SSH MCP Server · yawlabs — Claude Code MCP server: what it does, how to install
Manages keys and background agent processes, inspects connection errors, and runs commands or SFTP transfers on remote servers. Helpful when Git or deploy steps fail inside agent subshells.
claude mcp add ssh-mcp -- npx -y @yawlabs/ssh-mcpWhat SSH MCP Server does
AI coding agents running in background subprocesses frequently fail on network tasks. Stale agent sockets, changed host fingerprints, and missing credentials break git clone, package installations, or remote deployments. This server manages background credentials, verifies repository access, and clears invalid known_hosts entries directly through MCP tool calls.
For remote machines, the package provides execution tools like ssh_exec and parallel runs via ssh_multi_exec. File handling relies on SFTP for directory creation, metadata checks, and transfers up to 10 MB with chunk offsets. The SFTP implementation avoids shell expansion, so paths like ~ are not parsed, and directory deletion only removes empty folders. When any remote operation fails, built-in diagnostic tools run automatically and attach the fix to the error output.
On Windows systems running Node 20 or higher, configuration entries must invoke cmd /c before npx, because the runtime cannot spawn .cmd binaries directly.
What it helps with
- start ssh-agent and load private keys inside agent subprocesses
- fix host key verification errors after server recreation
- transfer and inspect files over SFTP with structured metadata parsing
- run parallel shell commands across several remote hosts at once
Example prompts for the agent
- Check our SSH connection to GitHub and start the agent if the socket is missing
- Inspect the systemd unit status on prod-app using
ssh_service_status - Fetch the last 50 lines from the staging log file with
ssh_tail
How to install SSH MCP Server
Platform CLI
claude mcp add ssh-mcp -- npx -y @yawlabs/ssh-mcpPlatform CLI
codex mcp add ssh-mcp-server -- npx -y @yawlabs/ssh-mcpConfig file
{
"mcpServers": {
"ssh-mcp-server": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@yawlabs/ssh-mcp"
]
}
}
}Config file
{
"servers": {
"ssh-mcp-server": {
"type": "stdio",
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@yawlabs/ssh-mcp"
]
}
}
}Platform CLI
gemini mcp add ssh-mcp-server npx -y @yawlabs/ssh-mcpStep 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 Server
How do I install SSH MCP Server in Claude Code?
Run claude mcp add ssh-mcp -- npx -y @yawlabs/ssh-mcp in your terminal. You can also name the server entry differently: claude mcp add ssh-mcp-server -- npx -y @yawlabs/ssh-mcp.
What does SSH MCP Server do?
It provides tools to manage SSH keys, verify Git authentication, execute remote shell commands, and handle files via SFTP. When network operations fail, it triggers automated diagnostics that return remediation instructions.
Why does Windows require a custom spawn command?
Node.js 20 and later cannot launch .cmd files directly in subprocesses. To start the server properly on Windows, wrap the npx arguments inside cmd /c.
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