feat: check for SSH, attempt install via package manager if missing

action.yml

@@ -57,6 +57,46 @@ runs:
         # Create SSH directory
         mkdir -p ~/.ssh
         chmod 700 ~/.ssh
+
+        # Ensure ssh client is present. If not, try to install using a known
+        # package manager (apt, yum/dnf, apk, brew, pkg). If installation
+        # fails, stop early with helpful message.
+        if ! command -v ssh >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+          echo "SSH client 'ssh' not found. Attempting to install..."
+
+          if command -v apt-get >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            echo "Using apt-get to install openssh-client"
+            sudo apt-get update -qq
+            DEBIAN_FRONTEND=noninteractive sudo apt-get install -y openssh-client
+
+          elif command -v yum >/dev/null 2>&1 || command -v dnf >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            echo "Using yum/dnf to install openssh-clients"
+            sudo yum install -y openssh-clients || sudo dnf install -y openssh-clients
+
+          elif command -v apk >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            echo "Using apk to install openssh-client"
+            sudo apk add --no-cache openssh-client
+
+          elif command -v brew >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            echo "Using Homebrew to install openssh"
+            brew update >/dev/null || true
+            brew install openssh
+
+          elif command -v pkg >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            echo "Using pkg to install openssh"
+            sudo pkg install -y openssh
+
+          else
+            echo "No known package manager found to install SSH client. Please install 'ssh' and rerun." >&2
+            exit 1
+          fi
+
+          # Verify the install worked
+          if ! command -v ssh >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+            echo "Failed to install SSH client automatically — please install 'ssh' and rerun." >&2
+            exit 1
+          fi
+        fi
         
         # Setup SSH private key
         SSH_KEY_PATH="$HOME/.ssh/github_action_key"