ssh-to-linux-host

name	ssh-to-linux-host
description	This skill enables connecting to remote Linux hosts via SSH and executing commands, transferring files, and managing server configurations. This skill should be used when the user wants to:

SSH to Linux Host

Overview

This skill provides a complete workflow for connecting to remote Linux hosts via SSH: managing host configurations (save, list, test), executing commands remotely, and transferring files. It supports SSH key authentication, password authentication, and key-with-passphrase authentication. Connection configurations are persisted locally for reuse.

Quick Start

All scripts are located in the scripts/ directory of this skill. Set them as executable before first use:

chmod +x scripts/ssh_config_manager.sh scripts/ssh_connect.sh scripts/ssh_file_transfer.sh

Workflow

Step 1: Determine Host Configuration

Before connecting, determine if a saved configuration exists or collect connection details from the user.

Check for saved hosts:

bash scripts/ssh_config_manager.sh list

If the target host is already saved, proceed to Step 3. Otherwise, collect the following from the user:

Parameter	Required	Default	Description
Host/IP	Yes	-	Server hostname or IP address
Port	No	22	SSH port number
Username	Yes	-	Login username
Auth Type	Yes	key	One of: key, password, key_passphrase
Key Path	If key auth	~/.ssh/id_rsa	Path to SSH private key file
Description	No	-	Friendly description for the host

To collect this information from the user, ask a focused question like:

"To connect to your Linux server, I need the following information:

1. Hostname or IP address
2. Username
3. Authentication method (SSH key / password / key with passphrase)
4. SSH port (default: 22)
5. Path to SSH key (if using key auth, default: ~/.ssh/id_rsa)"

Step 2: Save Host Configuration

Save the host configuration for future reuse:

bash scripts/ssh_config_manager.sh save <alias> '{"host":"<ip>","port":22,"username":"<user>","auth_type":"key","key_path":"~/.ssh/id_rsa","description":"My server"}'

The alias is a short memorable name chosen by or suggested to the user (e.g., dev-server, prod-web1).

Supported auth_type values:

• key — SSH private key authentication (recommended, most secure)
• password — Password authentication (prompted at connect time, never stored)
• key_passphrase — SSH key with passphrase (passphrase prompted at connect time)

Step 3: Test Connection

Always test the connection before executing tasks:

bash scripts/ssh_config_manager.sh test <alias>

If the test fails, refer to references/ssh_troubleshooting.md for common issues and solutions. Read that file with:

cat references/ssh_troubleshooting.md

Step 4: Execute Commands

Single command:

bash scripts/ssh_connect.sh <alias> "<command>"

Multiple commands (pipe-delimited):

bash scripts/ssh_connect.sh <alias> --multi "cd /var/log|tail -n 50 syslog|df -h"

Run a local script on remote host:

bash scripts/ssh_connect.sh <alias> --script /path/to/local/script.sh

Direct connection (without saved config):

bash scripts/ssh_connect.sh --direct user@host -p 22 -i ~/.ssh/id_rsa "uname -a"

Step 5: Transfer Files (If Needed)

Upload a file:

bash scripts/ssh_file_transfer.sh upload <alias> /local/path /remote/path

Download a file:

bash scripts/ssh_file_transfer.sh download <alias> /remote/path /local/path

Sync directories (requires rsync):

bash scripts/ssh_file_transfer.sh sync-up <alias> /local/dir /remote/dir
bash scripts/ssh_file_transfer.sh sync-down <alias> /remote/dir /local/dir

Host Management

List all saved hosts:

bash scripts/ssh_config_manager.sh list

View a specific host's config:

bash scripts/ssh_config_manager.sh get <alias>

Delete a saved host:

bash scripts/ssh_config_manager.sh delete <alias>

Configuration storage location: ~/.config/ssh-skill/hosts.json

Common Task Patterns

Check server status

bash scripts/ssh_connect.sh <alias> --multi "uname -a|uptime|free -h|df -h|systemctl list-units --state=failed"

View logs

bash scripts/ssh_connect.sh <alias> "tail -n 100 /var/log/syslog"

Deploy code

bash scripts/ssh_file_transfer.sh sync-up <alias> ./dist /var/www/myapp
bash scripts/ssh_connect.sh <alias> "cd /var/www/myapp && npm install --production && pm2 restart all"

Manage services

bash scripts/ssh_connect.sh <alias> "sudo systemctl restart nginx"
bash scripts/ssh_connect.sh <alias> "sudo systemctl status nginx"

System maintenance

bash scripts/ssh_connect.sh <alias> --multi "sudo apt update|sudo apt list --upgradable"

Troubleshooting

When a connection or command fails, read the troubleshooting reference:

cat references/ssh_troubleshooting.md

Common quick fixes:

• Permission denied: Verify key permissions (chmod 600 ~/.ssh/id_rsa) and that the public key is on the server
• Connection refused: Confirm SSH service is running and port is correct
• Timeout: Check network connectivity and firewall rules
• Host key changed: Run ssh-keygen -R <hostname> and reconnect

Security Notes

• Passwords are never stored in the configuration file — they are prompted at connect time
• SSH key passphrases are never stored — they are prompted or handled by ssh-agent
• Configuration files are stored in ~/.config/ssh-skill/ with user-only access
• Prefer SSH key authentication over password authentication for security and automation
• The scripts use StrictHostKeyChecking=accept-new to auto-accept new host keys while rejecting changed keys