How do I execute a command on a remote machine in a golang CLI?

Question

How do I execute a command on a remote machine in a golang CLI? I need to write a golang CLI that can SSH into a remote machine via a key and execute a shell command. Furthermor

Answer 1

The other solutions here will work, but I'll throw out another option you could try: simplessh. I think it is easier to use. For this question, I would use option 3 below where you can ssh using your key.

Option 1: SSH to a machine with a password, then run a command

import (
    "log"

    "github.com/sfreiberg/simplessh"
)

func main() error {
    var client *simplessh.Client
    var err error

    if client, err = simplessh.ConnectWithPassword("hostname_to_ssh_to", "username", "password"); err != nil {
        return err
    }

    defer client.Close()

    // Now run the commands on the remote machine:
    if _, err := client.Exec("cat /tmp/somefile"); err != nil {
        log.Println(err)
    }

    return nil
}

Option 2: SSH to a machine using a set of possible passwords, then run a command

import (
    "log"

    "github.com/sfreiberg/simplessh"
)

type access struct {
    login    string
    password string
}

var loginAccess []access

func init() {
    // Initialize all password to try
    loginAccess = append(loginAccess, access{"root", "rootpassword1"})
    loginAccess = append(loginAccess, access{"someuser", "newpassword"})
}

func main() error {
    var client *simplessh.Client
    var err error

    // Try to connect with first password, then tried second else fails gracefully
    for _, credentials := range loginAccess {
        if client, err = simplessh.ConnectWithPassword("hostname_to_ssh_to", credentials.login, credentials.password); err == nil {
            break
        }
    }

    if err != nil {
        return err
    }

    defer client.Close()

    // Now run the commands on the remote machine:
    if _, err := client.Exec("cat /tmp/somefile"); err != nil {
        log.Println(err)
    }

    return nil
}

Option 3: SSH to a machine using your key

import (
    "log"

    "github.com/sfreiberg/simplessh"
)

func SshAndRunCommand() error {
    var client *simplessh.Client
    var err error

    // Option A: Using a specific private key path:
    //if client, err = simplessh.ConnectWithKeyFile("hostname_to_ssh_to", "username", "/home/user/.ssh/id_rsa"); err != nil {

    // Option B: Using your default private key at $HOME/.ssh/id_rsa:
    //if client, err = simplessh.ConnectWithKeyFile("hostname_to_ssh_to", "username"); err != nil {

    // Option C: Use the current user to ssh and the default private key file:
    if client, err = simplessh.ConnectWithKeyFile("hostname_to_ssh_to"); err != nil {
        return err
    }

    defer client.Close()

    // Now run the commands on the remote machine:
    if _, err := client.Exec("cat /tmp/somefile"); err != nil {
        log.Println(err)
    }

    return nil
}