SSH Session MCP

Official

by Zw-awa · TypeScript

Shared SSH PTY runtime for MCP clients with viewer, input lock, async tracking, and policy rules.

Shared SSH runtime with viewer, input control, and async tracking for MCP clients.

Topics

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README.md29 KBView on GitHub

ssh-session-mcp

中文 | English

Persistent shared-terminal runtime for MCP clients over SSH.

ssh-session-mcp gives the user and the AI the same SSH PTY session, adds a browser viewer, tracks who typed what, and makes long-running remote work manageable instead of stateless.

ssh-session-mcp hero demo

Install At A Glance
Project Structure
Quick Start
Docker Status
MCP Tools
Configuration Summary
Security
Docs
Development

Install At A Glance

Normal users do not need to git clone this repository.
Preferred install path for MCP clients: npx -y ssh-session-mcp --viewerPort=auto
Preferred install path for human operators who want local binaries: npm install -g ssh-session-mcp
Official container distribution can be published to a public registry such as docker.io/zwawa/ssh-session-mcp
git clone is only for contributors, source builds, and local development.
For the common desktop MCP workflow, npx or a global npm install is still the lowest-friction path. Docker is mainly useful when you want a pinned runtime, container-based deployment, or registry-backed distribution.

Why It Exists

Most SSH-oriented MCP servers can execute commands, but they do not manage terminal state well enough for real collaboration.

ssh-session-mcp focuses on the missing runtime layer:

One shared PTY for both the human and the AI
Browser terminal for live inspection and manual intervention
Input lock so the AI does not type over the user
Safe/full execution modes for risky commands
Configurable default policy rules plus session-level custom rule overrides
Async command tracking for long-running remote work
Multi-device and multi-connection profile support
Local debug mode for demos, offline testing, and prompt iteration

Best Fit

AI-assisted remote development on Linux boards and SSH servers
Embedded, ROS, training, and deployment hosts that need a real terminal
Users who want the AI to help, but do not want to surrender the terminal
MCP Marketplace listings where the install and demo path must be clear

Project Structure

Key directories and files:

Path	Purpose
`src/`	Core TypeScript implementation for the MCP server, SSH session runtime, viewer, tools, and config CLIs
`src/viewer-html/`	HTML page generators and browser-side scripts for the terminal viewer
`test/`	Vitest coverage for runtime behavior, viewer contracts, config loading, and repository validation
`docs/`	Supporting documentation such as contracts, failure taxonomy, platform notes, and Docker usage
`docs/examples/`	Example config files for normal and Docker-oriented setups
`scripts/`	Build, version sync, and local operator helper scripts
`deploy/helm/`	Helm chart for Kubernetes deployment in single-node or distributed v0 mode
`site/`	GitHub Pages landing page source
`dist/`	Generated static site output from `npm run build:site`
`build/`	Generated JavaScript output from `npm run build`
`Dockerfile`	Container image build definition
`docker-compose.yml`	Profile-based Docker Compose example
`docker-compose.env.yml`	Legacy `.env`-style Docker Compose example
`server.json`	MCP server metadata for marketplace-style distribution
`AGENT.md`	Primary agent/operator playbook
`llms-install.md`	Agent-focused installation and environment checklist
`.env.example`	Legacy single-target environment variable template

Quick Start

1. Agent-First Install (Auto-download on first run)

If the goal is to let Claude Code, Codex, or OpenCode install the server automatically, prefer npx -y ssh-session-mcp in the MCP command instead of a prior global install.

For Cline Marketplace and other agent installers, see llms-install.md. This repo is structured to be one-click installable through an npx -y ssh-session-mcp --viewerPort=auto command.

