If you are a software developer, you have had to perform some tasks on remote servers, such as deploying code changes or restarting services. One way to do this is through Secure Shell (SSH), a cryptographic network protocol that allows secure communication between two computers. However, when you need to run a long-running command remotely, you may want to execute it in the background so that it does not tie up your terminal session. In this article, we will explore how to run remote SSH commands in the background, step by step.
Prerequisites
Before we start, you will need to have the following:
- A remote server that you can SSH into
- SSH client installed on your local machine
- Basic knowledge of Unix commands
Step 1: Connect to the remote server via SSH
To execute remote SSH command, you must first connect to the remote server via SSH. Open your terminal and type the following command:
ssh [username]@[remote-server-ip]Replace [username] with your username on the remote server and [remote-server-ip] with the IP address of the remote server. If this is the first time you are connecting to the remote server, you may be prompted to add the remote server to your list of known hosts. Type “yes” to continue.
Step 2: Start a screen session
Once you are logged into the remote server, you can start a screen session. A screen session allows you to run multiple terminal sessions within a single SSH session. To start a screen session, type the following command:
screenThis will start a new screen session. You can now run commands in this session without worrying about losing the connection.
Step 3: Run the command in the background
To run a command in the background, you need to append an ampersand (&) to the end of the command. For example, if you want to run a script called myscript.sh, you can run it in the background like this:
./myscript.sh &This will start the script in the background and return control to the terminal. You can now continue to use the terminal for other tasks.
Step 4: Detach from the screen session
Now that the command is running in the background, you can detach from the screen session without stopping the command. To detach from the screen session, type the following command:
Ctrl-a dThis will detach from the screen session and return you to the main SSH session. You can now log out of the remote server without stopping the command.
Step 5: Reattach to the screen session
If you need to check on the status of the command or stop it, you can reattach to the screen session. To reattach to the screen session, type the following command:
screen -rThis will reattach to the most recently used screen session. If there are multiple screen sessions running, you can specify the session ID by typing:
screen -r [session-id]Replace [session-id] with the ID of the screen session you want to reattach to.
Conclusion
In this article, we have explored how to execute remote SSH command in the background. By following these steps, you can run long-running commands on remote servers without tying up your terminal session. As a software developer, being able to perform tasks on remote servers is an essential skill. With SSH, you can securely communicate with remote servers and execute commands as if you were sitting in front of the server.
Now that you know how to execute remote SSH command in the background, you can focus on your development tasks while your commands run in the background. This saves you time and allows you to be more productive.
It is important to note that while SSH is a secure protocol, you should still take precautions to protect your server and data. For example, you should use strong passwords or public key authentication to log in to your server, and keep your SSH client and server software up to date with the latest security patches.
If you want to learn more about SSH, there are many resources available online. Here are two external links to get you started:
By mastering SSH and other tools for remote server management, you can become a more effective and efficient software developer. Whether you are working on a small personal project or a large-scale enterprise application, managing remote servers is a valuable skill that can help you succeed in your career.
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