cli-bridge
Manage short-code bundles that authorize the local starchild CLI to talk to this agent, including the agent-shell local-exec channel and the local MCP proxy (stdio MCP servers on the user's machine). Use when connecting or disconnecting the starchild CLI (e.g. mint a CLI bridge code, list my CLI bundles, revoke an old CLI session, let the agent run shell commands on the user's own machine, or drive a local app via a stdio MCP server — Blender, Figma, Godot, computer-use, etc.).
Other options
Summary
Manage short-code bundles that authorize the local starchild CLI to talk to this agent, including the agent-shell local-exec channel and the local MCP proxy (stdio MCP servers on the user's machine). Use when connecting or disconnecting the starchild CLI (e.g. mint a CLI bridge code, list my CLI bundles, revoke an old CLI session, let the agent run shell commands on the user's own machine, or drive a local app via a stdio MCP server — Blender, Figma, Godot, computer-use, etc.).
Raw SKILL.md
29.3K bytes---
name: cli-bridge
version: 0.4.0
description: |
Manage short-code bundles that authorize the local starchild CLI to talk to this agent, including the agent-shell local-exec channel and the local MCP proxy (stdio MCP servers on the user's machine).
Use when connecting or disconnecting the starchild CLI (e.g. mint a CLI bridge code, list my CLI bundles, revoke an old CLI session, let the agent run shell commands on the user's own machine, or drive a local app via a stdio MCP server — Blender, Figma, Godot, computer-use, etc.).
delivery: script
metadata:
starchild:
emoji: "🔗"
skillKey: cli-bridge
requires:
bins: [python3]
user-invocable: false
author: starchild
tags: [cli, akm, bridge, sc-chatroom, short-code]
---
# cli-bridge — issue CLI bundles for the user's own `starchild` binary
This skill mints a fresh AKM key (`scope=chat:bridge:cli`) on the local
clawd, then registers it with sc-chatroom in exchange for a short opaque
code (``sc_xxxxxxxx``). The bundle handed to the user contains only that
short code — never the AKM secret, never the Fly machine id.
```
+----------------+ POST /agent/chat/stream +-----------------+
| starchild CLI | Bearer sc_xxxxxxxx | sc-chatroom |
| (user laptop) | --------------------------> | (gateway) |
+----------------+ +--------+--------+
|
resolves sc_… → AKM + container_id
|
v
POST /chat/stream (Bearer sk_…
+ fly-force-instance-id)
+----------------------+
| user's own clawd |
| (Fly internal) |
+----------------------+
```
## Why a short code instead of the raw AKM?
Earlier versions baked the AKM secret + Fly machine id into the bundle
directly. That worked but had two downsides — the bundle leaked routing
metadata when decoded, and any party that ever held the bundle held a
permanent AKM secret. The short-code form fixes both:
- Bundle base64 decodes to ``{d, c:"", k:"sc_…", s, exp, l}`` — no
secret, no Fly machine id.
- ``cli-revoke <sc_…>`` kills just the short code; the underlying AKM
stays alive (use ``cli-revoke --akm <prefix>`` to nuke that too).
- sc-chatroom now holds the AKM secret in its DB. That's a deliberate
trust shift — the AKM stays inside Fly's internal network instead of
riding around on user laptops.
## Scope boundary — read this first
`cli-bridge` covers **exactly one path**: the user's local CLI talking 1:1
to that user's own clawd. It is **not** a chatroom membership credential.
| Use case | Right credential | Wrong |
|---|---|---|
| Personal CLI ↔ own clawd (this skill) | `chat:bridge:cli` AKM, fronted by `sc_…` code | — |
| Join an sc-chatroom room | `chat:thread:chatroom-{room_id}` AKM via `chatroom join` | `chat:bridge:cli` AKM |
| Browse a public room as a guest | no credential needed | any AKM |
## Install the CLI
The rest of this skill assumes `starchild` is on the user's `$PATH` — install
it first if it isn't.