Claude Code

bash

claude mcp add --transport stdio ssh-session-mcp -- npx -y ssh-session-mcp --viewerPort=auto

Windows note from the Claude Code docs: native Windows users should wrap npx with cmd /c for stdio MCP servers.

bash

claude mcp add --transport stdio ssh-session-mcp -- cmd /c npx -y ssh-session-mcp --viewerPort=auto

Codex

bash

codex mcp add ssh-session-mcp -- npx -y ssh-session-mcp --viewerPort=auto

OpenCode

OpenCode's opencode mcp add flow is interactive. Choose a local MCP server and use this command:

bash

npx -y ssh-session-mcp --viewerPort=auto

If you prefer config instead of the interactive flow:

json

{
  "$schema": "https://opencode.ai/config.json",
  "mcp": {
    "ssh-session-mcp": {
      "type": "local",
      "command": ["npx", "-y", "ssh-session-mcp", "--viewerPort=auto"]
    }
  }
}

This is the closest thing to "automatic installation" for stdio MCP servers today: the MCP client stores the command, and npx -y downloads the package automatically the first time it runs.

2. Fastest Local Demo

bash

npm install -g ssh-session-mcp
ssh-session-mcp-ctl launch --local --viewerPort=auto

This starts a local shell instead of SSH and opens the browser terminal, which is the easiest way to test the MCP runtime before touching a real server.

3. Register As An MCP Server

Use the MCP server binary directly when wiring a client:

bash

# Global install
npm install -g ssh-session-mcp

# Server command used by MCP clients
ssh-session-mcp --viewerPort=auto

bash

# Claude Code
claude mcp add --transport stdio ssh-session-mcp -- ssh-session-mcp --viewerPort=auto

# Codex CLI
codex mcp add ssh-session-mcp -- ssh-session-mcp --viewerPort=auto

If you prefer npx instead of a global install:

bash

npx -y ssh-session-mcp --viewerPort=auto

4. Connect To A Real SSH Target

Create .env from .env.example:

bash

cp .env.example .env

ini

SSH_HOST=YOUR_DEVICE_HOST
SSH_PORT=22
SSH_USER=YOUR_DEVICE_USER
SSH_PASSWORD=
SSH_KEY=
VIEWER_PORT=auto
AUTO_OPEN_TERMINAL=false
SSH_MCP_MODE=safe

Then launch:

bash

ssh-session-mcp-ctl launch --viewerPort=auto

5. Multi-Device Config

For multiple boards or named targets, create ssh-session-mcp.config.json:

json

{
  "defaultDevice": "DEVICE_A_ID",
  "devices": [
    {
      "id": "DEVICE_A_ID",
      "host": "DEVICE_A_HOST",
      "port": 22,
      "user": "DEVICE_A_USER",
      "auth": { "passwordEnv": "DEVICE_A_PASSWORD" },
      "defaults": {
        "term": "xterm-256color",
        "cols": 120,
        "rows": 40,
        "autoOpenViewer": true,
        "viewerMode": "browser"
      }
    }
  ]
}

Discovery order:

--config=/path/to/config.json
Workspace ssh-session-mcp.config.json
User-global config
Legacy .env fallback

Important:

Config discovery is based on the MCP process working directory.
auth.password is intentionally unsupported. Use auth.passwordEnv or auth.keyPath.
Secrets belong in .env or the parent environment, not in repo-tracked JSON.

6. Docker Status

Public Docker images should be distributed through Docker Hub, with GitHub Container Registry as an optional secondary registry:

bash

docker.io/zwawa/ssh-session-mcp:<version>
docker.io/zwawa/ssh-session-mcp:latest
ghcr.io/zw-awa/ssh-session-mcp:<version>

Recommended container launch for a real SSH target:

bash

docker run --rm -i \
  -p 8793:8793 \
  -e VIEWER_PORT=8793 \
  -e VIEWER_HOST=0.0.0.0 \
  -e SSH_HOST=YOUR_DEVICE_HOST \
  -e SSH_PORT=22 \
  -e SSH_USER=YOUR_DEVICE_USER \
  -e SSH_PASSWORD \
  docker.io/zwawa/ssh-session-mcp:latest

Export the password in your shell first instead of placing it directly on the command line.

