SSH

You can run an MCP SSH Server to securely connect your development tools (like Claude Desktop or VS Code) to remote servers for website management. This MCP server handles SSH sessions, executes commands remotely, and transfers files, all through a consistent client interface.

How to use

You will connect to a remote server by creating an SSH session through your MCP-compatible client. Start with a connection that supplies host, username, and authentication (password or private key). Once connected, you can run commands on the remote server, upload or download files via SFTP, and list directory contents. Each action returns structured results you can use within your workflow, and you can close the session when you are finished.

How to install

Prerequisites Before you begin, ensure you have Node.js 18 or higher and npm or yarn installed on your machine. The MCP SSH Server is designed to run on Windows, macOS, or Linux.

Step by step install and setup commands you will use:

Configuration and usage notes

To integrate with Claude Desktop or VS Code, point the MCP client to the built server entry and supply the appropriate arguments. The typical approach is to run the server locally and reference its index.js file in your MCP configuration.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ssh-server": {
      "command": "node",
      "args": ["/path/to/mcp-ssh-server/build/index.js"],
      "env": {
        "NODE_NO_WARNINGS": "1"
      }
    }
  }
}

Security considerations

Use key-based authentication where possible and keep private keys secure. Limit SSH access with firewalls or IP whitelisting, and keep the MCP server and its dependencies up to date with security patches.

Security notes for environment variables

If you pass environment variables to the server process, keep them confidential and restrict their exposure. Common practice is to place sensitive values in a secure environment file or secret manager and reference them in your MCP configuration.

Troubleshooting

If the server won’t start, verify Node.js is installed, dependencies are installed, and rebuild if necessary. Check that the build output includes the expected index.js file. If you encounter connection issues, confirm the SSH service on the target, validate credentials, and test connections manually.

Development and running in development mode

During development, you can run a quick test to start the server in development mode and iterate faster.

npm run dev

Available tools

ssh_connect

Establish an SSH connection to a remote server using host, username, and authentication details.

ssh_exec

Execute a command on the connected remote server with optional working directory and timeout.

ssh_upload_file

Upload a local file to a specified path on the remote server via SFTP.

ssh_download_file

Download a file from the remote server to a local destination.

ssh_list_files

List files in a directory on the remote server, returning file metadata.

ssh_disconnect

Close the active SSH connection.