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 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/install_scripts/install_mac_arm.sh | zsh

• MacOS (Intel - x86_64):

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/naseriax/sshcli/refs/heads/main/install_scripts/install_mac_x86_64.sh | zsh

• Linux (arm):

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

• Linux (x86_64):

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/naseriax/sshcli/refs/heads/main/install_scripts/install_linux_x86_64.sh | bash

• Windows (arm):

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

• Windows (x86_64):

Invoke-WebRequest -Uri "https://raw.githubusercontent.com/naseriax/sshcli/refs/heads/main/install_scripts/install_win_x86_64.ps1" -UseBasicParsing | Invoke-Expression

• What the installation script does to your machine?
  • Creates a new folder: ~/sshcli
  • Downloads the latest sshcli binary and puts it in ~/sshcli folder
  • Adds exec permission to the executable
  • Adds a new line to your ~/.zshrc (or the OS equivalent) file to add ~/sshcli to the PATH variable

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. Use sshcli -secure to hide IPs, ports and username(Useful if sharing you screen).

Compile (Optional)

Requirements

To compile the code, you must have Golang 1.25.5 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

• Call the binary in your terminal to see the UI
• Add or update a profile in the ~/.ssh/config file:

$> sshcli

• For more options, use the help command:

$> sshcli -h
Usage of sshcli:
  -action string
    	Action to perform: add, remove, only for Console profiles
  -baudrate string
    	BaudRate, default is 9600 (default "9600"),only for Console profiles
  -cleanup
    	Delete sqlite records that are not in the ssh config file
  -data_bits string
    	databits, default is 8 (default "8"),only for Console profiles
  -device string
    	device path, default is /dev/tty.usbserial-1140 (default "/dev/tty.usbserial-1140"),only for Console profiles
  -host string
    	Host alias
  -parity string
    	parity, default is none (default "none"),only for Console profiles
  -secure
    	Masks the sensitive data
  -sql
    	Direct access to the sshcli.db file to run sql queries
  -stop_bit string
    	stop bit, default is 1 (default "1"),only for Console profiles
  -version
    	prints the compile time (version)

Features

• Ability to store notes per ssh profile, encrypted and stored in the sqlite database
• ssh tunnel setup (same as -L)
• ssh Socks5 tunnel (same as -D)
• 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)

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_backup file
~/.ssh/sshcli.db_backup 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