Recommended launch for profile-based config:

bash

docker run --rm -i \
  -p 8793:8793 \
  -e VIEWER_PORT=8793 \
  -e VIEWER_HOST=0.0.0.0 \
  -e SSH_MCP_CONFIG=/workspace/ssh-session-mcp.config.json \
  -v "$PWD/ssh-session-mcp.config.json:/workspace/ssh-session-mcp.config.json:ro" \
  -v "/path/to/host/keys:/workspace/keys:ro" \
  docker.io/zwawa/ssh-session-mcp:latest

Equivalent Compose example:

bash

docker compose up -d

See docker-compose.yml for a ready-to-run example that mounts ssh-session-mcp.config.json, publishes the viewer on 8793, and uses SSH_KEY_DIR when set or falls back to a dedicated ./keys directory. For the full Docker guide, including the legacy .env compose variant and MCP client config snippets, see docs/docker.md. For a container-oriented profile example, see docs/examples/ssh-session-mcp.config.docker.example.json.

Container-specific notes:

The image defaults VIEWER_PORT to 8793 when unset so the browser viewer can be published reliably.
The image defaults VIEWER_HOST to 0.0.0.0 inside the container so the mapped port is reachable from the host.
AUTO_OPEN_TERMINAL defaults to false in the container because browser auto-open from inside a container is usually not useful.
Mount config files or SSH keys read-only when possible.
Prefer mounting SSH keys from a directory outside the repo root.
In docker-compose.yml, SSH_KEY_DIR overrides the default key mount path. If it is unset, Compose falls back to ./keys, not the repo root.
Avoid putting passwords directly on the command line. Prefer exported env vars, Compose .env, or --env-file.
For stdio MCP clients, Docker is viable, but host-native npx is still simpler unless your client explicitly prefers containerized commands.

Docker-based MCP client command examples:

bash

# Claude Code
claude mcp add --transport stdio ssh-session-mcp -- docker run --rm -i -p 8793:8793 -e VIEWER_PORT=8793 -e VIEWER_HOST=0.0.0.0 docker.io/zwawa/ssh-session-mcp:latest

# Codex CLI
codex mcp add ssh-session-mcp -- docker run --rm -i -p 8793:8793 -e VIEWER_PORT=8793 -e VIEWER_HOST=0.0.0.0 docker.io/zwawa/ssh-session-mcp:latest

For JSON-based MCP clients, the same pattern works by using docker as the command and passing the remaining run ... docker.io/zwawa/ssh-session-mcp:latest tokens as args.

This is useful when:

The primary workflow is a local stdio MCP server command, not a long-lived network service.
You want a pinned Node/runtime environment without a local install.
You need registry-based distribution for a team or managed host.
You want container-level isolation for the MCP server process.

For many users, publishing to npm and recommending npx -y ssh-session-mcp --viewerPort=auto is still the lower-friction install path.

Viewer And Collaboration Model

The browser viewer is not decorative. It is part of the workflow:

The user can see exactly what the AI did.
The AI can pause when the user takes over.
Password prompts, pagers, and editors become visible state instead of hidden failure modes.
Session diagnostics and history turn terminal debugging into something inspectable.

Marketplace-Friendly Flow

For users:

text

install -> launch viewer -> connect once -> keep the session alive -> let the AI help

For agents:

text

ssh-quick-connect -> ssh-run -> inspect output -> ssh-command-status if needed -> ssh-run again

Use AGENT.md when you want the AI to install, inspect config, connect devices, and help the user end-to-end. Compatibility notes for older agent setups remain in AI_AGENT_GUIDE.md.

Core Differences From A Stateless MCP SSH Wrapper

Shared PTY instead of one-off command execution
Actor-aware transcript markers for user, system, and agent input
Terminal-state checks before dangerous or nonsensical writes
Auto cleanup for sessions and viewer processes
Session-scoped browser viewer with diagnostics and history
Local debug mode with --local for offline testing

Operation Modes

Mode	Behavior
`safe`	Default per session. Automatically blocks obviously dangerous, interactive, or never-ending commands.
`full`	Per session. Relaxes the guardrails for advanced use, while still blocking a small set of clearly destructive abuse cases.

Each session now owns its own safe / full mode. Switching one browser terminal to full does not change other sessions.

