diff --git a/runner/.gitignore b/runner/.gitignore
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..b1fc6d6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runner/.gitignore
@@ -0,0 +1,28 @@
+# Build directory
+build/
+cmake-build-*/
+
+# IDE files
+.idea/
+.vscode/
+*.swp
+*~
+
+# Compiled object files
+*.o
+*.obj
+
+# Compiled dynamic libraries
+*.so
+*.dylib
+*.dll
+
+# Executables
+*.exe
+runner
+
+# CMake generated files
+CMakeCache.txt
+CMakeFiles/
+cmake_install.cmake
+Makefile 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/runner/CMakeLists.txt b/runner/CMakeLists.txt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..712b394
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runner/CMakeLists.txt
@@ -0,0 +1,90 @@
+cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 3.10)
+project(runner VERSION 1.0)
+
+set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD 17)
+set(CMAKE_CXX_STANDARD_REQUIRED ON)
+
+# Include directories
+include_directories(include)
+
+# Find required packages
+find_package(nlohmann_json QUIET)
+if(NOT nlohmann_json_FOUND)
+    include(FetchContent)
+    FetchContent_Declare(
+        nlohmann_json
+        GIT_REPOSITORY https://github.com/nlohmann/json.git
+        GIT_TAG v3.11.2
+    )
+    FetchContent_MakeAvailable(nlohmann_json)
+endif()
+
+# Try to find libssh using different methods
+find_package(libssh QUIET)
+if(NOT libssh_FOUND)
+    find_package(PkgConfig QUIET)
+    if(PKG_CONFIG_FOUND)
+        pkg_check_modules(LIBSSH libssh QUIET)
+    endif()
+    
+    if(NOT LIBSSH_FOUND)
+        # Try to find manually if pkg-config failed too
+        find_path(LIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIR
+            NAMES libssh/libssh.h
+            PATHS /usr/include /usr/local/include
+        )
+        
+        find_library(LIBSSH_LIBRARY
+            NAMES ssh libssh
+            PATHS /usr/lib /usr/local/lib /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu
+        )
+        
+        if(LIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIR AND LIBSSH_LIBRARY)
+            set(LIBSSH_FOUND TRUE)
+            set(LIBSSH_LIBRARIES ${LIBSSH_LIBRARY})
+            set(LIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIRS ${LIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIR})
+            message(STATUS "Found libssh: ${LIBSSH_LIBRARY}")
+        else()
+            message(FATAL_ERROR "libssh not found. Please install libssh-dev package.\nOn Ubuntu/Debian: sudo apt install libssh-dev\nOn CentOS/RHEL: sudo yum install libssh-devel\nOn macOS: brew install libssh")
+        endif()
+    endif()
+endif()
+
+# Print libssh information for debugging
+message(STATUS "LIBSSH_FOUND: ${LIBSSH_FOUND}")
+message(STATUS "LIBSSH_LIBRARIES: ${LIBSSH_LIBRARIES}")
+message(STATUS "LIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIRS: ${LIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIRS}")
+
+find_package(Threads REQUIRED)
+
+# Library target
+add_library(dropshell_runner STATIC
+    src/runner.cpp
+    src/base64.cpp
+)
+
+target_include_directories(dropshell_runner PUBLIC
+    ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR}/include
+    ${LIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIRS}
+)
+
+# Link with libssh
+if(libssh_FOUND)
+    # libssh was found using the find_package method
+    target_link_libraries(dropshell_runner PUBLIC
+        nlohmann_json::nlohmann_json
+        ssh
+        Threads::Threads
+    )
+else()
+    # libssh was found using pkg-config or manual search
+    target_link_libraries(dropshell_runner PUBLIC
+        nlohmann_json::nlohmann_json
+        ${LIBSSH_LIBRARIES}
+        Threads::Threads
+    )
+endif()
+
+# Executable target
+add_executable(runner src/main.cpp)
+target_link_libraries(runner PRIVATE dropshell_runner) 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/runner/README.md b/runner/README.md
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8312ec7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runner/README.md
@@ -0,0 +1,212 @@
+# Runner
+
+Simple c++ demonstration program of the dropshell runner library.
+
+use:
+    runner BASE64COMMAND
+
+BASE64COMMAND is Base64 encoded json. The json format is as described below. The exit code is that of the command run, or -1 if the command couldn't be run.
+
+The c++ library used, which is contained in this codebase, has two simple functions:
+   bool runner(nlohmann::json run_json); // no output capture
+   bool runner(nlohmann::json run_json, std::string & output); // with output capture.
+
+## JSON Specification
+
+```json
+{
+  "ssh": {                      // Optional: SSH connection information
+    "host": "hostname",         // Remote host to connect to
+    "port": 22,                 // Port number (default: 22)
+    "user": "username",         // Username for SSH connection
+    "key": "path/to/key"        // Path to SSH key file or "auto" to use current user's key
+  },
+  "env": {                      // Optional: Environment variables
+    "VAR1": "value1",
+    "VAR2": "value2"
+  },
+  "command": "command_name",    // Required: Command to execute
+  "args": ["arg1", "arg2"],     // Optional: Command arguments
+  "options": {                  // Optional: Execution options
+    "silent": false,            // Suppress all terminal output (default: false)
+    "interactive": false        // Hook up TTY for interactive sessions (default: false)
+  }
+}
+```
+
+If SSH information is provided, the command will be executed on the remote server.
+
+## Build Instructions
+
+### Prerequisites
+
+- CMake 3.10 or newer
+- C++17 compatible compiler
+- libssh development libraries
+- jq (for the helper scripts)
+
+#### Installing Dependencies
+
+##### Quick Installation (Ubuntu/Debian)
+
+For Ubuntu/Debian systems, you can use the provided installation script:
+
+```bash
+sudo ./install_deps.sh
+```
+
+This will install all required dependencies (cmake, g++, libssh-dev, jq).
