SSH MCP Server vs SSH MCP Server
A side-by-side look at the SSH MCP Server and SSH MCP Server MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose SSH MCP Server for command line work as a local process; choose SSH MCP Server for command line as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose SSH MCP Server when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Command Line domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You have the keys it needs:
SSH_PROFILES_FILE. - You want tools like
ssh_exec, ssh_file_read, ssh_file_write.
Choose SSH MCP Server when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Command Line domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You want tools like
ssh_exec, ssh_read_file, ssh_write_file.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Command Line | Command Line |
| Quality signal | 63/100 · Good | 64/100 · Good |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | Not declared | Not declared |
| Pricing | Not declared | Not declared |
| Required env vars | SSH_PROFILES_FILE | None listed |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 6 | 6 |
| Directory activity | 3 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 5 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 18 | 21 |
| Full listing | View SSH MCP Server | View SSH MCP Server |
Tools & capabilities
SSH MCP Server tools 18
ssh_execRuns one command or a list of them on a server, each with its own exit code, stdout and stderr. Work measured in minutes belongs in detach, not in a longer timeout. Reach for it last — files, logs, transfers, health and jobs each have a tool that batches the round trips and parses the answer.ssh_file_readReads text files from a server, several of them in one call. A file it could not read is named with the reason, never returned empty or cut short as if that were the content. To look for something inside logs rather than read them, ssh_log_search greps on the server.ssh_file_writeWrites text files on a server, several in one call, each with its own path, permissions, owner and sudo. A file is replaced whole and never appears half-written; there is no append. For something that already exists on this machine, use ssh_upload.ssh_file_listLists a directory on a server: every entry with its size, mode, owner and modification time, as fields. A directory it was not allowed to enter is named rather than left out, and a listing cut short by the output limit says so. To see what is inside a file, use ssh_file_read.ssh_job_statusReports the state of a detached job, with the last lines it wrote so you can see where it got to. lost means no exit code was left behind, not that the work failed — ssh_job_output still has the output.ssh_job_outputReturns what a detached job has written so far, stdout and stderr together, from a byte offset you choose. For whether the job is still running rather than what it printed, ssh_job_status answers in one line.ssh_job_listLists the detached jobs on a machine with their state, jobs started with sudo included — for when an id was not kept. Ids and states only; for what a job printed, use ssh_job_output.ssh_job_killStops a detached job and everything it started — the signal reaches the whole process group. A job that had already finished is reported as gone, not as a refusal.ssh_log_tailReturns the last lines of one or more log files, whatever their size — nothing is shipped here to be trimmed locally. A container is read by name instead of by path, through the file its driver writes. To look for something rather than read the end, use ssh_log_search.ssh_log_searchGreps log files on the server and returns the matching lines with their paths, or the paths alone when line bodies are not wanted. An empty answer means no match, never a failed search — files that could not be read are listed apart. For the tail of a file rather than a search through it, ssh_log_tail is cheaper. A container is searched by name instead of by path.ssh_snapshotReports how a machine is doing right now: cpu, memory, disk, containers, listening ports, services and recent errors, in one round trip. Whatever could not be measured comes back null and marked unavailable, never as a zero that reads like an idle machine. For how the machine is set up rather than how it is running, use ssh_audit_baseline.ssh_monitorLooks after the SSH connections themselves, not the machines behind them: lists the configured profiles, tests one, reports pool statistics, closes a connection or reloads the profile file. Start here on a machine you have not used yet — test names the state before anything else runs.- +6 more on the listing page
SSH MCP Server tools 21
ssh_execExecute a command on a remote host via SSH. The command is interpreted by the remote login shell — pipes, redirects, globs, and other shell metacharacters work as expected. Returns up to three content blocks in this order: the status (`[exit code: N]`, plus the signal and any truncation), then `[stderr]`, then `[stdout]`. Status comes first so a proxy that cuts long results (Yaw MCP keeps about 100 KB) never drops the exit code; for big output, filter or page on the remote (head, tail, grep). Use `env` to set environment variables for this call without modifying the command string. Subject to SSH_MCP_COMMAND_WHITELIST / SSH_MCP_COMMAND_BLACKLIST if configured (policy is checked against the env-prefixed command).ssh_read_fileRead a file from a remote host via SFTP. A whole-file read is limited to 10 MB. For a large file -- or behind a proxy that caps results, such as Yaw MCP at about 100 KB -- read it in pages with `offset` and `length` (bytes): a paged read returns a status