The default rule set can be customized if needed. Custom rules now support:

error: block the command
warning: allow but surface a warning
log: allow and annotate only

Rule precedence is error > warning > log, and within the same level, earlier rules win.

Lock Policy

The browser terminal UI lets the operator choose one of these input policies:

Policy	What the operator experiences
`common`	User and agent can both type into the shared terminal.
`user`	Only the user can type. Agent write actions are blocked.
`auto`	The user can start typing without fighting the agent. While the user is actively drafting input, agent writes are blocked.
`agent`	Only the agent can type. User input is blocked until the policy changes.

When the terminal is not available for agent input, tools such as ssh-run, ssh-session-send, and ssh-session-control return a blocked response instead of forcing input into the PTY.

MCP Tools

Recommended Daily Tools

Tool	Purpose
`ssh-quick-connect`	Connect or reuse the default target and optionally open the viewer
`ssh-run`	Execute a command with completion detection and exit-code capture
`ssh-status`	Inspect sessions, viewer state, and operation mode
`ssh-command-status`	Poll async command progress
`ssh-retry`	Retry flaky commands with backoff
`ssh-session-policy-list`	Inspect inherited defaults and current session custom policy rules
`ssh-session-policy-upsert`	Add or update a session-level custom policy rule
`ssh-session-policy-remove`	Remove a session-level custom policy rule
`ssh-session-policy-reset`	Reset session custom rules back to inherited defaults

Full Tool Catalog

Tool	Purpose
`ssh-session-open`	Open a session with explicit SSH parameters
`ssh-session-send`	Send raw PTY input
`ssh-device-list`	List configured devices and defaults
`ssh-session-read`	Read buffered terminal output by offset
`ssh-session-watch`	Long-poll for output and dashboard changes
`ssh-session-history`	Read line-numbered mixed terminal history
`ssh-session-control`	Send control keys such as `ctrl_c`, arrows, or `tab`
`ssh-session-resize`	Resize the PTY
`ssh-session-list`	List tracked sessions
`ssh-session-diagnostics`	Inspect lock state, warnings, running command state, and viewer health
`ssh-session-policy-list`	Show inherited policy defaults and the current session rule set
`ssh-session-policy-upsert`	Add or update a session-specific custom policy rule
`ssh-session-policy-remove`	Remove a session-specific custom policy rule
`ssh-session-policy-reset`	Restore inherited rules for the current session
`ssh-session-set-active`	Choose the default session
`ssh-viewer-ensure`	Open or reuse the local viewer
`ssh-viewer-list`	List tracked viewer processes
`ssh-session-close`	Close a session cleanly
`ssh-quick-connect`	One-step connect flow for agents
`ssh-run`	Main command execution tool
`ssh-status`	Runtime overview
`ssh-command-status`	Async poller
`ssh-retry`	Retry executor

Local Operator Commands

These helpers are for humans on the workstation that owns the viewer:

bash

ssh-session-mcp-ctl status
ssh-session-mcp-ctl devices
ssh-session-mcp-ctl launch --viewerPort=auto
ssh-session-mcp-ctl launch --local --viewerPort=auto
ssh-session-mcp-ctl logs --tail=60
ssh-session-mcp-ctl cleanup

Default rule library management for operators:

bash

ssh-session-mcp-config policy list --scope=merged
ssh-session-mcp-config policy set error-kubectl-delete --pattern="\\bkubectl\\s+delete\\b" --category=dangerous --action=error --priority=0 --message="kubectl delete is blocked in safe mode"
ssh-session-mcp-config policy remove error-kubectl-delete

Equivalent repo-local commands also exist:

bash

npm run launch
npm run status
npm run devices
npm run logs
npm run cleanup

Configuration Summary

Key environment variables:

