read_terminal_output
Reads the output from the active iTerm terminal
LABSCO SUMMARY
It works inside your terminal's state rather than starting a fresh shell each time.
Because the tools drive the active iTerm session, everything already true of it — the working directory, the environment, the SSH connection, the REPL you are in — is still true when the model types. send_control_character is what makes that survivable: a command that hangs gets interrupted instead of abandoning the session.
What it is
A local server with three tools against the active iTerm terminal: write to it, read what it printed, and send control characters.
What you get
- Write text into the active terminal, typically a command to run (write_to_terminal).
- Read back what the terminal printed, as many lines as you ask for (read_terminal_output).
- Send control characters, including Control-C and sequences such as ']' for the telnet escape (send_control_character).
Requirements
iTerm on a Mac, with the session you want driven as the active one, and Node.js on the machine. MIT licensed.
Setup effort
One command — npx -y iterm-mcp
USE CASES
01
Getting help with a command in the session you are already in
Have the command typed where your environment and directory already are, and read the result.
02
Debugging on a remote host over the SSH session you already opened
Work on the far side of a connection you set up by hand, without re-authenticating.
03
Killing something that hung
Interrupt the running process and check what state the shell is left in.
04
Watching a long-running job
Read the tail of the output periodically instead of babysitting the window.
3 tools
Counted once with only startup setup. Other versions, modes or optional credentials may expose a different list.
send_control_character
Sends a control character to the active iTerm terminal (e.g., Control-C, or special sequences like ']' for telnet escape)
write_to_terminal
Writes text to the active iTerm terminal - often used to run a command in the terminal
BEFORE YOU INSTALL
What to know first
Tools you get
3 tools when we connected.
Requires
- npx on PATH
- Node 18 or later
CONTEXT COST
Light Standing cost
Rated by the size of the 3 tool definitions that ride along on every turn, not by how many there are
INSTALLATION
Connect your client
Add the block to your client, or run the command directly.
Server setup
Configuration file
JSON
{
"mcpServers": {
"iterm-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"iterm-mcp"
]
}
}
}npx
TERMINAL
npx -y iterm-mcp