### One-liner (auto-detects OS + arch)
```bash
curl -fsSL https://workroom.iamstarchild.com/install/cli | bash
```
Picks the right binary for darwin/linux × arm64/amd64, drops it on
`$PATH` (Apple Silicon lands in `/opt/homebrew/bin`; Linux falls back to
`~/.local/bin`; `sudo` only when the dir isn't user-writable), patches the
user's shell rc if the install dir wasn't already on `$PATH`, and runs
`starchild --version` as a self-check. SHA256 etag means re-running is a
cheap "already current" no-op (HTTP 304, no download). Source for review:
[tools/install-cli.sh](https://workroom.iamstarchild.com/install/cli)
(`__SERVER_URL__` is rewritten at request time).
### Homebrew
```bash
brew tap starchild/tap https://github.com/Starchild-ai-agent/homebrew-tap
brew trust starchild/tap
brew install starchild
```
The `starchild` formula ships binaries for **macOS (arm64 / amd64) and
Linux (arm64 / amd64)** — `brew install` picks the right one for the host.
The formula has no `bottle` block, so install runs a tiny Ruby script that
downloads the prebuilt binary from the server (`workroom.iamstarchild.com`)
and drops it on `$PATH` — there's no local compile step. To upgrade later:
`brew update && brew upgrade starchild`.
**Linux caveat:** Homebrew itself works on Linux, but expects a Ruby +
build toolchain (one-time `apt install build-essential ruby` / distro
equivalent). For a Linux host, the oneliner above skips that and is
functionally identical, so prefer it unless the user is already a brew
user. **`starchild-app` (the desktop workspace) is macOS-only** — that
formula builds from source (rust + node) and only the macOS build is
meaningful.
### Verify
```bash
starchild --version
```
If you just ran the one-liner and your shell still says `command not found`,
open a new terminal — the PATH update is in your rc, not the current
session.
## Prerequisites
Same as `chatroom`:
- AKM is installed in this clawd (`POST /api/keys` works on loopback)
- AKM accepts `scope="chat:bridge:cli"` and the `/chat/stream` middleware
allows arbitrary `thread_id` for that scope (already shipped in clawd
branch `aladdin/feat/akm-chatroom`)
- sc-chatroom is on a build that includes `POST /cli-keys` (migration 007+)
- `FLY_MACHINE_ID` (or `CONTAINER_ID`) env is set
- `CHATROOM_PUBLIC_URL` env points at the sc-chatroom gateway (defaults
to `https://workroom.iamstarchild.com`)
- `CHATROOM_SERVER_URL` env points at the Fly-internal sc-chatroom
(defaults to `http://sc-chatroom.internal:8080`)
## Commands
### `cli-login` — mint a new bundle
```bash
python3 skills/cli-bridge/scripts/cli_login.py --label "my laptop"
python3 skills/cli-bridge/scripts/cli_login.py --label "codex-vm" --ttl-days 14
```
Default TTL is 90 days; max is 365 days. Output is a one-liner the user
copies into `starchild login`. The bundle is opaque — sc-chatroom
resolves it on each call.
### `cli-list` — show active bundles
```bash
python3 skills/cli-bridge/scripts/cli_list.py
python3 skills/cli-bridge/scripts/cli_list.py --include-revoked
```
Lists every CLI short code minted by this user on sc-chatroom. Columns:
code, issued, expires, uses, label.
### `cli-revoke` — kill a bundle
```bash
python3 skills/cli-bridge/scripts/cli_revoke.py sc_xxxxxxxx
python3 skills/cli-bridge/scripts/cli_revoke.py --akm sk_yyyyyy
```
Default: kills the short code in sc-chatroom; underlying AKM stays alive.
With `--akm`: also revokes the AKM on local clawd, taking out every
bundle backed by it.