+
+##### Manual Installation
+
+###### Ubuntu/Debian
+
+```bash
+sudo apt-get install cmake g++ libssh-dev jq
+```
+
+###### CentOS/RHEL
+
+```bash
+sudo yum install cmake gcc-c++ libssh-devel jq
+```
+
+###### macOS
+
+```bash
+brew install cmake libssh jq
+```
+
+###### Windows
+
+Using vcpkg:
+
+```bash
+vcpkg install libssh nlohmann-json
+```
+
+### Building
+
+To build the project, you can use the provided build script:
+
+```bash
+./build.sh
+```
+
+Or manually:
+
+```bash
+mkdir -p build
+cd build
+cmake ..
+make
+```
+
+The executable will be created at `build/runner`.
+
+### Testing
+
+A simple test script is included to verify the functionality:
+
+```bash
+./test.sh
+```
+
+This will run basic tests for command execution, environment variables, silent mode, and return codes.
+
+If you have SSH configured on your local machine and want to test the SSH functionality:
+
+```bash
+ENABLE_SSH_TEST=1 ./test.sh
+```
+
+### Troubleshooting
+
+If CMake cannot find libssh, you can:
+
+1. Run the libssh finder script to locate your installation:
+   ```bash
+   ./examples/find_libssh.sh
+   ```
+
+2. Specify its location manually:
+   ```bash
+   cmake -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=/path/to/libssh/installation ..
+   ```
+
+3. Or set the libssh_DIR environment variable:
+   ```bash
+   export libssh_DIR=/path/to/libssh/installation
+   cmake ..
+   ```
+
+4. If the problem persists, specify the library and include paths directly:
+   ```bash
+   cmake -DLIBSSH_LIBRARY=/path/to/libssh.so -DLIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIR=/path/to/include ..
+   ```
+
+## Usage Examples
+
+### Running a local command
+
+```bash
+# Create a JSON configuration for the 'ls -l' command
+JSON='{"command":"ls","args":["-l"]}'
+
+# Base64 encode the JSON
+BASE64=$(echo -n "$JSON" | base64)
+
+# Run the command
+./build/runner $BASE64
+```
+
+### Running a command with environment variables
+
+```bash
+# Create a JSON configuration with environment variables
+JSON='{"command":"echo","args":["$GREETING"],"env":{"GREETING":"Hello, World!"}}'
+
+# Base64 encode the JSON
+BASE64=$(echo -n "$JSON" | base64)
+
+# Run the command
+./build/runner $BASE64
+```
+
+### Running a command on a remote server via SSH
+
+```bash
+# Create a JSON configuration for a remote command
+JSON='{"ssh":{"host":"example.com","user":"username","key":"auto"},"command":"hostname"}'
+
+# Base64 encode the JSON
+BASE64=$(echo -n "$JSON" | base64)
+
+# Run the command
+./build/runner $BASE64
+```
+
+### Running an interactive command
+
+```bash
+# Create a JSON configuration for an interactive command
+JSON='{"command":"vim","options":{"interactive":true}}'
+
+# Base64 encode the JSON
+BASE64=$(echo -n "$JSON" | base64)
+
+# Run the command
+./build/runner $BASE64
+```
+
+### Using the helper script
+
+The `run.sh` script simplifies testing by handling the JSON validation and Base64 encoding:
+
+```bash
+# Run with a JSON file
+./run.sh examples/local_command.json
+
+# Run with a JSON string
+./run.sh '{"command":"echo","args":["Hello World"]}'
+```
diff --git a/runner/build.sh b/runner/build.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..caf2db4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runner/build.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Don't use set -e because we want to handle errors ourselves
+# set -e 
+
+echo "Building Runner - Dropshell Command Execution Library"
+echo "===================================================="
+
+# Create build directory if it doesn't exist
+mkdir -p build || {
+    echo "ERROR: Failed to create build directory"
+    exit 1
+}
+cd build
+
+# Check if pkg-config is available and can find libssh
+if command -v pkg-config &> /dev/null && pkg-config --exists libssh; then
+    # If libssh is found through pkg-config, use it
+    LIBSSH_PREFIX=$(pkg-config --variable=prefix libssh)
+    echo "Found libssh through pkg-config at: $LIBSSH_PREFIX"
+    CMAKE_ARGS="-DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=$LIBSSH_PREFIX"
+else
+    # Otherwise, let CMake try to find it
+    CMAKE_ARGS=""
+    
+    # Check if libssh-dev/libssh-devel is installed
+    if [ ! -f "/usr/include/libssh/libssh.h" ] && [ ! -f "/usr/local/include/libssh/libssh.h" ]; then
+        echo "WARNING: libssh development headers not found in standard locations."
+        echo "You may need to install the libssh development package:"
+        echo "  - Ubuntu/Debian: sudo apt install libssh-dev"
+        echo "  - CentOS/RHEL: sudo yum install libssh-devel"
+        echo "  - macOS: brew install libssh"
+        echo ""
+        echo "Continuing build anyway, but it may fail..."
+        echo ""
+        
+        # Offer to run the find_libssh.sh helper script
+        if [ -x "../examples/find_libssh.sh" ]; then
+            echo "Would you like to run the libssh finder helper script? (y/n)"
+            read -r answer
+            if [[ "$answer" =~ ^[Yy] ]]; then
+                cd ..
+                ./examples/find_libssh.sh
+                cd build
+                echo ""
+                echo "Continuing with build..."
+            fi
+        fi
+    fi
+fi
+
+# Configure and build with error handling
+echo "Running cmake with args: $CMAKE_ARGS"
+if ! cmake $CMAKE_ARGS ..; then
+    echo ""
+    echo "ERROR: CMake configuration failed."
+    echo "This is likely due to missing dependencies. Please check the error message above."
+    echo "For libssh issues, try:"
+    echo "  1. Install libssh development package: sudo apt install libssh-dev"
+    echo "  2. Run our helper script: ./examples/find_libssh.sh"
+    echo "  3. If you know where libssh is installed, specify it with:"
+    echo "     cmake -DLIBSSH_LIBRARY=/path/to/libssh.so -DLIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIR=/path/to/include .."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+if ! make -j$(nproc); then
+    echo ""
+    echo "ERROR: Build failed."
