| name | reach |
| description | Manage remote servers via Reach — AI-native alternative to SSH. Use when user asks to check servers, deploy, run remote commands, read/write remote files, or monitor system health. |
Reach — Remote Server Management
You have access to remote servers via Reach MCP tools. Reach replaces SSH with HTTPS + Token — you get structured JSON, not text to parse.
Setup
If reach tools aren't available, tell the user:
reach mcp install --global
Tools
| Tool | Use When |
|---|
reach_dryrun | ALWAYS before destructive commands (rm, mv, kill, restart) |
reach_stats | Need CPU/memory/disk/network stats — NOT reach_bash + top/free |
reach_read | Read remote files — NOT reach_bash + cat |
reach_write | Write remote files (atomic) — NOT reach_bash + echo > |
reach_upload | Send local file to server |
reach_bash | Run any shell command (fallback when no specialized tool fits) |
reach_list | Discover available servers |
reach_info | Quick server identity (hostname, OS, arch) |
Rules
-
Dryrun before destroy. Before any reach_bash that modifies state, call reach_dryrun first. If risk is high or blocked, warn the user.
-
Structured over shell. Use reach_stats instead of parsing top/free/df output. Use reach_read/reach_write instead of cat/echo.
-
List first. If you don't know server names, call reach_list.
Patterns
Safe config change:
old = reach_read(server, path) # backup
reach_write(server, path, new_config) # atomic write
result = reach_bash(server, "nginx -t") # validate
if failed: reach_write(server, path, old) # rollback
else: reach_bash(server, "systemctl reload nginx")
Health check:
stats = reach_stats(server)
# stats.cpu.usage_percent, stats.memory.usage_percent, stats.disk.partitions[].usage_percent
# All numbers, no parsing needed
Before dangerous command:
check = reach_dryrun(server, "rm -rf /opt/old")
# check.risk = "high", check.score = 85, check.affected.files = 847
# Warn user, then proceed only if confirmed