## Local shell via `agent-shell` (CLI ≥ v0.2.0)
A `cli-login` bundle **minted with `--enable-shell`** also authorizes the
agent to run shell commands on the **user's own machine** — for "is nginx
running on my laptop", "organize ~/Downloads", and the like. A plain bundle
is a chat bridge only and grants no shell access (see "Shell is off by
default" below). The user starts a small daemon:
```bash
starchild agent-shell # daemonizes; holds a WS open to your clawd
starchild agent-shell --foreground # attach to the terminal for debugging
starchild agent-shell-stop # stop the daemon
```
`agent-shell` refuses to start if the logged-in bundle wasn't granted shell
— it tells the user to get a `--enable-shell` bundle rather than connecting
a channel clawd would reject.
The daemon is single-instance (pidfile + flock) and macOS/Linux only. It
self-updates at startup and periodically; downloaded binaries are verified
against an embedded Ed25519 release key before swapping, so a hostile or
MITM'd update server can't push arbitrary code to the user's machine.
How it works: the daemon dials `wss://<chatroom>/ws/cli-shell` with the
bundle's `sc_…` code. sc-chatroom resolves the code and **reverse-proxies**
the WebSocket to the user's clawd machine — it accepts the laptop's
upgrade, opens its own upstream WS to clawd pinned with
`fly-force-instance-id`, and pumps bytes between the two (this is *not*
`fly-replay`: chatroom and clawd are different Fly apps, and cross-app
replay is rejected with 403). The AKM is injected server-side on the
upstream hop — it never reaches the laptop. clawd holds the connection in
its `ShellHubService`; the `local_shell` tool is then exposed to the LLM
**only while a shell-capable laptop is connected**, and pushes commands
down the socket.
### Shell is off by default (capability gate)
`cli-login` does **not** grant shell unless `--enable-shell` is passed. The
AKM is the authoritative capability source: clawd reads it on the
`/ws/cli-shell` handshake and refuses every exec for a connection that
doesn't carry `shell` (#264). So a leaked plain bundle is a chat credential,
never local RCE.
- Grant shell: `cli_login.py --label … --enable-shell` → AKM
`capabilities: ["shell"]`, bundle carries `x: ["shell"]`.
- Upgrade an existing no-shell bundle: you can't flip it in place — mint a
new `--enable-shell` bundle, `starchild login` it, and `cli-revoke` the
old one. Privilege escalation always goes through a fresh issuance.
### What the agent knows up front (capability manifest)
On connect, the daemon sends a `hello` frame advertising:
- **Platform** — `os` (darwin/linux), `arch` (arm64/amd64), and the active
`shell`. So the agent knows whether it's talking to BSD or GNU userland,
which package manager to assume, etc. — no more guessing `ps` flags or
hitting `ps: illegal option`.
- **Policy summary** — `mode` (`default-deny` when no allow rules exist, else
`allowlist`), the user's `allowed` rules, explicit `denied_extra` rules,
and the always-on `builtin_denied` list.
- **File-transfer policy** — the `transfer_dir` (always-allowed workspace),
`yolo` flag, and the `read_allow` / `write_allow` globs from
`~/.config/starchild/file-policy.toml`. Present only when the bundle
carries the `files` capability. See "File path policy" below for the
full rules; this bullet is just so the agent knows the laptop
advertised file transfer at all.
clawd renders this into the agent's system prompt (only while connected),
so the agent picks a permitted command — or tells the user plainly that the
local policy forbids it — instead of probing blindly.
### Session behavior
- **Connection-level cwd.** Each command's resulting working directory is
echoed back (via a trailing-`pwd` sentinel stripped from stdout) and
persisted for the next command, so `cd` has real meaning across calls
within a session — without the cost/fragility of a full PTY. An explicit
per-call cwd overrides it.
- **Output truncation.** stdout/stderr are each capped at 200 lines (plus a
byte cap) so a `find /` or log dump can't flood the LLM context. The full
pre-truncation line count is reported (`stdout_lines` / `stderr_lines`),
and `truncated: true` is set — the agent can say "showing first 200 of N
lines" rather than truncating silently.
- **Heartbeat.** The daemon pings every 45s to keep the idle WebSocket
alive (Fly's edge cuts idle sockets at ~2.5min). Exec runs in a goroutine
so a long command doesn't block heartbeats.