+    echo "Please check the error messages above for details."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+echo ""
+echo "Build complete. Binary is at build/runner"
+echo ""
+echo "Examples:"
+echo "  ./run.sh examples/local_command.json    # Run a local command"
+echo "  ./run.sh examples/env_vars.json         # Run with environment variables" 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/runner/examples/env_vars.json b/runner/examples/env_vars.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..46e3803
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runner/examples/env_vars.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{"command":"bash","args":["-c","echo Hello $NAME, the current directory is $PWD"],"env":{"NAME":"Runner","CUSTOM_VAR":"This is a custom environment variable"}}
diff --git a/runner/examples/find_libssh.sh b/runner/examples/find_libssh.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..244edeb
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runner/examples/find_libssh.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+# Helper script to find libssh installation on your system
+
+echo "Looking for libssh installation..."
+echo
+
+# Check pkg-config path
+if command -v pkg-config &> /dev/null; then
+    echo "Checking pkg-config for libssh:"
+    if pkg-config --exists libssh; then
+        echo "  - Found libssh with pkg-config"
+        echo "  - Version: $(pkg-config --modversion libssh)"
+        echo "  - Include path: $(pkg-config --variable=includedir libssh)"
+        echo "  - Library path: $(pkg-config --variable=libdir libssh)"
+        echo
+        echo "To use this in cmake:"
+        echo "  cmake -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=$(pkg-config --variable=prefix libssh) .."
+        echo
+    else
+        echo "  - libssh not found with pkg-config"
+        echo
+    fi
+else
+    echo "pkg-config not found on your system"
+    echo
+fi
+
+# Check common include paths
+for DIR in /usr/include /usr/local/include /opt/local/include; do
+    if [ -d "$DIR" ] && [ -f "$DIR/libssh/libssh.h" ]; then
+        echo "Found libssh headers at: $DIR/libssh/libssh.h"
+    fi
+done
+
+# Check common library paths
+LIB_PATHS=()
+for DIR in /usr/lib /usr/local/lib /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu /usr/local/lib64 /opt/local/lib; do
+    if [ -d "$DIR" ]; then
+        LIBS=$(find "$DIR" -name "libssh.so*" -o -name "libssh.dylib" -o -name "libssh.a" 2>/dev/null)
+        if [ -n "$LIBS" ]; then
+            echo "Found libssh libraries in $DIR:"
+            echo "$LIBS" | sed 's/^/  - /'
+            LIB_DIR="$DIR"
+            LIB_PATHS+=("$DIR")
+        fi
+    fi
+done
+
+echo
+if [ ${#LIB_PATHS[@]} -gt 0 ]; then
+    echo "To build with the detected libssh installation, you can use:"
+    echo "  cmake -DLIBSSH_LIBRARY=${LIB_PATHS[0]}/libssh.so -DLIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIR=/usr/include .."
+    echo
+    echo "Or set environment variables:"
+    echo "  export LIBSSH_LIBRARY=${LIB_PATHS[0]}/libssh.so"
+    echo "  export LIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIR=/usr/include"
+    echo "  cmake .."
+else
+    echo "Could not find libssh on your system."
+    echo "Please install it with your package manager:"
+    echo "  - Ubuntu/Debian: sudo apt install libssh-dev"
+    echo "  - CentOS/RHEL: sudo yum install libssh-devel"
+    echo "  - macOS: brew install libssh"
+fi 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/runner/examples/interactive_mode.json b/runner/examples/interactive_mode.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..abcb98d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runner/examples/interactive_mode.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{"command":"bash","options":{"interactive":true}}
diff --git a/runner/examples/local_command.json b/runner/examples/local_command.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..502ab49
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runner/examples/local_command.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{"command":"ls","args":["-la"],"options":{"silent":false}}
diff --git a/runner/examples/local_ssh.json b/runner/examples/local_ssh.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8a55940
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runner/examples/local_ssh.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{"ssh":{"host":"localhost","key":"auto"},"command":"echo","args":["Hello from SSH on localhost!"]}
diff --git a/runner/examples/silent_mode.json b/runner/examples/silent_mode.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..700c082
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runner/examples/silent_mode.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{"command":"ls","args":["-la"],"options":{"silent":true}}
diff --git a/runner/examples/ssh_command.json b/runner/examples/ssh_command.json
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..abbd723
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runner/examples/ssh_command.json
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+{"ssh":{"host":"localhost","port":22,"user":"USERNAME","key":"auto"},"command":"hostname","options":{"interactive":false}}
diff --git a/runner/include/base64.h b/runner/include/base64.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..d4c104f
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runner/include/base64.h
@@ -0,0 +1,13 @@
+#ifndef BASE64_H
+#define BASE64_H
+
+#include <string>
+
+/**
+ * Decode a Base64 encoded string to its original form
+ * @param encoded The Base64 encoded string
+ * @return The decoded string
+ */
+std::string base64_decode(const std::string& encoded);
+
+#endif // BASE64_H 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/runner/include/runner.h b/runner/include/runner.h
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..73158b2
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runner/include/runner.h
@@ -0,0 +1,98 @@
+#ifndef DROPSHELL_RUNNER_H
+#define DROPSHELL_RUNNER_H
+
+#include <nlohmann/json.hpp>
+#include <string>
+#include <vector>
+#include <map>
+
+namespace dropshell {
+
+/**
+ * Runner library for executing commands locally or remotely via SSH
+ */
+class Runner {
+public:
+    /**
+     * Execute a command according to the specification in the JSON
+     * @param run_json JSON specification for the command
+     * @return true if command executed successfully, false otherwise
+     */
+    static bool run(const nlohmann::json& run_json);
+
+    /**
+     * Execute a command and capture its output
+     * @param run_json JSON specification for the command
+     * @param output Reference to string where output will be stored
+     * @return true if command executed successfully, false otherwise
+     */
+    static bool run(const nlohmann::json& run_json, std::string& output);
+
+private:
+    /**
+     * Execute a command locally
+     * @param command Command to execute
+     * @param args Command arguments
+     * @param env Environment variables
+     * @param silent Whether to suppress output
+     * @param interactive Whether to enable interactive mode