block first (`[bytes A-B of SIZE]` and the next offset) and then the text. If the connection pool is full (SSH_MCP_MAX_POOL_SIZE, default 100), waits up to 30s for a free slot before starting.ssh_write_fileWrite content to a file on a remote host via SFTP. Creates or overwrites the file. If the connection pool is full (SSH_MCP_MAX_POOL_SIZE, default 100), waits up to 30s for a free slot before starting. NOT gated by SSH_MCP_COMMAND_WHITELIST / SSH_MCP_COMMAND_BLACKLIST: command policy applies only to ssh_exec and ssh_multi_exec, so a blacklist such as `^rm` does NOT block this tool.ssh_uploadUpload a local file to a remote host via SFTP. Reads an arbitrary local file at an agent-chosen `localPath` -- any file readable by this process leaves the machine toward the remote host (the mirror direction of ssh_download's local write). If the connection pool is full (SSH_MCP_MAX_POOL_SIZE, default 100), waits up to 30s for a free slot before starting. NOT gated by SSH_MCP_COMMAND_WHITELIST / SSH_MCP_COMMAND_BLACKLIST: command policy applies only to ssh_exec and ssh_multi_exec, so a blacklist such as `^rm` does NOT block this tool.ssh_downloadDownload a file from a remote host to local filesystem via SFTP. If the connection pool is full (SSH_MCP_MAX_POOL_SIZE, default 100), waits up to 30s for a free slot before starting.ssh_lsList files in a directory on a remote host via SFTP. If the connection pool is full (SSH_MCP_MAX_POOL_SIZE, default 100), waits up to 30s for a free slot before starting.ssh_statGet metadata for a file or directory on a remote host via SFTP. Returns size, permissions (octal), uid/gid, mtime/atime, and the path type. Symlinks are reported as `symlink -> <target kind>`: the type describes the link itself while size/mode/mtime describe its TARGET, and a dangling symlink is reported rather than erroring. Use this instead of parsing `ls -la` output. If the connection pool is full (SSH_MCP_MAX_POOL_SIZE, default 100), waits up to 30s for a free slot before starting.ssh_mkdirCreate a directory on a remote host via SFTP. Set `recursive: true` to create parent directories as needed (like `mkdir -p`). Existing intermediate dirs are tolerated; an existing leaf path is still an error. Unlike the other SFTP tools, the path may be relative. If the connection pool is full (SSH_MCP_MAX_POOL_SIZE, default 100), waits up to 30s for a free slot before starting. NOT gated by SSH_MCP_COMMAND_WHITELIST / SSH_MCP_COMMAND_BLACKLIST: command policy applies only to ssh_exec and ssh_multi_exec, so a blacklist such as `^rm` does NOT block this tool.ssh_deleteDelete a file or empty directory on a remote host via SFTP. Auto-detects the path type and calls the right SFTP op (unlink for files/symlinks, rmdir for empty dirs). Recursive directory delete is intentionally NOT supported -- for that, use ssh_exec with `rm -rf` explicitly so the destructive intent is visible in the tool trace. If the connection pool is full (SSH_MCP_MAX_POOL_SIZE, default 100), waits up to 30s for a free slot before starting. NOT gated by SSH_MCP_COMMAND_WHITELIST / SSH_MCP_COMMAND_BLACKLIST: command policy applies only to ssh_exec and ssh_multi_exec, so a blacklist such as `^rm` does NOT block this tool.ssh_diagnoseDiagnose SSH connectivity issues. Checks ssh-agent status, loaded keys, known_hosts, SSH config, and attempts a test connection. Use this BEFORE attempting SSH operations if you suspect connectivity issues, or AFTER a failed SSH operation to understand why it failed.ssh_agent_ensureEnsure ssh-agent is running and reachable. Starts a new agent if needed and sets environment variables so subsequent SSH operations work. Use this FIRST when SSH operations fail with agent-related errors.ssh_key_listList all SSH private keys in ~/.ssh/ with their type, fingerprint, and whether they are loaded in the agent. Use this to find which keys are available and which ones need to be loaded. Reports isError only when ~/.ssh exists but could not be read -- an absent or empty ~/.ssh is a successful answer with a ssh-keygen hint.- +9 more on the listing page
Ready-to-paste client configs
Paste either block (or both) into your client config, e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json. We only show a config when the install command is confirmed.
SSH MCP Server
{
"mcpServers": {
"ssh-mcp-server": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@hypnosis/ssh-mcp-server"
],
"env": {
"SSH_PROFILES_FILE": "YOUR_SSH_PROFILES_FILE_HERE"
}
}
}
}
SSH MCP Server
{
"mcpServers": {
"ssh-mcp-server-2": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@yawlabs/ssh-mcp"
]
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
SSH MCP Server is categorized under Command Line and uses a local stdio subprocess. SSH MCP Server belongs to Command Line and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick SSH MCP Server for command line work and SSH MCP Server for command line.
Copy the mcpServers block from the config section on this page into your client's config (for example claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json), then fully restart the client.
SSH MCP Server has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. SSH MCP Server has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. If a server needs environment variables such as API keys, define them under the env key in your client's MCP config.
Yes. MCP clients support multiple servers: add ssh-mcp-server and ssh-mcp-server-2 as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, SSH MCP Server has a quality signal of 63/100 (Good) with 3 views, 0 installs and 6 GitHub stars. SSH MCP Server has 64/100 (Good) with 5 views, 0 installs and 6 GitHub stars.