SSH Agent
A server that enables secure interaction with remote SSH hosts through standardized MCP interface, providing functions like listing hosts, executing commands, and transferring files using native SSH tools.
What is SSH Agent?
SSH Agent is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to server that enables secure interaction with remote ssh hosts through standardized mcp interface, providing functions like listing hosts, executing commands, and transferring files using native ssh too...
A server that enables secure interaction with remote SSH hosts through standardized MCP interface, providing functions like listing hosts, executing commands, and transferring files using native SSH tools.
This server falls under the Developer Tools and File Systems categories on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- A server that enables secure interaction with remote SSH hos
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
NPM
npx -y @aiondadotcom/mcp-sshManual Installation
npx -y @aiondadotcom/mcp-sshConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use SSH Agent
MCP SSH Agent exposes your SSH-configured remote hosts to AI assistants through a standardized MCP interface, allowing Claude and other models to list hosts, execute remote commands, run command batches, upload files, download files, and check connectivity — all without the AI ever seeing your passwords or private keys. The server reads from your existing ~/.ssh/config so no additional host configuration is required, and passwords stored as SSH config comments never leave the local machine.
Prerequisites
- Node.js 20 or higher installed
- ssh and scp command-line tools available in your PATH (standard on macOS and Linux)
- A configured ~/.ssh/config file with at least one Host entry
- SSH key authentication set up for target hosts (key files must have 600 permissions)
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop
Install the MCP SSH package
Install the package globally with npm or use npx to run it without installing. The package name is @aiondadotcom/mcp-ssh.
npm install -g @aiondadotcom/mcp-ssh
# or run directly without installing:
npx @aiondadotcom/mcp-sshVerify your SSH configuration
Make sure your ~/.ssh/config has the correct file permissions and contains the hosts you want Claude to manage.
chmod 600 ~/.ssh/config
cat ~/.ssh/config
# Verify at least one Host block is presentAdd the server to Claude Desktop
Edit your Claude Desktop configuration file to register the MCP SSH server. No API keys are needed — authentication is handled by your SSH config.
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp-ssh": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["@aiondadotcom/mcp-ssh"]
}
}
}Restart Claude Desktop
Quit and reopen Claude Desktop so it picks up the new MCP server configuration. The SSH server starts on demand when Claude makes its first tool call.
Test connectivity
Ask Claude to list your known SSH hosts or check connectivity to a specific host alias to confirm the server is working correctly.
SSH Agent Examples
Client configuration
Minimal Claude Desktop configuration for the MCP SSH Agent using npx to run the package without a global install.
{
"mcpServers": {
"mcp-ssh": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["@aiondadotcom/mcp-ssh"]
}
}
}Prompts to try
Example prompts that use MCP SSH Agent tools to manage remote servers.
- "List all SSH hosts I have configured"
- "Run 'df -h' on my production server and show me disk usage"
- "Check if I can connect to the staging host"
- "Upload the file /tmp/deploy.sh to /opt/scripts/ on the web server"
- "Run these three commands on the db server: check disk space, show running MySQL processes, then show the last 20 lines of the error log"Troubleshooting SSH Agent
runRemoteCommand fails with 'Permission denied (publickey)'
Ensure the SSH key referenced in your ~/.ssh/config IdentityFile has permissions 600 (chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_rsa). Also verify the public key is present in ~/.ssh/authorized_keys on the remote host.
listKnownHosts returns an empty list
The server reads from ~/.ssh/config. Confirm the file exists, has 600 permissions, and contains at least one 'Host' block. Hosts defined only in ~/.ssh/known_hosts (without a config entry) may not appear.
Password-authenticated hosts fail to connect
Add a # @password:yourPassword comment directly below the Host block in ~/.ssh/config. This annotation lets the server pass the password automatically via SSH — passwords are never sent to the AI model.
Frequently Asked Questions about SSH Agent
What is SSH Agent?
SSH Agent is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that server that enables secure interaction with remote ssh hosts through standardized mcp interface, providing functions like listing hosts, executing commands, and transferring files using native ssh tools. It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install SSH Agent?
Install via npm with the command: npx -y @aiondadotcom/mcp-ssh. Then add the server configuration to your AI client's JSON config file (e.g., claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json).
Which AI clients work with SSH Agent?
SSH Agent works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is SSH Agent free to use?
Yes, SSH Agent is open source and available under the MIT License license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
SSH Agent Alternatives — Similar Developer Tools Servers
Looking for alternatives to SSH Agent? Here are other popular developer tools servers you can use with Claude, Cursor, and VS Code.
Ecc
★ 188.2kThe agent harness performance optimization system. Skills, instincts, memory, security, and research-first development for Claude Code, Codex, Opencode, Cursor and beyond.
Javaguide
★ 155.8kJava 面试 & 后端通用面试指南，覆盖计算机基础、数据库、分布式、高并发、系统设计与 AI 应用开发
Gemini CLI
★ 104.5kA secure MCP server that wraps the Google Gemini CLI, allowing clients to query Gemini models using local OAuth sessions without requiring an API key. It provides tools for model interaction and diagnostics with built-in protection against command in
Awesome MCP Servers
★ 87.3k⭐ Curated list of Model Context Protocol (MCP) servers - tools that extend Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, and other MCP clients with custom capabilities.
MCP Servers
★ 86.0kModel Context Protocol Servers
CC Switch
★ 77.5kA cross-platform desktop All-in-One assistant for Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, OpenClaw, Gemini CLI & Hermes Agent. Only official website: ccswitch.io
Browse More Developer Tools MCP Servers
Explore all developer tools servers available in the MCPgee directory. Each server includes setup guides for Claude, Cursor, and VS Code.
Set Up SSH Agent in Your Editor
Choose your AI client for step-by-step setup instructions.
Quick Config Preview
Add this to your claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json
Ready to use SSH Agent?
Browse our complete directory of 33,000+ MCP servers, read setup guides for your editor, and start building with the Model Context Protocol.