+     * @param output Reference to string where output will be stored (if capturing)
+     * @param capture_output Whether to capture output
+     * @return exit code of the command, or -1 if execution failed
+     */
+    static int execute_local(
+        const std::string& command,
+        const std::vector<std::string>& args,
+        const std::map<std::string, std::string>& env,
+        bool silent,
+        bool interactive,
+        std::string* output = nullptr,
+        bool capture_output = false
+    );
+
+    /**
+     * Execute a command remotely via SSH
+     * @param ssh_config SSH configuration
+     * @param command Command to execute
+     * @param args Command arguments
+     * @param env Environment variables
+     * @param silent Whether to suppress output
+     * @param interactive Whether to enable interactive mode
+     * @param output Reference to string where output will be stored (if capturing)
+     * @param capture_output Whether to capture output
+     * @return exit code of the command, or -1 if execution failed
+     */
+    static int execute_ssh(
+        const nlohmann::json& ssh_config,
+        const std::string& command,
+        const std::vector<std::string>& args,
+        const std::map<std::string, std::string>& env,
+        bool silent,
+        bool interactive,
+        std::string* output = nullptr,
+        bool capture_output = false
+    );
+
+    /**
+     * Parse command specification from JSON
+     * @param run_json JSON specification
+     * @param command Output parameter for command
+     * @param args Output parameter for command arguments
+     * @param env Output parameter for environment variables
+     * @param silent Output parameter for silent option
+     * @param interactive Output parameter for interactive option
+     * @return true if parsing was successful, false otherwise
+     */
+    static bool parse_json(
+        const nlohmann::json& run_json,
+        std::string& command,
+        std::vector<std::string>& args,
+        std::map<std::string, std::string>& env,
+        bool& silent,
+        bool& interactive
+    );
+};
+
+} // namespace dropshell
+
+#endif // DROPSHELL_RUNNER_H 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/runner/install_deps.sh b/runner/install_deps.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..dfc8024
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runner/install_deps.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,64 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+# Install dependencies script for Runner
+# This script is for Ubuntu/Debian systems
+
+echo "Installing dependencies for Runner - Dropshell Command Execution Library"
+echo "======================================================================"
+echo
+
+# Check if running as root or with sudo
+if [ "$EUID" -ne 0 ]; then
+    echo "Please run this script with sudo:"
+    echo "  sudo $0"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+echo "Updating package lists..."
+apt-get update
+
+echo "Installing required packages:"
+echo "  - build-essential (C++ compiler and build tools)"
+echo "  - cmake (build system)"
+echo "  - libssh-dev (SSH client library)"
+echo "  - jq (JSON parsing for helper scripts)"
+echo
+
+apt-get install -y build-essential cmake libssh-dev jq
+
+# Check if installation was successful
+if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
+    echo
+    echo "Dependencies installed successfully!"
+    echo
+    echo "You can now build the project with:"
+    echo "  ./build.sh"
+    echo
+else
+    echo
+    echo "Error: Failed to install dependencies."
+    echo "Please check the error messages above."
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Verify libssh installation
+if [ -f "/usr/include/libssh/libssh.h" ]; then
+    echo "Verified: libssh development headers are installed."
+    
+    # Find libssh shared library
+    LIB=$(find /usr/lib -name "libssh.so*" | head -1)
+    if [ -n "$LIB" ]; then
+        echo "Verified: libssh shared library is installed at $LIB"
+    else
+        echo "Warning: Could not find libssh shared library."
+    fi
+    
+    echo
+    echo "You're all set! Build the project with ./build.sh"
+else
+    echo "Warning: Could not verify libssh installation."
+    echo "The package might have been installed in a non-standard location."
+    echo "You may need to manually specify the location when building:"
+    echo
+    echo "  cmake -DLIBSSH_LIBRARY=/path/to/libssh.so -DLIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIR=/path/to/include .."
+fi 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/runner/minimal_test.sh b/runner/minimal_test.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..353bc4b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runner/minimal_test.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+
+echo "Running minimal libssh test to diagnose linking issues"
+echo "===================================================="
+
+# Create test directory
+TESTDIR="ssh_test_tmp"
+mkdir -p $TESTDIR
+cd $TESTDIR
+
+# Create minimal C program that uses libssh
+cat > test.c << 'EOF'
+#include <stdio.h>
+#include <stdlib.h>
+#include <libssh/libssh.h>
+
+int main() {
+    ssh_session session = ssh_new();
+    if (session == NULL) {
+        fprintf(stderr, "Failed to create SSH session\n");
+        return 1;
+    }
+    
+    printf("Successfully created SSH session\n");
+    
+    ssh_free(session);
+    return 0;
+}
+EOF
+
+echo "Created minimal test program. Attempting to compile..."
+
+# Check pkg-config first
+if command -v pkg-config &> /dev/null && pkg-config --exists libssh; then
+    CFLAGS=$(pkg-config --cflags libssh)
+    LIBS=$(pkg-config --libs libssh)
+    
+    echo "Found libssh with pkg-config:"
+    echo "  CFLAGS: $CFLAGS"
+    echo "  LIBS: $LIBS"
+    echo
+    
+    echo "Compiling with pkg-config flags..."
+    gcc -o test_pkg test.c $CFLAGS $LIBS
+    
+    if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
+        echo "Compilation successful!"
+        echo "Running the test program:"
+        ./test_pkg
+    else
+        echo "Compilation failed with pkg-config flags."
+    fi
+    echo
+fi
+
+# Try with simple -lssh flag
+echo "Compiling with simple -lssh flag..."
+gcc -o test_simple test.c -lssh
+
+if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
+    echo "Compilation successful with -lssh!"
+    echo "Running the test program:"
+    ./test_simple
+else
+    echo "Compilation failed with simple -lssh flag."
+    echo "This indicates your libssh installation might not be in the standard location."
+fi
+echo
+
+# Try to find libssh manually
+echo "Searching for libssh.so in common locations..."
+LIBSSH_PATHS=$(find /usr/lib /usr/local/lib /usr/lib/x86_64-linux-gnu -name "libssh.so*" 2>/dev/null)
+
+if [ -n "$LIBSSH_PATHS" ]; then
+    echo "Found libssh in the following locations:"
+    echo "$LIBSSH_PATHS" | sed 's/^/  - /'
+    
+    # Extract directory of first result
+    LIBSSH_DIR=$(dirname $(echo "$LIBSSH_PATHS" | head -1))
+    echo
+    echo "For CMake, you can try:"
+    echo "  cmake -DLIBSSH_LIBRARY=$LIBSSH_DIR/libssh.so -DLIBSSH_INCLUDE_DIR=/usr/include .."