### Local execution policy (the only auto-run guard)
The daemon runs headless (no TTY to prompt on), so every command is
gated by `~/.config/starchild/exec-policy.toml` (parsed as a tiny
YAML `allow:`/`deny:` line format — no TOML dependency, despite the name).
Rules are **substring** matches by default; wrap a rule in `/ /` for a
regex:
```yaml
allow:
- "ls"
- "cat "
- "/^git (status|log|diff)/"
- "ps"
deny:
- "git push"
```
Decision order: **built-in deny (always wins) → file `deny` → file
`allow` → default-deny.** Two hard rules apply regardless of the file:
- A built-in deny list of interactive/TTY-blocking and destructive
commands is **always** refused: `vim`/`vi`/`nano`/`emacs`,
`less`/`more`/`man`, `top`/`htop`/`btop`, `ssh`/`telnet`, `sudo`/`su`/
`doas`, `tmux`/`screen`, `reboot`/`shutdown`/`halt`, plus the shapes
`rm -rf`, `mkfs`, `dd if=`, `… | sh`, `… | bash`, `> /dev/sd*`.
- **Default-deny:** anything not matched by an `allow` rule is denied. So
with no policy file the policy `mode` is `default-deny` and nothing runs
until the user opts commands in.
### Limitations
- **Unattended policy only.** There is no interactive approval prompt; the
policy file is the sole guard. A future version adds a web-approval popup.
- **Synchronous commands only.** No background jobs / progress polling yet.
- **macOS/Linux only.** The daemon refuses to run on Windows.
- **Revocation:** `cli-revoke <sc_…>` kills the short code; the daemon's
next reconnect then fails auth and the channel closes.
## File transfer via `agent-shell` (CLI ≥ v0.3.0)
When the bundle is minted with `--enable-files`, the same `agent-shell`
daemon also serves **file transfer** between the user's machine and the
agent's workspace. Content streams disk→disk and never passes through the
chat, so **large/binary files (10MB+ PDFs, images, archives) work**.
Three agent-facing tools + one user command:
- `request_upload(laptop_path)` — agent pulls a file FROM the laptop into
`workspace/uploads/` ("take my ~/big.pdf and summarize it").
- `write_local_file(src, dst)` — agent sends a workspace file TO the laptop
("save workspace/output/report.pdf to my ~/Downloads"). `src` is a
workspace path, not inline content.
- `read_local_file(path)` — read a **small text** file for the agent to see
(config/log snippet). Large/binary files go through `request_upload`.
- `starchild push <file>` — user proactively uploads a local file into the
agent's `workspace/uploads/`; it's announced to the agent in its prompt.
```bash
python3 skills/cli-bridge/scripts/cli_login.py --label "laptop" --enable-files
# combine with shell if you want both:
python3 skills/cli-bridge/scripts/cli_login.py --label "laptop" --enable-shell --enable-files
```
`files` is an **independent capability** from `shell` — a bundle can have
either, both, or neither. Like shell, it's off by default and authoritative
on the AKM (clawd refuses transfer frames for a connection without it).
### File path policy (laptop-side, layered)
Transfers are gated on the laptop by a path policy, strictest-first:
1. **Built-in protected paths are ALWAYS refused** (even under `--yolo`):
`~/.ssh`, `~/.aws`, shell rc (`.zshrc`/`.bashrc`/…), `.config/starchild`,
launchd/systemd/cron, `.git/hooks`, browser cookie stores, `.env`, ssh
keys. Writing those would be persistent RCE; reading them leaks creds.
2. **Dedicated transfer dir** (`~/starchild-transfer`, auto-created) — always
allowed for read + write. The safe default workspace; prefer it.