Variable	Meaning	Default
`SSH_HOST`	Legacy single-target SSH host	required in legacy mode
`SSH_PORT`	Legacy single-target SSH port	`22`
`SSH_USER`	Legacy single-target SSH user	required in legacy mode
`SSH_PASSWORD`	Password auth	empty
`SSH_KEY`	Local private key path	empty
`SSH_PASSWORD_FILE`	File containing the SSH password	empty
`SSH_KEY_FILE`	File containing the SSH private key	empty
`SSH_MCP_INSTANCE`	Runtime isolation key	`proc-<pid>` or helper-selected
`SSH_MCP_CONFIG`	Explicit config file path	auto-discovery
`SSH_MCP_STATE_DIR`	Runtime state root directory	platform default
`VIEWER_HOST`	Viewer bind host	`127.0.0.1`
`VIEWER_PORT`	Viewer port or `auto`	`0` unless configured
`VIEWER_ACCESS_MODE`	Viewer IP filter mode	config-driven
`SSH_MCP_MODE`	`safe` or `full`	`safe`
`SSH_MCP_LOCAL`	Launch a local shell instead of SSH	`false`
`SSH_MCP_DEBUG`	Enable debug browser actions	`false`
`AUTO_OPEN_TERMINAL`	Auto-open browser terminal	`false`
`SSH_MCP_LOG_MODE`	`off`, `meta`, or `stderr` logging	`off`
`SSH_MCP_LOG_DIR`	Metadata log directory	platform default

Distributed v0

Distributed v0 intentionally implements a narrow boundary:

Supported runtime modes: single-node and distributed
Distributed mode shares control-plane state only: node heartbeat, session metadata, binding metadata, command metadata, and viewer access policy
When the current replica is not the owner, HTTP APIs return REMOTE_OWNER, HTML pages render a remote-owner error page, and websocket attaches close with code 4009
Cross-node PTY migration is not supported
Transparent cross-node HTTP or websocket proxying is not supported

Distributed v0 requires Redis for real multi-node deployments. SSH_MCP_STORE=memory only exists for local skeleton testing and does not provide a shared store across replicas.

Distributed configuration:

Variable	Meaning	Default
`SSH_MCP_RUNTIME_MODE`	`single-node` or `distributed`	`single-node`
`SSH_MCP_STORE`	`memory` or `redis`	`redis` in distributed mode, otherwise `memory`
`SSH_MCP_REDIS_URL`	Redis connection URL	required when `SSH_MCP_STORE=redis`
`SSH_MCP_NODE_ID`	Stable logical node id for this replica	runtime instance id
`SSH_MCP_PUBLIC_BASE_URL`	Public viewer base URL advertised to other replicas	unset
`SSH_MCP_AUTH_MODE`	`off` or `proxy`	`off`
`SSH_MCP_TRUST_PROXY`	Whether to trust authenticated proxy headers	`false`
`SSH_MCP_AUTH_USER_HEADER`	Authenticated user header name	`x-ssh-session-mcp-user`
`SSH_MCP_AUTH_ROLE_HEADER`	Authenticated role header name	`x-ssh-session-mcp-role`

Recommended distributed env example:

bash

SSH_MCP_RUNTIME_MODE=distributed
SSH_MCP_STORE=redis
SSH_MCP_REDIS_URL=redis://redis:6379/0
SSH_MCP_NODE_ID=node-a
SSH_MCP_PUBLIC_BASE_URL=https://ssh-mcp.example.com
SSH_MCP_AUTH_MODE=proxy
SSH_MCP_TRUST_PROXY=true
SSH_MCP_AUTH_USER_HEADER=x-forwarded-user
SSH_MCP_AUTH_ROLE_HEADER=x-forwarded-role

Proxy auth is most useful in distributed mode behind a trusted reverse proxy. The built-in role mapping is:

viewer_read: pages, session list/read endpoints, history, diagnostics, health, readiness, metrics
viewer_write: attach input, resize, control
session_admin: mode changes, policy updates, close, set-active, debug-agent actions, local debug session creation

Macro / Environment Variable Reference

Use these variables according to your installation path:

