Connect Your AI App

Connect Your AI App

SSH MCP works with any app or coding agent that supports MCP (Model Context Protocol), the standard way AI apps plug into tools.

The automatic way (recommended)

ssh-mcp-server connect

This finds every supported app on your computer and connects SSH MCP to it, without asking anything. It keeps passwords you've already saved and is safe to run as often as you like. Then restart your AI app.

To connect only some apps:

ssh-mcp-server connect -app codex,cursor

App	Name for -app	Where its settings live
Claude Desktop	claude-desktop	claude_desktop_config.json in Claude's settings folder
Claude Code	claude-code	managed with the claude mcp command (user scope)
Codex (OpenAI)	codex	~/.codex/config.toml (or $CODEX_HOME)
Gemini CLI	gemini	~/.gemini/settings.json
Cursor	cursor	~/.cursor/mcp.json
Windsurf	windsurf	~/.codeium/windsurf/mcp_config.json
VS Code (Copilot)	vscode	mcp.json in your VS Code user folder

Before changing any settings file, SSH MCP saves a copy next to it as .bak. If a file contains comments (some apps allow that), it's left untouched and you're shown what to add by hand.

Adding it by hand

You need two things, both shown by the setup:

• Program: where ssh-mcp-server is installed, for example
  • Windows: C:\Users\you\AppData\Local\Programs\ssh-mcp\ssh-mcp-server.exe
  • macOS/Linux: /Users/you/.local/bin/ssh-mcp-server or /home/you/.local/bin/ssh-mcp-server
• Settings file: see Setup Guide

Use full paths. AI apps don't start programs from your home folder.

Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Gemini CLI, and most others

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ssh": {
      "command": "/home/you/.local/bin/ssh-mcp-server",
      "args": ["-config", "/home/you/.config/ssh-mcp/servers.json"],
      "env": { "SSH_MCP_WEB_PASSWORD": "only if a server uses a password" }
    }
  }
}

Claude Code

claude mcp add --scope user ssh -- /home/you/.local/bin/ssh-mcp-server -config /home/you/.config/ssh-mcp/servers.json

Add -e SSH_MCP_WEB_PASSWORD=... before -- if a server uses a password.

Codex

In ~/.codex/config.toml:

[mcp_servers.ssh]
command = "/home/you/.local/bin/ssh-mcp-server"
args = ["-config", "/home/you/.config/ssh-mcp/servers.json"]

[mcp_servers.ssh.env]
SSH_MCP_WEB_PASSWORD = "only if a server uses a password"

VS Code

In your user mcp.json (Command Palette > MCP: Open User Configuration):

{
  "servers": {
    "ssh": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "/home/you/.local/bin/ssh-mcp-server",
      "args": ["-config", "/home/you/.config/ssh-mcp/servers.json"]
    }
  }
}

Any other app (Zed, Cline, Continue, JetBrains, ...)

Add a new MCP server of type stdio (sometimes called command), with the program and arguments above. Check that app's documentation for where its MCP settings are.

Passwords and AI apps

Servers that sign in with a key file need nothing extra.

For servers that use a password, the AI app has to hand the password to SSH MCP when it starts it. The setup can save it in the app's own settings file on your computer (an env entry such as SSH_MCP_WEB_PASSWORD). It is never put in servers.json and never shown to the AI. If you'd rather not store it there, set that environment variable yourself before starting the app.

Check it works

Restart the app and ask: "List my SSH servers." You should see your servers. If not, see Troubleshooting.

Teach your AI to use it well (optional)

The repository includes a ready-made skill (instructions for the AI) in skills/ssh-mcp. It teaches the AI to check before acting, keep commands safe, and ask before changing anything. Copy the folder into your agent's skills folder, for example ~/.claude/skills/ for Claude Code or ~/.codex/skills/ for Codex.