+else
+    echo "Could not find libssh.so."
+    echo "Consider installing libssh-dev package:"
+    echo "  sudo apt install libssh-dev"
+fi
+
+# Clean up
+cd ..
+echo
+echo "Cleaning up..."
+rm -rf $TESTDIR
+
+echo
+echo "Test completed. Use this information to troubleshoot your libssh configuration." 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/runner/run.sh b/runner/run.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..b7e89ff
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runner/run.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,83 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -e
+
+# Check if jq is installed
+if ! command -v jq &> /dev/null; then
+    echo "Error: jq is required but not installed."
+    echo "Install it with: sudo apt-get install jq"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Function to print usage
+usage() {
+    echo "Usage: $0 <json_file>"
+    echo "       $0 'json_string'"
+    exit 1
+}
+
+# Check if argument is provided
+if [ $# -ne 1 ]; then
+    usage
+fi
+
+JSON=""
+
+# Process and clean up JSON input to handle any whitespace or formatting issues
+process_json() {
+    local input="$1"
+    # Use 'tr' to remove any trailing whitespace and control characters
+    # Then use jq to validate and normalize the JSON structure
+    echo "$input" | tr -d '\r' | sed 's/[[:space:]]*$//' | jq -c '.'
+}
+
+# Check if the argument is a file or a JSON string
+if [ -f "$1" ]; then
+    # Validate JSON file
+    if ! jq . "$1" > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+        echo "Error: Invalid JSON in file $1"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    
+    # Read file content and process it
+    FILE_CONTENT=$(cat "$1")
+    JSON=$(process_json "$FILE_CONTENT")
+else
+    # Check if it's a valid JSON string
+    if ! echo "$1" | jq . > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+        echo "Error: Invalid JSON string"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    
+    # Process the JSON string
+    JSON=$(process_json "$1")
+fi
+
+# Double-check that we have valid JSON (defensive programming)
+if ! echo "$JSON" | jq . > /dev/null 2>&1; then
+    echo "Error: Something went wrong processing the JSON"
+    exit 1
+fi
+
+# Base64 encode the JSON, ensuring no trailing newlines
+BASE64=$(echo -n "$JSON" | base64 | tr -d '\n')
+
+# Ensure the binary exists
+if [ ! -f "build/runner" ]; then
+    echo "Building the project first..."
+    ./build.sh
+fi
+
+# Run the command
+echo "Running command with JSON:"
+echo "$JSON" | jq .
+echo
+echo "Base64 encoded: $BASE64"
+echo
+
+# Execute the runner with the processed base64 input
+build/runner "$BASE64"
+EXIT_CODE=$?
+
+echo
+echo "Command exited with code: $EXIT_CODE"
+exit $EXIT_CODE 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/runner/src/base64.cpp b/runner/src/base64.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cc1d234
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runner/src/base64.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+#include "base64.h"
+#include <iostream>
+#include <cctype>
+
+std::string base64_decode(const std::string& encoded) {
+    const std::string base64_chars = 
+        "ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ"
+        "abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz"
+        "0123456789+/";
+    
+    size_t in_len = encoded.size();
+    size_t i = 0;
+    size_t in_ = 0;
+    unsigned char char_array_4[4], char_array_3[3];
+    std::string decoded;
+    
+    while (in_ < in_len && encoded[in_] != '=' && 
+           (std::isalnum(encoded[in_]) || encoded[in_] == '+' || encoded[in_] == '/')) {
+        char_array_4[i++] = encoded[in_++];
+        if (i == 4) {
+            // Translate values in char_array_4 from base64 alphabet to indices
+            for (i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
+                char_array_4[i] = base64_chars.find(char_array_4[i]);
+            }
+            
+            // Decode to original bytes
+            char_array_3[0] = (char_array_4[0] << 2) + ((char_array_4[1] & 0x30) >> 4);
+            char_array_3[1] = ((char_array_4[1] & 0xf) << 4) + ((char_array_4[2] & 0x3c) >> 2);
+            char_array_3[2] = ((char_array_4[2] & 0x3) << 6) + char_array_4[3];
+            
+            for (i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
+                decoded += char_array_3[i];
+            }
+            i = 0;
+        }
+    }
+    
+    // Handle any remaining bytes
+    if (i) {
+        // Fill remaining positions with zeros
+        for (size_t j = i; j < 4; j++) {
+            char_array_4[j] = 0;
+        }
+        
+        // Convert to indices
+        for (size_t j = 0; j < 4; j++) {
+            char_array_4[j] = base64_chars.find(char_array_4[j]);
+        }
+        
+        // Decode remaining bytes
+        char_array_3[0] = (char_array_4[0] << 2) + ((char_array_4[1] & 0x30) >> 4);
+        char_array_3[1] = ((char_array_4[1] & 0xf) << 4) + ((char_array_4[2] & 0x3c) >> 2);
+        char_array_3[2] = ((char_array_4[2] & 0x3) << 6) + char_array_4[3];
+        
+        // Only add valid bytes based on how many characters we had
+        for (size_t j = 0; j < i - 1; j++) {
+            decoded += char_array_3[j];
+        }
+    }
+    
+    return decoded;
+} 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/runner/src/main.cpp b/runner/src/main.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..7425634
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runner/src/main.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,42 @@
+#include "runner.h"
+#include "base64.h"
+#include <iostream>
+#include <string>
+
+void print_usage() {
+    std::cerr << "Usage: runner BASE64COMMAND" << std::endl;
+    std::cerr << "  where BASE64COMMAND is a Base64 encoded JSON string" << std::endl;
+}
+
+int main(int argc, char* argv[]) {
+    if (argc != 2) {
+        print_usage();
+        return 1;
+    }
+    
+    std::string base64_command = argv[1];
+    std::string json_string;
+    
+    try {
+        // Decode Base64
