interminal

Name: interminal
Author: QiuwenZheng

@QiuwenZheng

Repository

About interminal

Lightweight MCP server for SSH and local terminal access

Basic information

Config

Add this server to your MCP-compatible client using the configuration below.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "interminal": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "mcp-interminal"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Tools

Connect to an SSH server; returns `session_id` and welcome banner

Run a command locally (no session needed) or over SSH; returns output or `status=partial` + `command_id`

Poll a running command for new output without sending input

Send text input to a command waiting at a prompt

Send control keys: `ctrl+c`, `ctrl+z`, arrow keys, F-keys, etc.

Close an SSH session and release all resources

Overview

What is interminal?

Lightweight MCP server that gives AI assistants terminal access — SSH and local shells — with support for interactive and long-running commands.

How to use interminal?

Install via pip install mcp-interminal or run directly with uvx mcp-interminal. Configure your MCP client (e.g., Claude Desktop) using the command uvx with arguments ["mcp-interminal"]. Requires Python ≥ 3.11.

Key features of interminal

SSH and local shell execution
Interactive and long-running command support
Tools: connect_ssh, execute, read_output, respond, send_control, disconnect
Optional persistent state with Zellij terminal multiplexer
Send control keys like ctrl+c, arrow keys, and F-keys
Optional Windows PTY and ANSI rendering dependencies

Use cases of interminal

AI-driven remote server management via SSH
Executing shell commands and chaining with &&
Multi-step workflows like project development and deployment
Interactive applications requiring prompt responses
Monitoring long-running commands with partial output

FAQ from interminal

How does execute handle persistent state?

Each execute call runs in an isolated channel; cd does not persist. For multi-step workflows, install Zellij on the host to provide a persistent session that carries over environment and state.

What are the optional dependencies?

Windows PTY support: pip install mcp-interminal[pty]. ANSI escape rendering: pip install mcp-interminal[ansi]. Both can be installed with pip install mcp-interminal[pty,ansi].

How do long-running commands work?

They return status="partial" with a command_id. Poll for output with read_output or send input with respond while the command runs.

What runtime is required?

Python 3.11 or higher.

How are SSH connections authenticated?

The README does not detail SSH authentication; SSH credentials are provided by the user when connecting. The server communicates with the MCP client via stdio.