Local Server

Run the local MCP server via the daemon

The local MCP server gives you the same platform tools over a stdio transport, backed by the Lovelace daemon running on your machine. This is ideal for development workflows and offline-capable setups.

How It Works

When you run lovelace mcp serve, the Ada CLI starts an MCP server that:

Communicates over stdio (standard input/output)
Connects to the local Lovelace daemon for platform operations
Uses your existing CLI session for authentication — no separate API key needed
Provides the same tools as the remote server, plus lattice-specific extras

Setup

Prerequisites

Ada CLI installed (installation guide)
Authenticated session: lovelace auth login
Lovelace daemon running: lovelace local start

Add to Your Client

Add the local server to your MCP client configuration:

json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "lovelace-local": {
      "command": "lovelace",
      "args": ["mcp", "serve"],
      "transport": "stdio"
    }
  }
}

That's it. Restart your client and the Lovelace tools will be available.

Available Tools

The local server provides all the tools from the remote server:

lovelace_list_workspaces / lovelace_get_workspace
lovelace_spawn_agent / lovelace_list_agents / lovelace_get_agent_status / lovelace_get_agent_result
lovelace_search_knowledge / lovelace_store_knowledge

Additionally, the local server includes lattice-specific tools for daemon management and system information. These tools are only available through the local server.

Local vs Remote

Feature	Local	Remote
Transport	stdio	Streamable HTTP
Authentication	CLI session	API key or OAuth
Network	No internet required for cached data	Requires internet
Daemon tools	Yes	No
Deployment	Your machine	`mcp.uselovelace.com`
Best for	Development, CLI workflows	Production, team use

Using Both

You can run both the local and remote servers simultaneously. See Client Setup for configuration.

Troubleshooting

"lovelace: command not found":

Ensure the Ada CLI is installed and on your PATH
Run lovelace --version to verify

"Not authenticated":

Run lovelace auth login to start a login session
Run lovelace auth status to check your session

"Daemon not running":

Start the daemon: lovelace local start
Check daemon status: lovelace local status

Tools not responding:

Run ada doctor to diagnose issues
Check daemon logs: lovelace local logs

Lovelace Developer Portal