+        json_string = base64_decode(base64_command);
+    } catch (const std::exception& e) {
+        std::cerr << "Error decoding Base64: " << e.what() << std::endl;
+        return 1;
+    }
+    
+    // Parse JSON
+    nlohmann::json run_json;
+    try {
+        run_json = nlohmann::json::parse(json_string);
+    } catch (const nlohmann::json::parse_error& e) {
+        std::cerr << "Error parsing JSON: " << e.what() << std::endl;
+        return 1;
+    }
+    
+    // Execute command
+    bool success = dropshell::Runner::run(run_json);
+    
+    // Return the exit code
+    return success ? 0 : 1;
+} 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/runner/src/runner.cpp b/runner/src/runner.cpp
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8222651
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runner/src/runner.cpp
@@ -0,0 +1,466 @@
+#include "runner.h"
+#include <iostream>
+#include <sstream>
+#include <cstdlib>
+#include <array>
+#include <cstring>
+#include <unistd.h>
+#include <sys/types.h>
+#include <sys/wait.h>
+#include <fcntl.h>
+#include <libssh/libssh.h>
+#include <libssh/sftp.h>
+#include <pwd.h>
+
+namespace dropshell {
+
+bool Runner::run(const nlohmann::json& run_json) {
+    std::string command;
+    std::vector<std::string> args;
+    std::map<std::string, std::string> env;
+    bool silent, interactive;
+    
+    if (!parse_json(run_json, command, args, env, silent, interactive)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    
+    int exit_code;
+    if (run_json.contains("ssh")) {
+        exit_code = execute_ssh(run_json["ssh"], command, args, env, silent, interactive);
+    } else {
+        exit_code = execute_local(command, args, env, silent, interactive);
+    }
+    
+    return exit_code == 0;
+}
+
+bool Runner::run(const nlohmann::json& run_json, std::string& output) {
+    std::string command;
+    std::vector<std::string> args;
+    std::map<std::string, std::string> env;
+    bool silent, interactive;
+    
+    if (!parse_json(run_json, command, args, env, silent, interactive)) {
+        return false;
+    }
+    
+    int exit_code;
+    if (run_json.contains("ssh")) {
+        exit_code = execute_ssh(run_json["ssh"], command, args, env, silent, interactive, &output, true);
+    } else {
+        exit_code = execute_local(command, args, env, silent, interactive, &output, true);
+    }
+    
+    return exit_code == 0;
+}
+
+bool Runner::parse_json(
+    const nlohmann::json& run_json, 
+    std::string& command, 
+    std::vector<std::string>& args,
+    std::map<std::string, std::string>& env,
+    bool& silent,
+    bool& interactive
+) {
+    try {
+        // Command is required
+        if (!run_json.contains("command") || !run_json["command"].is_string()) {
+            std::cerr << "Error: 'command' field is required and must be a string" << std::endl;
+            return false;
+        }
+        command = run_json["command"];
+        
+        // Args are optional
+        args.clear();
+        if (run_json.contains("args")) {
+            if (!run_json["args"].is_array()) {
+                std::cerr << "Error: 'args' field must be an array" << std::endl;
+                return false;
+            }
+            for (const auto& arg : run_json["args"]) {
+                if (!arg.is_string()) {
+                    std::cerr << "Error: All arguments must be strings" << std::endl;
+                    return false;
+                }
+                args.push_back(arg);
+            }
+        }
+        
+        // Environment variables are optional
+        env.clear();
+        if (run_json.contains("env")) {
+            if (!run_json["env"].is_object()) {
+                std::cerr << "Error: 'env' field must be an object" << std::endl;
+                return false;
+            }
+            for (auto it = run_json["env"].begin(); it != run_json["env"].end(); ++it) {
+                if (!it.value().is_string()) {
+                    std::cerr << "Error: All environment variable values must be strings" << std::endl;
+                    return false;
+                }
+                env[it.key()] = it.value();
+            }
+        }
+        
+        // Options are optional
+        silent = false;
+        interactive = false;
+        if (run_json.contains("options")) {
+            if (!run_json["options"].is_object()) {
+                std::cerr << "Error: 'options' field must be an object" << std::endl;
+                return false;
+            }
+            
+            if (run_json["options"].contains("silent")) {
+                if (!run_json["options"]["silent"].is_boolean()) {
+                    std::cerr << "Error: 'silent' option must be a boolean" << std::endl;
+                    return false;
+                }
+                silent = run_json["options"]["silent"];
+            }
+            
+            if (run_json["options"].contains("interactive")) {
+                if (!run_json["options"]["interactive"].is_boolean()) {
+                    std::cerr << "Error: 'interactive' option must be a boolean" << std::endl;
+                    return false;
+                }
+                interactive = run_json["options"]["interactive"];
+            }
+        }
+        
+        return true;
+    } catch (const std::exception& e) {
+        std::cerr << "Error parsing JSON: " << e.what() << std::endl;
+        return false;
+    }
+}
+
+int Runner::execute_local(
+    const std::string& command,
+    const std::vector<std::string>& args,
+    const std::map<std::string, std::string>& env,
+    bool silent,
+    bool interactive,
+    std::string* output,
+    bool capture_output
+) {
+    int pipefd[2];
+    if (capture_output && pipe(pipefd) == -1) {
+        std::cerr << "Error creating pipe: " << strerror(errno) << std::endl;
+        return -1;
+    }
+    
+    pid_t pid = fork();
+    if (pid == -1) {
+        std::cerr << "Fork failed: " << strerror(errno) << std::endl;
+        if (capture_output) {
+            close(pipefd[0]);
+            close(pipefd[1]);
+        }
+        return -1;
+    }
+    
+    if (pid == 0) {
