sshcli

sshcli is a command-line interface tool that uses the ~/.ssh/config file as a profile database. It allows you to add or remove profiles and connect to them in an interactive environment.

Requirements to Run

• The nc on mac/ncat on linux/windows, ssh and sftp commands must be available in your system's PATH environment variable.
• The sshpass tool can be installed optionally if password authentication is needed.
• The sshcli.db file acts as an encrypted password database since the ssh config file doesn't support storing passwords.
• ssh passwords can be added to new or existing profiles using the --host VM10 --askpass parameters, or by choosing "Set Password" in the profile submenu.

Supported Operating Systems:

• In theory, all operating systems and cpu architecture are supported, but the testing is done only on MacOS.

Installation

• MacOS (Apple Silicon - arm):

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/naseriax/sshcli/refs/heads/main/installation_scripts/install_sshcli_mac_arm.sh | zsh

• MacOS (Intel - x86_64):

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/naseriax/sshcli/refs/heads/main/installation_scripts/install_sshcli_mac_x86_64.sh | zsh

• Linux (arm):

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/naseriax/sshcli/refs/heads/main/installation_scripts/install_sshcli_linux_arm.sh | bash

• Linux (x86_64):

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/naseriax/sshcli/refs/heads/main/installation_scripts/install_sshcli_linux_x86_64.sh | bash

• Windows (arm):

Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/naseriax/sshcli/refs/heads/main/installation_scripts/install_sshcli_windows_arm.ps1" -UseBasicParsing | Invoke-Expression

• Windows (x86_64):

Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/naseriax/sshcli/refs/heads/main/installation_scripts/install_sshcli_windows_x86_64.ps1" -UseBasicParsing | Invoke-Expression

• This script does below changes on your machine:

  • Creates a new folder: ~/sshcli
  • Downloads the sshcli binary and put it in ~/sshcli folder
  • Adds exec permission to the executable
  • Adds a new line to your ~/.zshrc file to add ~/sshcli to the PATH variable

• Or you can download the latest binary for your OS/CPU architecture from the releases section manually.

  • Starting with release 20250808.0631, the new variant uses SQLite (no CGO required) to store passwords, encryption keys, notes and folder information.
  • If you're coming from a pre-SQLite release, the app will automatically migrate your passwords, encryption key, and folder structure to the sshcli.db file during the very first execution.

Hints

Use / to bring up the search field and find a host from the list more easily. Use sshcli -sql to access the sql client engine of the sshcli.db to check the content or do some fun queries.

Compile (Optional)

Requirements

To compile the code, you must have Golang installed on your system.

• Check go.mod for the exact golang release requirement.

Steps:

• Install golang for your operating system and cpu architecture. https://go.dev/dl/
• Clone the repository.

  git clone https://github.com/naseriax/sshcli.git
  cd sshcli
  

• Run go mod tidy to download the required modules.
• Compile:
  • Running on Windows x86_64, compiling for Windows x86_64:
    • $env:GOOS="windows"; $env:GOARCH="amd64"; $env:CGO_ENABLED="0"; go build .
  • Running on Apple Silicon Mac, compiling for Apple Silicon Mac:
    • env GOOS=darwin GOARCH=arm64 CGO_ENABLED=0 go build -ldflags "-X main.CompileTime=date -u +.%Y%m%d.%H%M%S"
  • Running on Apple Silicon Mac, compiling for Linux x86_64:
    • env GOOS=linux GOARCH=amd64 CGO_ENABLED=0 go build -ldflags "-X main.CompileTime=date -u +.%Y%m%d.%H%M%S"
  • Run the tool by calling the binary.

Usage

• Just run sshcli on your terminal to see the UI
• Add or update a profile in the ~/.ssh/config file:

 # sshcli --action add --host t001 --hostname 10.10.10.10 --key '~/.ssh/id_rsa' --username root  --port 22 --askpass
 Enter Password:

• Remove an existing SSH profile from the ~/.ssh/config file:

# sshcli --action remove --host t001

• For more options, use the help command:

Usage of sshcli:
  -action string
        Action to perform: add, remove
  -askpass
        Password prompt
  -baudrate string
        BaudRate, default is 9600 (default "9600")
  -data_bits string
        databits, default is 8 (default "8")
  -device string
        device path, default is /dev/tty.usbserial-1140 (default "/dev/tty.usbserial-1140")
  -host string
        Host alias
  -hostname string
        HostName or IP address
  -httpproxy string
        http proxy to be used for the ssh/sftp over http connectivity (optional),eg. 10.10.10.10:8000
  -key string
        IdentityFile path
  -parity string
        parity, default is none (default "none")
  -port string
        Port Number
  -sql
        Direct access to the sshcli.db file to run sql queries
  -stop_bit string
        stop bit, default is 1 (default "1")
  -type string
        profile type, can be ssh or console, default is ssh (default "ssh")
  -username string
        Username
  -version
        prints the compile time (version)

Significant Features

• Ability to store notes per ssh profile, encrypted and stored in the sqlite database
• ssh tunnel setup (-L)
• ssh over http_proxy support
• sftp TUI
• Zero-Touch encrypted SSH password database (using sshpass)
• Uses the default ~/.ssh/config file as the profile database
• Supports console connection profiles (MacOS only, uses cu tool)
• Flat or foldered structure.
• ping and tcping integration (ping and tcping must be available in the cli)
• Access the sql db directly via sshcli -sql

Recommended Usage

• Install the Alacritty terminal (works on other terminal emulators as well, but Alacritty provides the best experience).https://alacritty.org/
• Add the desired keyboard binding in the Alacritty config file by adding the following lines to ~/.config/alacritty/alacritty.toml:
  • This runs the tool on Option+S in Alacritty.
  • The tool's executable name has been changed to sshcli in this example.

[keyboard]
  [[keyboard.bindings]]
  key = "S"
  mods = "Alt"
  chars = "sshcli\n"

Some instructions (Please wait for them to load)

On first execution, below files/folder will be created if not created already:

~/.ssh folder
~/.ssh/config file
~/.ssh/sshcli.db file

On each execution, below backup files will be created

~/.ssh/config_lastbackup file
~/.ssh/sshcli.db_lastbackup file

• A sample ssh profile will be added to the ~/.ssh/config file if the config file is empty.

• How to add a new ssh/sftp profile. Changing the host name results in creating a new profile (in the same folder) with the new name.

• How to edit an existing ssh/sftp profile

• How to remove an existing ssh/sftp profile

• How to organize ssh/sftp profiles using folders