Updated March 2026

Install Linux MCP Server

Pick your client, copy the command, done.

Run this in a terminal.

Run in terminal

claude mcp add -e "SSH_HOST=${SSH_HOST}" -e "SSH_USER=${SSH_USER}" linux-mcp-server -- uvx linux-mcp-server

Required:SSH_HOSTSSH_USER+ 1 optional

Environment Variables

Set these before running Linux MCP Server.

VariableDescriptionRequired

SSH_HOSTThe hostname or IP address of the remote RHEL server.Yes

SSH_USERThe username for SSH authentication.Yes

ALLOWED_LOGSA comma-separated list of log files accessible by the server.No

Once configured, Linux MCP Server gives your AI agent access to:

execute_commandExecutes a read-only command on the remote Linux host via SSH.

command

get_system_infoRetrieves general system information from the remote host.

list_servicesLists the status of systemd services on the remote host.

read_logReads a specific log file from the remote host.

log_path

After setup, try these prompts with your AI agent:

→Check the status of the httpd service on the remote server.

→What is the current system load and memory usage on the RHEL host?

→Read the last 50 lines of the /var/log/messages file.

→List all currently running processes on the remote system.

Prerequisites & system requirements

An MCP-compatible client (Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Claude Desktop, or Codex)
Python 3.8+ with pip installed
SSH_HOST — The hostname or IP address of the remote RHEL server.
SSH_USER — The username for SSH authentication.

Alternative installation methods

pip install linux-mcp-server

Save the docs, env vars, and workflow around Linux MCP Server in Conare so Claude Code, Codex, and Cursor remember it next time.