3. **Outside that dir** — denied unless the path matches a `read_allow` /
`write_allow` glob in `~/.config/starchild/file-policy.toml`, **or** the
daemon was started with `--yolo`:
```bash
starchild agent-shell --yolo # allow ANY path (built-in deny still applies)
```
```yaml
# ~/.config/starchild/file-policy.toml (YAML allow-globs)
read_allow:
- "~/Documents/*.md"
write_allow:
- "~/exports/*.csv"
```
Other guarantees: written files get mode **0644** (never executable);
writes are atomic (temp file + rename, no half-written target); symlinks
that escape the transfer dir are refused; per-transfer cap is 100 MiB,
streamed in chunks so large files don't blow the WS frame limit.
> **Security note:** a running `agent-shell` (on a `--enable-shell` bundle)
> plus a permissive policy is effectively remote command execution on the
> user's machine, bounded by the AKM TTL, the `sc_…` code's validity, and the
> policy file. Defaults are conservative: shell is **off** unless explicitly
> granted, the policy is **deny-all** until commands are opted in, and the
> daemon's self-update verifies an **Ed25519 signature** before swapping
> binaries. Widen deliberately.
## Local MCP servers via `agent-shell` (CLI ≥ v0.5.32)
`agent-shell` **is** the MCP Host for the user's machine. The same daemon
that runs `local_shell` and file transfer also reads
`~/.config/starchild/mcp-servers.toml`, spawns each enabled stdio MCP
server as a long-lived child process, runs the MCP `initialize` →
`tools/list` handshake, and proxies `tools/call` over the existing
WebSocket to clawd. clawd then registers each remote tool as
`mcp__<server>__<tool>` and injects them into the **current** conversation
— no new session is required.
This is the path for driving a LOCAL app (Blender, Godot, a local
Figma-bridge, computer-use, browser-use, the filesystem server, …) from
the cloud agent. The agent can't reach `localhost` on the user's
machine any other way; clawd's own (direct) MCP support is for
REMOTE/HTTP/SSE servers hosted elsewhere, not for processes that must
run on the user's laptop.
### How it works (the control channel is the same WS as local_shell)
```
clawd (cloud agent)
│ mcp_list / mcp_call frames
│ (over the existing /ws/cli-shell WebSocket)
▼
agent-shell daemon (laptop) ── MCPProxy
│ stdio JSON-RPC (newline-delimited)
▼
blender-mcp / figma-mcp / server-everything / … (one process per server)
```
The laptop side owns the MCP session state (initialize → initialized →
tools/list, cached). clawd only sends high-level `mcp_call`s; it never
speaks raw JSON-RPC. A `tools/list_changed` notification from a server
re-fetches and re-registers that server's tools.
### Configuring a server
Edit `~/.config/starchild/mcp-servers.toml` (YAML, despite the `.toml`
extension — same convention as exec/file-policy). Each entry:
```yaml
servers:
- id: blender
command: uv
args:
- "--directory"
- "/Users/aladdin/Workspace/StarChild/blender_mcp/mcp"
- "run"
- "blender-mcp"
env:
- "SOME_KEY=value"
enabled: true
```
**Absolute paths only.** `$HOME` and `~` are NOT expanded — MCP clients
spawn the command directly, not through a shell. Use
`/Users/<name>/...`, never `~/...` or `$HOME/...`.
`enabled` defaults to `true` (an entry without `enabled:` runs). The
file is hot-reloadable, but **running sessions only change when the
daemon restarts** — a reload updates the parsed config, it does not
spawn/kill server processes mid-session. The app's Settings panel writes
this file and restarts `agent-shell` for you.
### Restarting agent-shell does NOT cut the chat
The chat stream (your reply to the user) runs over clawd's HTTP/SSE
path, NOT over `agent-shell`. Restarting `agent-shell` only interrupts
`local_shell` / file-transfer / `mcp_call` for the ~2s it takes to
reconnect — the conversation itself stays alive. So you CAN tell the
user (or do it yourself via `local_shell`) to restart the daemon after a
config change; you won't kill the conversation.
After restart, the daemon sends a fresh `hello` with an `mcp_manifest`
listing the enabled servers + each one's runtime status
(`ready`/`failed`/`not_started`). clawd eagerly `mcp_list`s each ready
one and registers the tools. A per-turn `maybe_resync_local_mcp` catch-up
also covers servers that failed to fetch at hello (e.g. a slow-to-start
server) on subsequent turns.