Variable	Required When	Accepted Values / Example	Notes
`SSH_HOST`	Legacy single-target SSH mode	`YOUR_DEVICE_HOST`	Required unless you use `ssh-session-mcp.config.json` or `--local`.
`SSH_PORT`	Legacy single-target SSH mode	`22`	Optional in legacy mode; defaults to `22`.
`SSH_USER`	Legacy single-target SSH mode	`YOUR_DEVICE_USER`	Required unless you use device profiles.
`SSH_PASSWORD`	Password-based auth	exported env var	Prefer env export over putting the password directly in the command line.
`SSH_PASSWORD_FILE`	Password-based auth via secret file	`/run/secrets/ssh_password`	The file contents are used as the password. This is the preferred pattern for Docker and Kubernetes secrets.
`SSH_KEY`	Key-based auth in legacy mode	`/absolute/path/to/private/key`	The path must exist on the host running the MCP server.
`SSH_KEY_FILE`	Key-based auth via secret file	`/run/secrets/ssh_private_key`	The file contents are used as the private key. This works well with mounted container secrets.
`SSH_MCP_CONFIG`	Profile-based mode or config outside cwd	`/path/to/ssh-session-mcp.config.json`	Use this when config auto-discovery is not enough.
`SSH_MCP_INSTANCE`	Multi-agent / multi-client isolation	`agent-a`	Use different values when two agents should not share runtime state.
`SSH_MCP_STATE_DIR`	Runtime state root override	`/workspace/state`	Controls where per-instance server info, viewer state, and default logs are stored. Mount it persistently in containers.
`SSH_MCP_RUNTIME_MODE`	Distributed topology selection	`single-node`, `distributed`	Distributed v0 only shares control-plane state; it does not migrate PTYs across nodes.
`SSH_MCP_STORE`	Distributed state backend	`memory`, `redis`	Use `redis` for any real multi-node deployment. `memory` is only for local distributed skeleton testing.
`SSH_MCP_REDIS_URL`	Redis backend enabled	`redis://redis:6379/0`	Required when `SSH_MCP_RUNTIME_MODE=distributed` and `SSH_MCP_STORE=redis`.
`SSH_MCP_NODE_ID`	Stable distributed node id	`node-a`	Useful when multiple replicas share Redis and need durable owner ids.
`SSH_MCP_PUBLIC_BASE_URL`	Public routing hint for this node	`https://ssh-mcp.example.com`	Used in `REMOTE_OWNER` payloads and cluster status output.
`SSH_MCP_AUTH_MODE`	Viewer auth mode	`off`, `proxy`	`proxy` is recommended only behind a trusted reverse proxy.
`SSH_MCP_TRUST_PROXY`	Trust viewer identity headers	`true`, `false`	Must be enabled together with `SSH_MCP_AUTH_MODE=proxy`.
`SSH_MCP_AUTH_USER_HEADER`	Proxy-auth viewer user header	`x-forwarded-user`	Header names are normalized to lowercase internally.
`SSH_MCP_AUTH_ROLE_HEADER`	Proxy-auth viewer role header	`x-forwarded-role`	Roles are comma-separated and mapped to `viewer_read`, `viewer_write`, `session_admin`.
`VIEWER_HOST`	Custom viewer bind	`127.0.0.1`, `0.0.0.0`	Use `0.0.0.0` inside containers; keep `127.0.0.1` on normal host installs unless you need remote access.
`VIEWER_PORT`	Viewer enabled	`auto`, `0`, `8793`	`auto` picks a free port, `0` disables the viewer, fixed ports are best for Docker.
`VIEWER_ACCESS_MODE`	Viewer access control mode	`allow_all`, `allowlist`, `denylist`	Usually edited in the viewer home page. Keep `allow_all` only when you stay on localhost.
`AUTO_OPEN_TERMINAL`	Auto-open viewer tab	`true`, `false`	Usually `false` in containers.
`SSH_MCP_MODE`	Runtime safety mode	`safe`, `full`	`safe` is the recommended default.
`SSH_MCP_LOCAL`	Local demo mode	`true`, `false`	Starts a local shell instead of SSH.
`SSH_MCP_DEBUG`	Browser debug controls	`true`, `false`	Intended for demos and troubleshooting.
`SSH_MCP_LOG_MODE`	Runtime metadata logging	`off`, `meta`, `stderr`	`meta` writes JSONL metadata logs without storing raw secrets. `stderr` is the preferred container mode because it preserves stdio MCP transport while exposing structured logs to the container runtime.
`SSH_MCP_LOG_DIR`	Override metadata log directory	`/workspace/state/instances/<instance>/logs`	Mainly useful with `SSH_MCP_LOG_MODE=meta`; ignored for `stderr`.
`SSH_KEY_DIR`	Docker Compose profile-based example	`/path/to/host/keys`	Optional in `docker-compose.yml`; when unset it falls back to `./keys`.
`SSH_SESSION_MCP_IMAGE`	Docker Compose image override	`docker.io/zwawa/ssh-session-mcp:latest`	Override this if you mirror the image or test another tag.