+        // Child process
+        
+        // Set up output redirection if needed
+        if (capture_output) {
+            close(pipefd[0]);  // Close read end
+            dup2(pipefd[1], STDOUT_FILENO);
+            dup2(pipefd[1], STDERR_FILENO);
+            close(pipefd[1]);
+        } else if (silent) {
+            int devnull = open("/dev/null", O_WRONLY);
+            if (devnull != -1) {
+                dup2(devnull, STDOUT_FILENO);
+                dup2(devnull, STDERR_FILENO);
+                close(devnull);
+            }
+        }
+        
+        // Set environment variables
+        for (const auto& [key, value] : env) {
+            setenv(key.c_str(), value.c_str(), 1);
+        }
+        
+        // Prepare arguments
+        std::vector<char*> c_args;
+        c_args.push_back(const_cast<char*>(command.c_str()));
+        for (const auto& arg : args) {
+            c_args.push_back(const_cast<char*>(arg.c_str()));
+        }
+        c_args.push_back(nullptr);
+        
+        // Execute command
+        execvp(command.c_str(), c_args.data());
+        
+        // If exec fails
+        std::cerr << "exec failed: " << strerror(errno) << std::endl;
+        exit(1);
+    } else {
+        // Parent process
+        if (capture_output) {
+            close(pipefd[1]);  // Close write end
+            
+            std::array<char, 4096> buffer;
+            std::ostringstream oss;
+            
+            ssize_t bytes_read;
+            while ((bytes_read = read(pipefd[0], buffer.data(), buffer.size() - 1)) > 0) {
+                buffer[bytes_read] = '\0';
+                oss << buffer.data();
+                
+                if (!silent) {
+                    std::cout << buffer.data();
+                }
+            }
+            
+            close(pipefd[0]);
+            
+            if (output) {
+                *output = oss.str();
+            }
+        }
+        
+        int status;
+        waitpid(pid, &status, 0);
+        
+        if (WIFEXITED(status)) {
+            return WEXITSTATUS(status);
+        } else {
+            return -1;
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+std::string find_ssh_key_for_user() {
+    const char* home_dir = getenv("HOME");
+    if (!home_dir) {
+        struct passwd* pw = getpwuid(getuid());
+        if (pw) {
+            home_dir = pw->pw_dir;
+        }
+    }
+    
+    if (!home_dir) {
+        return "";
+    }
+    
+    // Common SSH key locations
+    std::vector<std::string> key_paths = {
+        std::string(home_dir) + "/.ssh/id_rsa",
+        std::string(home_dir) + "/.ssh/id_ed25519",
+        std::string(home_dir) + "/.ssh/id_ecdsa",
+        std::string(home_dir) + "/.ssh/id_dsa"
+    };
+    
+    for (const auto& path : key_paths) {
+        if (access(path.c_str(), F_OK) == 0) {
+            return path;
+        }
+    }
+    
+    return "";
+}
+
+int Runner::execute_ssh(
+    const nlohmann::json& ssh_config,
+    const std::string& command,
+    const std::vector<std::string>& args,
+    const std::map<std::string, std::string>& env,
+    bool silent,
+    bool interactive,
+    std::string* output,
+    bool capture_output
+) {
+    if (!ssh_config.contains("host") || !ssh_config["host"].is_string()) {
+        std::cerr << "Error: SSH configuration requires 'host' field" << std::endl;
+        return -1;
+    }
+    std::string host = ssh_config["host"];
+    
+    int port = 22;
+    if (ssh_config.contains("port")) {
+        if (ssh_config["port"].is_number_integer()) {
+            port = ssh_config["port"];
+        } else {
+            std::cerr << "Error: SSH 'port' must be an integer" << std::endl;
+            return -1;
+        }
+    }
+    
+    std::string user = "";
+    if (ssh_config.contains("user") && ssh_config["user"].is_string()) {
+        user = ssh_config["user"];
+    } else {
+        // Get current username as default
+        char username[256];
+        if (getlogin_r(username, sizeof(username)) == 0) {
+            user = username;
+        } else {
+            struct passwd* pw = getpwuid(getuid());
+            if (pw) {
+                user = pw->pw_name;
+            }
+        }
+    }
+    
+    std::string key_path = "";
+    if (ssh_config.contains("key") && ssh_config["key"].is_string()) {
+        std::string key = ssh_config["key"];
+        if (key == "auto") {
+            key_path = find_ssh_key_for_user();
+            if (key_path.empty()) {
+                std::cerr << "Error: Could not find SSH key automatically" << std::endl;
+                return -1;
+            }
+        } else {
+            key_path = key;
+        }
+    } else {
+        key_path = find_ssh_key_for_user();
+    }
+    
+    // Initialize SSH session
+    ssh_session session = ssh_new();
+    if (session == nullptr) {
+        std::cerr << "Error: Failed to create SSH session" << std::endl;
+        return -1;
+    }
+    
+    // Set SSH options
+    ssh_options_set(session, SSH_OPTIONS_HOST, host.c_str());
+    ssh_options_set(session, SSH_OPTIONS_PORT, &port);
+    ssh_options_set(session, SSH_OPTIONS_USER, user.c_str());
+    
+    // Connect to server
+    int rc = ssh_connect(session);
+    if (rc != SSH_OK) {
+        std::cerr << "Error connecting to " << host << ": " << ssh_get_error(session) << std::endl;
+        ssh_free(session);
+        return -1;
+    }
+    
+    // Authenticate with key
+    if (!key_path.empty()) {
+        rc = ssh_userauth_publickey_auto(session, nullptr, key_path.empty() ? nullptr : key_path.c_str());
+        if (rc != SSH_AUTH_SUCCESS) {
+            std::cerr << "Error authenticating with key: " << ssh_get_error(session) << std::endl;
+            ssh_disconnect(session);
+            ssh_free(session);
+            return -1;
+        }
+    } else {
+        // Try default authentication methods
+        rc = ssh_userauth_publickey_auto(session, nullptr, nullptr);
+        if (rc != SSH_AUTH_SUCCESS) {
+            std::cerr << "Error authenticating: " << ssh_get_error(session) << std::endl;
+            ssh_disconnect(session);
+            ssh_free(session);
