACE`	Local workspace

3. Config File (`ssh-servers.json`)

For complex multi-server setups. Looked up in: current directory → package directory.

{
  "servers": [
    {
      "id": "dev",
      "host": "1.2.3.4",
      "username": "ubuntu",
      "password": "secret",
      "workspaces": ["D:\\projects\\my-app"]
    },
    {
      "id": "prod",
      "host": "5.6.7.8",
      "username": "deploy",
      "privateKeyPath": "~/.ssh/id_rsa",
      "workspaces": ["D:\\projects\\production"]
    }
  ]
}

License

AGPL-3.0

This server cannot be deployed

One endpoint for every MCP toolRayrun runs every MCP server behind one URL and holds the credentials. Each call is decided per client, tool, and argument, then recorded.ray.runAd

Maintenance

ActivityInactive

ResponsivenessNo issues

Resources

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ssh-mcp-server

English

Русский

Українська

Features

Tools

Quick Start

Zero-Config (Inline)

With Config File

🔌 Client Integration

Configuration

1. CLI Arguments (Zero-Config)

2. Environment Variables

3. Config File (ssh-servers.json)

License

Maintenance

Resources

Related MCP Connectors

Related MCP Servers

remote-admin-mcp

sshops

mcp-ssh

ssh-pro-mcp

3. Config File (`ssh-servers.json`)