Some commands don't work

err: bash: -c: line 3: syntax error near unexpected token `('
2020/02/09 17:57:24 Process exited with status 1
err: bash: -c: line 3: `sudo rm -r /usr/dotnetapps/bugsincluded/!(*.db*)'

This is a valid linux command that removes all files and folders that don't match the pattern, it works when I run it manually on my server, but it doesn't work using this ssh-action tool.

Another approach is to put your command into the shell script file and execute sh xxxx.sh.

@appleboy

@appleboy

Another approach is to put your command into the shell script file and execute sh xxxx.sh.

The shell script is being able to run node js or npm commands. How can they be executed? Tried loading . /etc/profile in the shell script.

Any suggestions?

      - name: Executing remote command
        uses: appleboy/ssh-action@v0.1.2
        with:
          host: ${{ secrets.hosts }}
          USERNAME: ${{ secrets.USERNAME }}
          PORT: ${{ secrets.PORT }}
          KEY: ${{ secrets.SSHKEY }}
          script: sh ../../scripts/deploy.sh

If we try to execute sh ../../scripts/deploy.sh wouldn't it will try running inside the server where we're trying SSH into.

I think it will try to execute inside the vps you're trying to ssh into. You could use run instead like this

- name: Executing remote command
        uses: appleboy/ssh-action@v0.1.2
        run: sh ../../scripts/deploy.sh
        with:
          host: ${{ secrets.hosts }}
          USERNAME: ${{ secrets.USERNAME }}
          PORT: ${{ secrets.PORT }}
          KEY: ${{ secrets.SSHKEY }}

I think that should work

@mojo706

@mojo706 It shows an error:

a step cannot have both the `uses` and `run` keys

@mittalyashu

@mittalyashu could you show me your whole discord job?

@mojo706

@mojo706

- name: Executing remote command
  uses: appleboy/ssh-action@v0.1.2
  env:
    BACKEND_APP_PORT: 8080
    NODE_ENV: "production"
  with:
    host: ${{ secrets.IP }}
    USERNAME: ${{ secrets.USERNAME }}
    PORT: ${{ secrets.PORT }}
    KEY: ${{ secrets.SSHKEY }}
    envs: BACKEND_APP_PORT, NODE_ENV
    script: ls

@mittalyashu

  steps:
    - name: Executing remote command
      uses: appleboy/ssh-action@v0.1.2
      env:
        BACKEND_APP_PORT: 8080
        NODE_ENV: "production"
      with:
        host: ${{ secrets.IP }}
        USERNAME: ${{ secrets.USERNAME }}
        PORT: ${{ secrets.PORT }}
        KEY: ${{ secrets.SSHKEY }}
        envs: BACKEND_APP_PORT, NODE_ENV
        script: ls

@mittalyashu try that

Isn't it the exact same code which I have shared.

#31 (comment)

Lol shit I forgot to change it. I guess I was tired, I wanted you to add run under uses it should work now.

You mean something like this?

- name: Executing remote command
  uses: appleboy/ssh-action@v0.1.2
  run: echo "Running this in GitHub Action"
  env:
    BACKEND_APP_PORT: 8080
    NODE_ENV: "production"
  with:
    host: ${{ secrets.IP }}
    USERNAME: ${{ secrets.USERNAME }}
    PORT: ${{ secrets.PORT }}
    KEY: ${{ secrets.SSHKEY }}
    envs: BACKEND_APP_PORT, NODE_ENV
    script: ls

  with:
    host: ${{ secrets.IP }}
    username: ${{ secrets.USERNAME }}
    port: ${{ secrets.PORT }}
    key: ${{ secrets.SSHKEY }}
    envs: BACKEND_APP_PORT, NODE_ENV
    script: ls

@mittalyashu

you need to have the steps keyword @mittalyashu

@ShravaniRoy

@ShravaniRoy Thanks for the quick response. Created a separate issue for the same #189

Hey, went through the answers and tried different approaches but nothing worked.
My question is how it would be possible to run my shell/bash script in separate file (my-script.sh), which is located on ext to github action file CI.yml?