+            return -1;
+        }
+    }
+    
+    // Prepare command
+    std::ostringstream cmd_stream;
+    
+    // Add environment variables
+    for (const auto& [key, value] : env) {
+        cmd_stream << "export " << key << "=\"" << value << "\"; ";
+    }
+    
+    // Add command and args
+    cmd_stream << command;
+    for (const auto& arg : args) {
+        cmd_stream << " " << arg;
+    }
+    
+    std::string full_command = cmd_stream.str();
+    
+    int exit_status = -1;
+    ssh_channel channel = ssh_channel_new(session);
+    if (channel == nullptr) {
+        std::cerr << "Error creating SSH channel: " << ssh_get_error(session) << std::endl;
+        ssh_disconnect(session);
+        ssh_free(session);
+        return -1;
+    }
+    
+    rc = ssh_channel_open_session(channel);
+    if (rc != SSH_OK) {
+        std::cerr << "Error opening SSH session: " << ssh_get_error(session) << std::endl;
+        ssh_channel_free(channel);
+        ssh_disconnect(session);
+        ssh_free(session);
+        return -1;
+    }
+    
+    if (interactive) {
+        // Request a pseudo-terminal for interactive commands
+        rc = ssh_channel_request_pty(channel);
+        if (rc != SSH_OK) {
+            std::cerr << "Error requesting PTY: " << ssh_get_error(session) << std::endl;
+            ssh_channel_close(channel);
+            ssh_channel_free(channel);
+            ssh_disconnect(session);
+            ssh_free(session);
+            return -1;
+        }
+    }
+    
+    // Execute the command
+    rc = ssh_channel_request_exec(channel, full_command.c_str());
+    if (rc != SSH_OK) {
+        std::cerr << "Error executing command: " << ssh_get_error(session) << std::endl;
+        ssh_channel_close(channel);
+        ssh_channel_free(channel);
+        ssh_disconnect(session);
+        ssh_free(session);
+        return -1;
+    }
+    
+    // Read command output
+    char buffer[4096];
+    int nbytes;
+    std::ostringstream oss;
+    
+    // Read from stdout
+    while ((nbytes = ssh_channel_read(channel, buffer, sizeof(buffer), 0)) > 0) {
+        if (capture_output) {
+            oss.write(buffer, nbytes);
+        }
+        
+        if (!silent) {
+            std::cout.write(buffer, nbytes);
+        }
+    }
+    
+    // Read from stderr if needed
+    while ((nbytes = ssh_channel_read(channel, buffer, sizeof(buffer), 1)) > 0) {
+        if (capture_output) {
+            oss.write(buffer, nbytes);
+        }
+        
+        if (!silent) {
+            std::cerr.write(buffer, nbytes);
+        }
+    }
+    
+    if (capture_output && output) {
+        *output = oss.str();
+    }
+    
+    // Get exit status
+    ssh_channel_send_eof(channel);
+    exit_status = ssh_channel_get_exit_status(channel);
+    
+    // Clean up
+    ssh_channel_close(channel);
+    ssh_channel_free(channel);
+    ssh_disconnect(session);
+    ssh_free(session);
+    
+    return exit_status;
+}
+
+} // namespace dropshell 
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/runner/test.sh b/runner/test.sh
new file mode 100755
index 0000000..c20f2df
--- /dev/null
+++ b/runner/test.sh
@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+#!/bin/bash
+set -e
+
+# Simple test script to verify that the runner works properly
+
+echo "Testing Runner - Dropshell Command Execution Library"
+echo "=================================================="
+echo
+
+# Ensure the binary is built
+if [ ! -f "build/runner" ]; then
+    echo "Building the project first..."
+    ./build.sh
+fi
+
+# Run a simple echo command
+echo "Test 1: Basic command execution"
+JSON='{"command":"echo","args":["Hello from runner test!"]}'
+BASE64=$(echo -n "$JSON" | base64)
+echo "JSON: $JSON"
+echo "Running command..."
+build/runner "$BASE64"
+if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
+    echo "✅ Test 1 passed"
+else
+    echo "❌ Test 1 failed"
+    exit 1
+fi
+echo
+
+# Test with environment variables
+echo "Test 2: Environment variables"
+JSON='{"command":"bash","args":["-c","echo Value of TEST_VAR: $TEST_VAR"],"env":{"TEST_VAR":"This is a test environment variable"}}'
+BASE64=$(echo -n "$JSON" | base64)
+echo "JSON: $JSON"
+echo "Running command..."
+build/runner "$BASE64"
+if [ $? -eq 0 ]; then
+    echo "✅ Test 2 passed"
+else
+    echo "❌ Test 2 failed"
+    exit 1
+fi
+echo
+
+# Test silent mode
+echo "Test 3: Silent mode"
+JSON='{"command":"echo","args":["This should not be displayed"],"options":{"silent":true}}'
+BASE64=$(echo -n "$JSON" | base64)
+echo "JSON: $JSON"
+echo "Running command (no output expected)..."
+OUTPUT=$(build/runner "$BASE64")
+if [ $? -eq 0 ] && [ -z "$OUTPUT" ]; then
+    echo "✅ Test 3 passed"
+else
+    echo "❌ Test 3 failed, unexpected output: '$OUTPUT'"
+    exit 1
+fi
+echo
+
+# Test return code handling
+echo "Test 4: Error return code"
+JSON='{"command":"false"}'
+BASE64=$(echo -n "$JSON" | base64)
+echo "JSON: $JSON"
+echo "Running command (should fail)..."
+build/runner "$BASE64" || true
+RC=$?
+if [ $RC -ne 0 ]; then
+    echo "✅ Test 4 passed (command correctly reported failure)"
+else
+    echo "❌ Test 4 failed (command should have returned non-zero)"
+    exit 1
+fi
+echo
+
+# Optional SSH test (disabled by default)
+# Set ENABLE_SSH_TEST=1 to enable this test
+if [ "${ENABLE_SSH_TEST}" = "1" ]; then
+    echo "Test 5: SSH to localhost (make sure SSH server is running and you can connect to localhost)"
+    if [ -f "examples/local_ssh.json" ]; then
+        echo "Using examples/local_ssh.json for the test..."
+        ./run.sh examples/local_ssh.json || {
+            echo "❌ Test 5 failed"
+            echo "Note: This test requires SSH server running on localhost and proper key-based authentication."
+            echo "Check your SSH configuration or disable this test."
+            exit 1
+        }
+        echo "✅ Test 5 passed"
+    else
+        echo "❌ Test 5 failed: examples/local_ssh.json not found"
+        exit 1
+    fi
+    echo
+else
+    echo "Test 5: SSH test disabled (set ENABLE_SSH_TEST=1 to enable)"
+    echo
+fi
+
+echo "All tests passed! 🎉" 
\ No newline at end of file