Server configuration

The desktop app manages its bundled daemon. The configuration below is for standalone services, source development, or custom connections.

Local or direct-connection service

Run from the Ait source repository root:

export AIT_SERVER_TOKEN="$(openssl rand -hex 32)"
cargo run -p daemon --bin daemon -- --listen 127.0.0.1:7316

This ordinary startup mode reads credentials from AIT_SERVER_TOKEN. The value must contain 32–256 bytes of visible ASCII without spaces. Local API credentials are not automatically loaded from command arguments, URLs, TOML, or .env files. Unattended mode, described below, can generate and persist its own local API credential.

Unattended mode

Unattended mode (run --headless) lets a Linux or macOS machine join account relay without running the desktop interface. We recommend the released standalone daemon, whose guide covers download, verification, installation, running, and keeping it running with tmux, systemd, or launchd. You can also build and run from the Ait source root:

cargo build --locked --release -p daemon --bin daemon
./target/release/daemon login
./target/release/daemon run --headless

Use the same system user and data directory for sign-in and execution. The first sign-in displays a web address and verification code; complete authorization in a browser. Later run --headless starts restore valid machine authorization. Stop a daemon using the same data directory before signing in or out.

This mode connects to the official account center at https://aitapp.cn/api and requires its machine authorization service. Without AIT_SERVER_TOKEN, the first start generates <data-dir>/local-api.token and subsequent starts reuse it. An explicit environment variable takes priority without overwriting that file. The local token and machine authorization are separate credentials.

Use your operating system’s process manager for persistent background operation. There is no service install subcommand. See the headless daemon manual for configuration and reauthorization.

Common settings

Configuration priority is command arguments, environment, TOML, then defaults. The data directory cannot be overridden through TOML. An explicitly selected configuration file must exist. Unknown fields and invalid values prevent startup.

Local browser origins

Explicitly configure HTTP loopback origins with a port and no path. This example is for the local Expo Web development client:

listen = "127.0.0.1:7316"
log_level = "info"
web_origins = ["http://localhost:8081", "http://127.0.0.1:8081"]

Alternatively, pass --web-origin more than once. Marketing domains are not Agent client origins. This website is separate from the local Web client.

Check service readiness

curl http://127.0.0.1:7316/readyz
curl -H "Authorization: Bearer $AIT_SERVER_TOKEN" \
  http://127.0.0.1:7316/v1/server/info

/healthz checks liveness; /readyz checks readiness. Server information and WebSocket access require authentication, and clients must complete protocol negotiation. The authenticated example uses the ordinary startup environment variable. If unattended mode generated a token, use the local API token saved in that data directory instead.

Select provider executables

export AIT_SERVER_CODEX_BIN=/absolute/path/to/codex
export AIT_SERVER_CLAUDE_BIN=/absolute/path/to/claude
export AIT_SERVER_OPENCODE_BIN=/absolute/path/to/opencode
export AIT_SERVER_DEEPSEEK_HARNESS_BIN=/absolute/path/to/dsh
export AIT_SERVER_ANTIGRAVITY_BIN=/absolute/path/to/agy

Set only the variables you need, replace the example paths, and restart the daemon. See Agent setup for authentication and capabilities.

Connect an MCP client

With MCP enabled, the daemon provides /mcp/agents on its own listener, for example http://127.0.0.1:7316/mcp/agents. Configure the endpoint explicitly in your MCP client and supply the local API token in an Authorization: Bearer header.

This endpoint can manage agents, workspaces, terminals, and schedules. It is not automatically injected into each agent’s native configuration. See the MCP manual for connection details and tool parameters.