Run a command on multiple SSH servers from Mac

Broadcast keystrokes to every active SSH session at once — fleet-wide ops in seconds, no Ansible playbook required.

Estimated time: 2 minutes

When you have a fleet of similar servers, sometimes you just need to run `apt update`, `df -h`, or `systemctl status` on all of them at once. Ansible is the right answer for repeatable orchestration, but for ad-hoc one-offs — "I just want to see where each server stands right now" — it's overkill. SSHive's broadcast mode types the same keystrokes into every active SSH session simultaneously, with each output visible in its own pane. No agent, no inventory, no YAML.

Step-by-step

1
Open every SSH session you want to hit (Pro required)
Connect to every server you care about — each becomes an SSH tab. Broadcast itself is **Pro-only** (`LicenseService.check('broadcast')`). The check is enforced **at every send**, not just when toggling the bar — so even if Free could open the input, the actual command would be blocked. In Free, hitting the shortcut opens the upgrade modal directly.
2
Toggle the broadcast bar — Cmd+Shift+B
Press **Cmd+Shift+B** (default; customizable in Settings → Shortcuts → Broadcast). An **orange bar** slides in at the top of the terminal area with a broadcast icon, the label "BROADCAST", and a session counter `(N session(s))` showing how many active SSH sessions will receive your input. Escape inside the input closes the bar.
3
Type into the dedicated input — not into a terminal
There is **no Cmd+click multi-select on terminal tabs**. The broadcast bar has its own dedicated input. Type your command there and hit **Enter** (or click "Send"). The command goes to **all** connected SSH sessions simultaneously — there is no per-session checkbox to filter. After sending, a toast confirms: `Broadcast sent — "<command>" → N session(s)`. Each session's output appears in its own terminal tab as usual.
4
Compare outputs and exit broadcast
Click each terminal tab to inspect output side by side — the one server that disagreed is the one to investigate. Hit Cmd+Shift+B again (or Escape) to close the bar. Keystrokes go back to whatever individual terminal you focus.

Frequently asked questions

Can I broadcast to a subset of sessions?+

Yes. In the sessions panel, check the boxes next to the sessions you want to include in the broadcast. Cmd+Shift+B then targets only the checked sessions. Save commonly used groups (e.g., "all web servers") for one-click selection.

Should I use broadcast or Ansible?+

Broadcast for one-off, ad-hoc commands you want to see immediately. Ansible for repeatable, idempotent, audited operations. Both have their place — broadcast is faster for "I want to see what version of OpenSSL is on each box right now"; Ansible is better for "deploy this config across the fleet every time we update it".