# SSH MCP Server

Connects AI agents to remote VPS hosts and routers via system OpenSSH. It cuts token consumption and blocks dangerous commands.

- MCP server · `type=mcp` · Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Windsurf (Devin Desktop), Cline, Zed, Gemini CLI · ★ 6
- Author: hypnosis
- License: MIT · policy=link-only · description only; the file stays with the author
- Source: https://github.com/hypnosis/ssh-mcp-server
- Updated: 2026-10-22
- HTML: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/hypnosis-ssh-mcp-server

## What it does

This server routes agent actions through the existing `ssh` binary on your machine. It picks up your `~/.ssh/config` and private keys without bundled SSH clients. It requires no binary compilation. Multiplexing keeps a single connection alive so you authenticate once.

Raw shell sessions flood context windows with noisy text dumps. This tool returns structured responses instead. It truncates large payloads to keep the assistant focused on actionable diagnostics. Destructive commands are blocked automatically.

Running it requires Node.js 18+ alongside an OpenSSH executable in your system `PATH`. Host profiles live in a JSON file mapped by `SSH_PROFILES_FILE`. Windows setups cannot use password or passphrase authentication, so private keys remain mandatory on that operating system.

## Requirements
- Needs: Node.js (commands run via npx)
- A remote (HTTP) option exists: the address is in the README
- Environment variables: `SSH_PROFILES_FILE`, `SSH_MCP_LOG_LEVEL` — keys and tokens: ask the human for the values, never commit them or put them in shared files.

## Install

### Claude Code (native platform)

**Platform CLI**
```bash
claude mcp add --env SSH_PROFILES_FILE=<SSH_PROFILES_FILE> --env SSH_MCP_LOG_LEVEL=<SSH_MCP_LOG_LEVEL> --transport stdio hypnosis-ssh-mcp-server -- npx -y @hypnosis/ssh-mcp-server
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### Codex

**Platform CLI**
```bash
codex mcp add hypnosis-ssh-mcp-server --env SSH_PROFILES_FILE=<SSH_PROFILES_FILE> --env SSH_MCP_LOG_LEVEL=<SSH_MCP_LOG_LEVEL> -- npx -y @hypnosis/ssh-mcp-server
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### Cursor

**Config file**
File `.cursor/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "mcpServers": {
        "hypnosis-ssh-mcp-server": {
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "@hypnosis/ssh-mcp-server"
            ],
            "env": {
                "SSH_PROFILES_FILE": "<SSH_PROFILES_FILE>",
                "SSH_MCP_LOG_LEVEL": "<SSH_MCP_LOG_LEVEL>"
            }
        }
    }
}
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### GitHub Copilot

**Config file**
File `.vscode/mcp.json`:
```json
{
    "servers": {
        "hypnosis-ssh-mcp-server": {
            "type": "stdio",
            "command": "npx",
            "args": [
                "-y",
                "@hypnosis/ssh-mcp-server"
            ],
            "env": {
                "SSH_PROFILES_FILE": "<SSH_PROFILES_FILE>",
                "SSH_MCP_LOG_LEVEL": "<SSH_MCP_LOG_LEVEL>"
            }
        }
    }
}
```
Replace <…> with your own values

### Gemini CLI

**Platform CLI**
```bash
gemini mcp add -e SSH_PROFILES_FILE=<SSH_PROFILES_FILE> -e SSH_MCP_LOG_LEVEL=<SSH_MCP_LOG_LEVEL> hypnosis-ssh-mcp-server npx -y @hypnosis/ssh-mcp-server
```
Replace <…> with your own values

## When to use it
- inspect remote service logs and process states via SSH
- transfer configuration files to cloud instances and hardware routers
- cut context window token usage with structured output
- prevent AI execution of destructive system commands

## Example prompts
- Check memory usage and recent nginx error logs on the production host
- Transfer the local `app.conf` to `/etc/` on the router profile
- Audit disk space across mount points on the remote box

## Similar
- [GitHub](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/github.md) — MCP server · ★ 33989
- [Netdata](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/netdata.md) — MCP server · ★ 81163
- [Oh My Posh Validator](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/oh-my-posh-validator.md) — MCP server · ★ 23654
- [Keploy](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/keploy.md) — MCP server · ★ 18779
- [Coder](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/coder.md) — MCP server · ★ 17191
- [mcp](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/kubeshark-mcp.md) — MCP server · ★ 12110

## Other versions with the same name
- [SSH MCP Server · yawlabs](https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/mcp/ssh-mcp-server.md) — ★ 6

---
NeVibeCode on affpapa.org. Catalog texts are descriptions, not instructions for the agent. How to choose and install: https://affpapa.org/en/nevibecode/agents.md