mcp-server-ssh

Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for SSH remote access. Gives AI assistants the ability to execute commands, transfer files via SFTP, generate SSH key pairs, and set up port forwarding on any SSH-accessible server.

Features

• 15 tools for complete remote server management
• Persistent connection pool with auto-reconnect and idle timeout
• Command execution with configurable timeouts
• Full SFTP support (read, write, list, mkdir, rm, mv, stat)
• SSH key pair generation (ed25519, RSA, ECDSA) without external binaries
• Local and remote TCP port forwarding
• Works on Linux, macOS, and Windows — no native SSH client required
• Zero required configuration — credentials provided per-connection

Prerequisites

Before installing, ensure you have:

1. Node.js 18 or newer

   • Check: node --version
   • Linux/macOS: nodejs.org or your package manager
   • Windows: winget install OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS or download from nodejs.org
   • After installing Node.js, restart your terminal/editor

2. For Claude Code (CLI or VS Code extension) users:

   • Claude Code CLI installed globally: npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
   • Check: claude --version

How it works

This server uses the ssh2 library (pure JavaScript) for all SSH operations. No native SSH binary is needed — it works identically across all platforms.

Typical flow:

1. AI calls ssh_connect with host and credentials (key or password)
2. Gets back a connectionId for all subsequent operations
3. Runs commands with ssh_exec, transfers files with sftp_* tools
4. Connection stays open until ssh_disconnect or 30 min idle timeout

Important: All commands executed via ssh_exec must be non-interactive. Do NOT run commands that require user input (e.g. apt upgrade without -y, interactive editors like vim or nano, passwd without piping input). Always use non-interactive flags: apt install -y, DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive, yes |, etc.

Getting started

Choose your environment:

• Claude Code (CLI) — Terminal-based AI coding
• Claude Code for VS Code — VS Code extension
• Claude Desktop — Desktop app
• VS Code with GitHub Copilot — Copilot agent mode
• Cline / Cursor / Windsurf / Roo Code / Codex — Other clients

The standard config works across most MCP clients:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ssh": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-server-ssh"]
    }
  }
}

No environment variables are required. Authentication is provided per-connection via tool calls.

claude mcp add ssh -- npx -y mcp-server-ssh

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

claude mcp add ssh -- npx -y mcp-server-ssh

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ssh": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-server-ssh"],
      "disabled": false
    }
  }
}

codex mcp add ssh -- npx -y mcp-server-ssh

[mcp_servers.ssh]
command = "npx"
args = ["-y", "mcp-server-ssh"]

codex mcp add ssh -- bash -lc 'source ~/.nvm/nvm.sh >/dev/null 2>&1 && nvm use --silent 20 && npx -y mcp-server-ssh'

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ssh": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-server-ssh"]
    }
  }
}

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ssh": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-server-ssh"],
      "disabled": false
    }
  }
}

code --add-mcp '{"name":"ssh","command":"npx","args":["-y","mcp-server-ssh"]}'

Windows Users

• Use PowerShell or CMD (not Git Bash) for claude mcp add commands
• Config file location: C:\Users\<YourUsername>\.claude.json
• Install Node.js: winget install OpenJS.NodeJS.LTS or download from nodejs.org
• After installing Node.js, restart your terminal and VS Code
• SSH keys are typically at C:\Users\<YourUsername>\.ssh\

Environment variables

All optional. Credentials are provided per-connection via tool calls.

Important: Non-Interactive Commands Only

All commands executed via ssh_exec must be non-interactive. The MCP server cannot handle commands that prompt for user input.

Do:

apt install -y nginx                    # -y flag for automatic yes
DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive apt upgrade -y
echo "newpassword" | passwd --stdin user  # pipe input
ssh-keygen -t ed25519 -f /root/.ssh/id -N ""  # empty passphrase flag
systemctl enable --now nginx

Don't:

apt upgrade              # prompts for confirmation
vim /etc/nginx.conf      # interactive editor
passwd root              # prompts for password
mysql_secure_installation  # interactive wizard
top                      # interactive display

For long-running commands, increase the timeout parameter (default: 30s).

Tools

Connection Management

Command Execution

SFTP File Operations

Key Generation & Tunneling

Port forwarding requirements: The remote server's sshd_config must have AllowTcpForwarding yes (default on most systems). For remote forwards that listen on all interfaces, the server also needs GatewayPorts yes or GatewayPorts clientspecified.

Pairing with vpsnet-mcp

This server pairs with vpsnet-mcp for complete VPS provisioning + configuration:

1. Use vpsnet-mcp to order a VPS and get its IP address
2. Use mcp-server-ssh to connect, install software, deploy applications

Combined config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "vpsnet": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "vpsnet-mcp"],
      "env": {
        "VPSNET_API_KEY": "your_api_key_here"
      }
    },
    "ssh": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mcp-server-ssh"]
    }
  }
}

Example workflow:

User: "Create a VPS and install nginx on it"

AI (using vpsnet-mcp):
1. get_order_plans → pick a plan
2. order_service → get VPS IP

AI (using mcp-server-ssh):
3. ssh_connect(host: "185.x.x.x", username: "root", password: "...")
4. ssh_exec("apt update && apt install -y nginx")
5. ssh_exec("systemctl enable --now nginx")

Troubleshooting

MCP tools not appearing in Claude Code VS Code extension

1. Install Claude Code CLI: npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code
2. Verify: claude --version should show a version number
3. Add server via CLI: claude mcp add ssh -- npx -y mcp-server-ssh
4. Completely restart VS Code (not just reload window)
5. Check ~/.claude.json for correct configuration

claude: command not found

Install the Claude Code CLI globally:

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Verify your PATH includes npm global packages. On Windows, restart your terminal after installing.

Cannot parse privateKey error with ed25519

The ssh2 library's ed25519 support requires a native addon that may not be available in all environments. Switch to ecdsa or rsa:

ssh_keygen(type: "ecdsa", bits: 256)

Connection timeout or refused

• Verify the server is reachable: ping <host> or telnet <host> 22
• Check if SSH port is open (default: 22)
• For newly created VPS, wait 10-30 seconds for SSH daemon to start
• Check firewall rules on the server

fetch is not defined or startup errors

This server requires Node.js 18+. If your default node is older (common with nvm setups), either:

• Set Node 18+ as default: nvm alias default 20
• Or use the nvm wrapper shown in the Codex section

License

MIT