 - name: Executing remote command
        uses: appleboy/ssh-action@v0.1.2
        with:
          ...
          script: sh ./my-script.sh

In other CIs or terminal where this nice appleboy/ssh-action doesnt exist, to make it work you pass your own shell script as:

ssh root@${server} 'bash -s' < ./my-script.sh

Here is my config

      - name: Deploy source-code
        uses: appleboy/ssh-action@master
        with:
          HOST: ${{ secrets.HOST }}
          USERNAME: ${{ secrets.USER }}
          PORT: ${{ secrets.PORRT }}
          PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.PASSWORD }}
          script: |
            sh /var/www/automation/rerun-project.sh

Below is my sh file

cd /var/www/html/my-project
git pull
npm install
forever restart project

But while action run on git hub, it is giving below error

err: /var/www/automation/rerun-project.sh: 3: /var/www/automation/rerun-project.sh: npm: not found
err: /var/www/automation/rerun-project.sh: 4: /var/www/automation/rerun-project.sh: forever: not found

Below first two command working perfectly fine but not sure why npm and forever not working. npm & forever command I am able to execute from putty.

cd /var/www/html/my-project
git pull

Using the full path of the binary in the script worked for me. I believe the non interactive shell obtained from appleboy does not load the correct profiles.

// Example
/usr/local/go/bin/go build -o ./bin/client
/usr/bin/npm install

Hope using this or other tools would work.

The full path didn't work for me, but I found a solution. I realized that if I run echo $PATH in in a normal SSH session, I get a longer $PATH compared to what I get if I run the same command with the this GH Action workflow.

Reason: interactive vs non-interactive shell see → #31 (comment)

basically, if you are running a command in a non interactive shell, like ssh-action, on many linux distros,
"/etc/bash.bashrc" file has a specific command that returns only, so some of the files didn't run and some specific commands doesn't add to path,

Solution for npm: #21 (comment)

script: |
  export NVM_DIR=~/.nvm
  source ~/.nvm/nvm.sh
  npm --help

General solution:

Run the action like so to see what is on the $PATH when the action runs

script: |
  echo $PATH

A soft link inside one of the $PATH directories to the thing you are trying to use will probably solve the issue.

@MahbbRah

@MahbbRah

this issue is about interactive vs non interactive shell.

you can check this at: https://askubuntu.com/questions/247738/why-is-etc-profile-not-invoked-for-non-login-shells

basically, if you are running a command in a non interactive shell, like ssh-action, on many linux distros,

"/etc/bash.bashrc" file has a specific command that returns only, so some of the files didn't run and some specific commands doesn't add to path,
# /etc/bash.bashrc
# System-wide .bashrc file for interactive bash(1) shells.

# To enable the settings / commands in this file for login shells as well,
# this file has to be sourced in /etc/profile.

# If not running interactively, don't do anything
[ -z "$PS1" ] && return`
just comment out the line that returns early and everything should work fine, or you can use the real paths of the commands that you would like to use.

Thanks @kocyigityunus. Commenting the .bashrc line solved my issue. As my workflow runs nvm, yarn and docker scripts, that was the easiest way to handle

@kocyigityunus

I will update the README to address the @kocyigityunus solution.

See the document: https://github.com/appleboy/ssh-action#command-not-found-npm-or-other-command

Another solution that works (only for node global modules):

script: |
  PATH="$PATH:$(npm get prefix)/bin" # Adds global node modules to the PATH
  pm2 list # Uses a global node module, now in the PATH

/etc/bash.bashrc

no file /etc/bash.bashrc in centos9

Currently I do not have issues with that, but I do not use bash on my servers anymore. Instead, I use zsh.

I have found a good solution, just add a line to your script, eg：

script: |
     source /etc/profile
     java -version

the /etc/profile is working for ssh remote command user, refer to this article

I have found a good solution, just add a line to your script, eg：
script: |
     source /etc/profile
     java -version
the /etc/profile is working for ssh remote command user, refer to this article

thanks！！！
it works for me

How to handle this scenario? I can't find a way to ignore the results of the kill
- name: Stop previous version on AWS EC2
uses: appleboy/ssh-action@v1
with:
host: ${{ secrets.AWS_HOST }}
username: ${{ secrets.AWS_USERNAME }}
key: ${{ secrets.AWS_SSH_KEY }}
script: pkill -f "genart" || true

======= CLI Version =======
Drone SSH version 1.8.1

2025/07/03 03:04:24 Process exited with status 143 from signal TERM
Error: Process completed with exit code 1.

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Some commands don't work #31

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appleboy commented on Apr 30, 2020

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mittalyashu commented on Jul 7, 2020

mojo706 commented on Jul 7, 2020

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======= CLI Version ======= Drone SSH version 1.8.1

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======= CLI Version =======
Drone SSH version 1.8.1