Mac Remote SSH

# Mac Remote SSH Control macOS machines remotely via SSH. Covers launchd services, Homebrew, system defaults, scripting, and diagnostics. ## Prerequisites - SSH access configured (e.g., `ssh bots`, `ssh vault`, `ssh jarvis`) - Target machine has SSH enabled: System Settings → General → Sharing → Remote Login ## IMPORTANT: PATH Setup SSH non-login shells do NOT have Homebrew in PATH on Apple Silicon Macs. Always source brew at the start of commands that need it: ```bash ssh bots 'eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)" && brew list' ``` Or for multi-line scripts, add this as the first line: ```bash ssh bots bash <<'EOF' eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)" # now brew, and brew-installed tools, are available brew list EOF ``` ## Machine Fleet Reference | Machine | SSH Alias | IP | Role | Notes | |---------|-----------|------|------|-------| | Mac Mini (Vault) | `ssh vault` | 192.168.86.27 | API key vault, LLM routing | Limited GUI automation (System Events hangs) | | Mac Mini (Bots) | `ssh bots` | 192.168.86.50 | Bots platform runtime | Full GUI + SSH support | | Mac Mini (Jarvis) | `ssh jarvis` | 192.168.86.51 | AI agent fleet node | No screencapture (no virtual display) | ## Running Commands Single command: ```bash ssh bots 'whoami && hostname && sw_vers' ``` Multi-line script: ```bash ssh bots bash <<'EOF' echo "Disk usage:" df -h / echo "Memory:" vm_stat | head -5 echo "CPU:" sysctl -n machdep.cpu.brand_string EOF ``` ## launchd Service Management launchd is the macOS service manager (equivalent to systemd on Linux). ### List running services ```bash ssh bots 'launchctl list | grep -v com.apple' ``` ### Load/start a service ```bash ssh bots 'launchctl load ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.skynet.myservice.plist' ``` ### Unload/stop a service ```bash ssh bots 'launchctl unload ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.skynet.myservice.plist' ``` ### Check service status ```bash ssh bots 'launchctl list | grep myservice' ``` Output: `PID ExitCode Label` — if PID is `-`, the service is not running. ### View service logs ```bash ssh bots 'cat /tmp/myservice.stdout.log' ssh bots 'cat /tmp/myservice.stderr.log' ``` ### Create a launchd plist ```bash ssh bots "cat > ~/Library/LaunchAgents/com.skynet.example.plist" <<'EOF' <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> <!DOCTYPE plist PUBLIC "-//Apple//DTD PLIST 1.0//EN" "http://www.apple.com/DTDs/PropertyList-1.0.dtd"> <plist version="1.0"> <dict> <key>Label</key> <string>com.skynet.example</string> <key>ProgramArguments</key> <array> <string>/usr/local/bin/python3</string> <string>/Users/james/myapp/server.py</string> </array> <key>RunAtLoad</key> <true/> <key>KeepAlive</key> <true/> <key>StandardOutPath</key> <string>/tmp/example.stdout.log</string> <key>StandardErrorPath</key> <string>/tmp/example.stderr.log</string> <key>WorkingDirectory</key> <string>/Users/james/myapp</string> </dict> </plist> EOF ``` ## Homebrew Always prefix with brew shellenv: ```bash ssh bots 'eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)" && brew install jq' ssh bots 'eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)" && brew update && brew upgrade' ssh bots 'eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)" && brew list' ssh bots 'eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)" && brew search redis' # Brew services (wraps launchd) ssh bots 'eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)" && brew services list' ssh bots 'eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)" && brew services start redis' ssh bots 'eval "$(/opt/homebrew/bin/brew shellenv)" && brew services stop redis' ``` ## System Defaults macOS settings are stored in defaults (plist-based). ```bash ssh bots 'defaults read com.apple.dock autohide' ssh bots 'defaults write com.apple.dock autohide -bool true && killall Dock' ssh bots 'defaults domains | tr "," "\n"' # Useful defaults: ssh bots 'defaults write NSGlobalDomain AppleShowAllExtensions -bool true' ssh bots 'defaults write com.apple.finder AppleShowAllFiles -bool true && killall Finder' ``` Note: `defaults read` returns error if the key hasn't been explicitly set (uses system default). This is normal. ## System Diagnostics ```bash ssh bots 'system_profiler SPHardwareDataType' ssh bots 'sw_vers' ssh bots 'uptime' ssh bots 'df -h /' ssh bots 'memory_pressure' ssh bots 'ps aux | sort -k3 -rn | head -10' ssh bots 'ifconfig | grep -A2 "inet "' ssh bots 'lsof -iTCP -sTCP:LISTEN -P -n' ssh bots 'pgrep -fl python' ``` ## File Operations ```bash scp ./config.json bots:~/myapp/config.json scp bots:~/myapp/output.json ./output.json scp -r ./project bots:~/project rsync -avz ./project/ bots:~/project/ ``` ## Process Management ```bash ssh bots 'pkill -f myserver' ssh bots 'nohup python3 ~/myapp/server.py > /tmp/server.log 2>&1 &' ssh bots 'tmux new-session -d -s myapp "python3 ~/myapp/server.py"' ``` ## Docker (if OrbStack/Docker Desktop installed) ```bash ssh bots 'docker ps' ssh bots 'docker compose -f ~/myapp/docker-compose.yml up -d' ssh bots 'docker logs --tail 50 mycontainer' ```