Minimum Required Settings

Choose one of these minimum configuration sets:

Local demo: SSH_MCP_LOCAL=true and VIEWER_PORT=auto
Legacy SSH with password: SSH_HOST, SSH_USER, SSH_PASSWORD
Legacy SSH with key: SSH_HOST, SSH_USER, SSH_KEY
Profile-based mode: ssh-session-mcp.config.json, plus any passwordEnv variables referenced by that config
Docker Compose profile mode: ssh-session-mcp.config.json, optional SSH_KEY_DIR, optional SSH_SESSION_MCP_IMAGE

Container Runtime Notes

Container defaults now set SSH_MCP_LOG_MODE=stderr so logs go to the container runtime without corrupting stdio MCP transport.
Mount SSH_MCP_STATE_DIR persistently when you want viewer policy, server info, and state files to survive container restarts.
Distributed multi-node deployments need Redis plus a routable SSH_MCP_PUBLIC_BASE_URL per replica.
Distributed v0 does not provide cross-node PTY migration or transparent cross-node proxying. Route requests to the owner node when you receive REMOTE_OWNER.
Health endpoints:
- /livez for process liveness
- /readyz for readiness checks
- /metrics for Prometheus text metrics
Example single-instance Kubernetes baseline: docs/examples/ssh-session-mcp.k8s.single-instance.yaml
Example distributed Kubernetes baseline: docs/examples/ssh-session-mcp.k8s.distributed.example.yaml
Primary Kubernetes installation path: deploy/helm/ssh-session-mcp

Example config file: docs/examples/ssh-session-mcp.config.example.json

Security

The package never requires raw passwords inside tracked JSON config.
.env is ignored by git and npm.
Viewer HTTP binds to localhost by default.
The MCP server treats terminal mode and input lock as first-class safety signals.
CI runs Trivy filesystem and container-image scans against high and critical vulnerabilities.
CI installs a pinned Trivy CLI release with checksum verification instead of relying on a floating third-party action tag.
Release builds generate a CycloneDX SBOM for the published GHCR image digest and attach it to the GitHub release.
Release builds sign the published GHCR image digest with keyless Cosign.
GHCR digest is the primary verification path. Docker Hub remains a distribution path, not the main signature-verification target.

See SECURITY.md for the full policy.

Platform Notes

Windows 10/11: first-class host environment
Linux: strong fit for headless MCP + browser viewer workflows
macOS: standard Node.js path supported
Remote Linux hosts: first-class target

More detail: docs/platform-compatibility.md

Docs

Development

Clone the repo only if you want to modify the source, run tests locally, or build release artifacts.

bash

npm install
npm run build
npm run test
npm run validate:repo
npm run build:site

GitHub Actions included in this repo can:

run CI on push and pull request
deploy a GitHub Pages landing page from dist/
build a tagged GitHub Release with the npm package tarball attached

License

Apache-2.0. See LICENSE.

Install

Configuration

Environment variables

SSH_MCP_CONFIG

Optional explicit path to ssh-session-mcp.config.json when the config is not in the current working directory.

SSH_MCP_INSTANCE

Optional runtime instance id used to isolate state across multiple MCP clients or agents.

VIEWER_PORT

Viewer HTTP port. Use auto to allocate a free local port, or 0 to disable the browser viewer.

