MCP server CX Codex

ssh-mcp — Claude Code MCP server: what it does, how to install

Q: How to set up and run ssh-mcp for Claude Code?

Deploy the container by running `docker compose pull` followed by `docker compose up -d`. Connect the client over Streamable HTTP to `http://host:9080/mcp` using an `X-API-Key` or `Authorization: Bearer` header.

An intermediary gateway giving coding agents guarded remote SSH execution alongside per-token policies, request limits, and structured audit logs.

Open on GitHub

What ssh-mcp does

The gateway runs via Docker and accepts requests from AI clients over Streamable HTTP. Instead of distributing SSH keys across multiple workstations, administrators define remote targets and command allowlists inside ssh-mcp-config.json. The service handles connection pooling, sliding-window rate limiting, and circuit breaking automatically.

Clients interact through six dedicated tools under the ssh_* prefix. They can test connectivity, list targets, inspect allowed commands, execute individual actions, and transfer single files via SFTP. Interactive terminal sessions are not supported. File transfers operate on individual files without folder synchronization.

Without a reverse proxy like Traefik or nginx in front, traffic runs without TLS termination.

What it helps with

manage agent SSH access from a single gateway
enforce command allowlists on remote targets
isolate failing hosts using circuit breakers
track agent commands in structured JSONL audit logs
transfer individual files to remote hosts over SFTP

Example prompts for the agent

Check connectivity to host my-server using ssh_check_connection
Run uptime on my-server with ssh_execute_command
Download /var/log/app.log from the remote server using ssh_download_file

How to install ssh-mcp

Install

The MCP registry has no launch command for it: see the repository README

Step by step, with commands for each platform: How to add an MCP server to Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, VS Code, Gemini CLI and more

Questions about ssh-mcp

How to set up and run ssh-mcp for Claude Code?

Deploy the container by running docker compose pull followed by docker compose up -d. Connect the client over Streamable HTTP to http://host:9080/mcp using an X-API-Key or Authorization: Bearer header.

What does ssh-mcp do?

It acts as an intermediary gateway between AI agents and target machines over SSH. The server enforces command policies, records structured JSONL audit logs, and applies rate limits.

Does ssh-mcp support interactive shell sessions or folder transfers?

No, commands run individually with structured responses rather than an interactive terminal. SFTP file transfers handle single files without recursive directory sync.

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