Overview

The iTerm MCP Server bridges the gap between AI assistants and the macOS terminal by exposing a rich set of terminal‑control tools through the Model Context Protocol. It enables assistants like Claude to create, query, and manipulate iTerm2 sessions directly from the conversational context, turning a standard terminal into an AI‑powered command hub. For developers who rely on shell scripts, debugging, or remote execution, this server removes the friction of manual terminal handling and lets AI workflows orchestrate complex command sequences in real time.

At its core, the server offers a straightforward toolkit: opening new terminals, running arbitrary shell commands, capturing output, listing active sessions, and closing them when finished. Each operation is wrapped in a validated MCP tool that guarantees the input schema, ensuring safe execution and preventing injection or misuse. Because commands run in isolated iTerm2 tabs, the server preserves user environment integrity while still allowing an assistant to probe and manipulate the terminal state.

Key capabilities include:

• Session lifecycle management – Create, list, and close terminals without leaving the chat interface.
• Command execution – Run any shell command in a specified terminal and receive structured output back to the assistant.
• Output retrieval – Pull the current buffer from a terminal, enabling real‑time monitoring or debugging inside the conversation.
• Isolation and security – All interactions are sandboxed; input is validated with Zod schemas, and errors are handled gracefully.

These features unlock practical use cases such as automated build pipelines, live code testing, or interactive tutorials. A developer can ask an assistant to “build this project” and receive the terminal output instantly, or “run a Docker container” and have the assistant manage the lifecycle—all without leaving the chat. In educational settings, students can experiment with shell commands through a conversational interface while the assistant guides them step by step.

Integration is seamless: developers add a single MCP configuration entry to Cursor or any MCP‑compatible client, and the server becomes available under a logical “terminal” namespace. The assistant then calls tools like or , and the MCP layer handles serialization, validation, and response formatting. This design keeps the developer’s workflow natural—no custom scripts or manual terminal handling are required.

The iTerm MCP Server stands out by providing a dedicated, macOS‑only terminal integration that is both secure and lightweight. It eliminates the need for external SSH or remote shell solutions when working locally, making it an ideal companion for developers who want AI assistance directly in their terminal environment.