VIEWER_HOST

Optional viewer bind host. Defaults to 127.0.0.1 for local-only browser access.

AUTO_OPEN_TERMINAL

Set to true or 1 to automatically open the browser terminal when a session is created.

SSH_MCP_MODE

Operation mode. safe blocks risky or unsuitable terminal actions by default, while full allows broader execution.

SSH_MCP_LOCAL

Set to true or 1 to run a local shell instead of opening a real SSH connection. Useful for demos and offline testing.

SSH_MCP_DEBUG

Set to true or 1 to expose browser-side debug controls intended for demos and local troubleshooting.

SSH_HOST

Legacy single-target SSH host when not using ssh-session-mcp.config.json device profiles.

SSH_PORT

Legacy single-target SSH port when not using ssh-session-mcp.config.json device profiles.

SSH_USER

Legacy single-target SSH username when not using ssh-session-mcp.config.json device profiles.

SSH_PASSWORDsecret

Optional legacy password-based SSH authentication value.

SSH_KEY

Optional path to a local SSH private key file for legacy single-target mode.

Add to VS Code Add to Cursor

claude_desktop_config.json

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ssh-session-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "ssh-session-mcp@2.7.1"
      ],
      "env": {
        "SSH_MCP_CONFIG": "<YOUR_SSH_MCP_CONFIG>",
        "SSH_MCP_INSTANCE": "<YOUR_SSH_MCP_INSTANCE>",
        "VIEWER_PORT": "<YOUR_VIEWER_PORT>",
        "VIEWER_HOST": "<YOUR_VIEWER_HOST>",
        "AUTO_OPEN_TERMINAL": "<YOUR_AUTO_OPEN_TERMINAL>",
        "SSH_MCP_MODE": "<YOUR_SSH_MCP_MODE>",
        "SSH_MCP_LOCAL": "<YOUR_SSH_MCP_LOCAL>",
        "SSH_MCP_DEBUG": "<YOUR_SSH_MCP_DEBUG>",
        "SSH_HOST": "<YOUR_SSH_HOST>",
        "SSH_PORT": "<YOUR_SSH_PORT>",
        "SSH_USER": "<YOUR_SSH_USER>",
        "SSH_PASSWORD": "<YOUR_SSH_PASSWORD>",
        "SSH_KEY": "<YOUR_SSH_KEY>"
      }
    }
  }
}

GitHub

Stars: 3
Forks: 1
Open issues: 1
Language: TypeScript
License: Apache License 2.0
Default branch: main
Latest release: v2.8.0 · 5/27/2026
Created: 4/18/2026
Updated: 6/25/2026

Trust grades

License: A
Maintenance: A
Quality: Not tested yet

Graded A-F from license permissiveness and commit recency; a cross-model quality score is coming soon.

npm

Package: ssh-session-mcp
Latest version: 2.8.0
Published: 5/27/2026

Details

Name: io.github.Zw-awa/ssh-session-mcp
Version: 2.7.1
Status: active
Published: 5/15/2026
Updated: 5/15/2026
Official: Yes
Homepage: zw-awa.github.io/ssh-session-…
Repository: Zw-awa/ssh-session-mcp
Registry record: View server.json

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Topics

ssh-session-mcp

Contents

Install At A Glance

Why It Exists

Best Fit

Project Structure

Quick Start

1. Agent-First Install (Auto-download on first run)

Claude Code

Codex

OpenCode

2. Fastest Local Demo

3. Register As An MCP Server

4. Connect To A Real SSH Target

5. Multi-Device Config

6. Docker Status

Viewer And Collaboration Model

Marketplace-Friendly Flow

Core Differences From A Stateless MCP SSH Wrapper

Operation Modes

Lock Policy

MCP Tools

Recommended Daily Tools

Full Tool Catalog

Local Operator Commands

Configuration Summary

Distributed v0

Macro / Environment Variable Reference

Minimum Required Settings

Container Runtime Notes

Security

Platform Notes

Docs

Development

License

Install

Configuration