MCP SSH Agent

A Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for managing and controlling SSH connections. This server integrates seamlessly with Claude Desktop and other MCP-compatible clients to provide AI-powered SSH operations.

Overview

This MCP server provides SSH operations through a clean, standardized interface that can be used by MCP-compatible language models like Claude Desktop. The server automatically discovers SSH hosts from your ~/.ssh/config and ~/.ssh/known_hosts files and executes commands using native SSH tools for maximum reliability.

Quick Start

Desktop Extension Installation (Recommended)

The easiest way to install MCP SSH Agent is through the Desktop Extension (.dxt) format:

1. Download the latest mcp-ssh-*.dxt file from the GitHub releases page
2. Double-click the .dxt file to install it in Claude Desktop
3. The SSH tools will be automatically available in your conversations with Claude

Alternative Installation Methods

Installation via npx

npx @aiondadotcom/mcp-ssh

Manual Claude Desktop Configuration

To use this MCP server with Claude Desktop using manual configuration, add the following to your MCP settings file:

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

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-ssh": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@aiondadotcom/mcp-ssh"]
    }
  }
}

After adding this configuration, restart Claude Desktop. The SSH tools will be available for use in your conversations with Claude.

Global Installation

npm install -g @aiondadotcom/mcp-ssh

Local Development

git clone https://github.com/aiondadotcom/mcp-ssh.git
cd mcp-ssh
npm install
npm start

Example Usage

The screenshot above shows the MCP SSH Agent in action, demonstrating how it integrates with MCP-compatible clients to provide seamless SSH operations.

Integration with Claude

This screenshot demonstrates the MCP SSH Agent integrated with Claude, showing how the AI assistant can directly manage SSH connections and execute remote commands through the MCP protocol.

Key Features

- Reliable SSH: Uses native ssh/scp commands instead of JavaScript SSH libraries
- Automatic Discovery: Finds hosts from SSH config and known_hosts files
- Full SSH Support: Works with SSH agents, keys, and all authentication methods
- Password Authentication: Supports password-based SSH login and key passphrases via @password annotation — passwords never leave your machine
- File Operations: Upload and download files using scp
- Batch Commands: Execute multiple commands in sequence
- Error Handling: Comprehensive error reporting with timeouts

Functions

The agent provides the following MCP tools:

1. listKnownHosts() - Lists all known SSH hosts, prioritizing entries from ~/.ssh/config first, then additional hosts from ~/.ssh/known_hosts
2. runRemoteCommand(hostAlias, command) - Executes a command on a remote host using ssh
3. getHostInfo(hostAlias) - Returns detailed configuration for a specific host
4. checkConnectivity(hostAlias) - Tests SSH connectivity to a host
5. uploadFile(hostAlias, localPath, remotePath) - Uploads a file to the remote host using scp
6. downloadFile(hostAlias, remotePath, localPath) - Downloads a file from the remote host using scp
7. runCommandBatch(hostAlias, commands) - Executes multiple commands sequentially

Configuration Examples

Claude Desktop Integration

Here's how your Claude Desktop configuration should look:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-ssh": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@aiondadotcom/mcp-ssh"]
    }
  }
}

Manual Server Configuration

If you prefer to run the server manually or integrate it with other MCP clients:

{
  "servers": {
    "mcp-ssh": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["@aiondadotcom/mcp-ssh"]
    }
  }
}

Requirements

- Node.js 20 or higher
- SSH client installed (ssh and scp commands available)
- SSH configuration files (~/.ssh/config and ~/.ssh/known_hosts)

Usage with Claude Desktop

Once configured, you can ask Claude to help you with SSH operations like:

- "List all my SSH hosts"
- "Check connectivity to my production server"
- "Run a command on my web server"
- "Upload this file to my remote server"
- "Download logs from my application server"

Claude will use the MCP SSH tools to perform these operations safely and efficiently.

Usage

The agent runs as a Model Context Protocol server over STDIO. When installed via npm, you can use it directly:

```bash