### Dynamic injection — `local_mcp_status` + `local_mcp_reload`
You don't have to restart agent-shell to pick up a config edit. Two
agent-facing tools drive the local MCP runtime live:
- **`local_mcp_status`** — returns every configured server's runtime
state (`ready` with tool count, `failed` with the error, or
`not_started`). Call this when an expected `mcp__<server>__*` tool is
missing — the server may have failed to start.
- **`local_mcp_reload`** — asks agent-shell to re-read
`mcp-servers.toml` at runtime, start newly-added servers, stop removed
ones. **No daemon restart, no chat interruption.** After a reload, the
added servers' `mcp__<server>__*` tools appear in the **next turn**
(the tool list is rebuilt per request). Use this after editing the
config to make a new server available without asking the user to
restart anything.
Typical flow when a server the user just configured isn't showing tools:
1. Call `local_mcp_status` → see `blender: not_started` or `failed: …`.
2. (Fix the config if `failed` — bad path, missing dep, etc.)
3. Call `local_mcp_reload` → agent-shell starts the new server.
4. Next turn, `mcp__blender__*` tools are registered.
### What the agent sees
- **Tools** appear as `mcp__<server>__<tool>` (e.g.
`mcp__blender__get_scene`, `mcp__everything__echo`). Their
`description` and `input_schema` come from the server's own
`tools/list` — call them like any native tool.
- **The prompt manifest** (`build_mcp_manifest_section`, in the volatile
tail) lists which local MCP servers are connected and a roster of
their tool names. If a server is configured but failed to start, that
is noted here too (config present, not loaded).
- If you don't see an `mcp__<server>__*` tool you expected, the server
didn't come up. Diagnose in this order:
1. Is it in `~/.config/starchild/mcp-servers.toml` with `enabled: true`?
2. Did `agent-shell` restart AFTER the edit? (config is read at start)
3. The daemon log (`~/.starchild/sc-chatroom[-dev]/cli-shell/agent.log`)
has a line per server: `agent-shell: mcp: <id> ready (N tools)` on
success, or `agent-shell: mcp: failed to start <id>: <reason>` on
failure. Read it via `local_shell`.
4. For servers that need a LOCAL app bridge (Blender's addon on
`127.0.0.1:9876`, a Figma plugin, …) confirm that bridge is
running too — the MCP server process can start but its tools will
error until the backend app is reachable.
### Don't bypass MCP to talk to the local app
When a server like Blender's is slow to register, it's tempting to open
a raw socket to the app's own bridge (`127.0.0.1:9876`) and send Python
directly. Don't — that sidesteps the MCP tool layer (no schema, no
policy, no per-call validation) and the agent loses the structured
`mcp__blender__*` interface. Fix the MCP server's startup instead
(check the log, confirm the bridge, restart `agent-shell`). The raw
bridge is a last-resort fallback only.
### Server caveats (per-backend)
- **Blender MCP** (`blender-mcp`): two parts — the stdio MCP server
(`uv run`) AND the Blender addon's bridge (listen on
`127.0.0.1:9876`). Both must be running. The MCP server starts even
if Blender is closed, but every tool call errors until the addon
bridge is up. `which blender` often fails even when Blender.app is
open — that's fine, the bridge is what matters.
- **Figma**: there are TWO different Figma MCPs. `figma-mcp-server`
(REST-wrapper, read-only canvas) runs locally via `bunx`; the official
Figma remote MCP (write canvas, SSE) is a REMOTE server — configure
it on the clawd side (`mcp_servers:` in agent.yaml), NOT here. This
file is only for servers that run on the laptop.
- **computer-use / browser-use**: inherently local (they drive the
user's screen/browser). Configure them here.
### Security
A local MCP server can execute arbitrary code on the user's machine
(Blender's `execute_code`, a shell server, …). Treat adding an entry to
`mcp-servers.toml` with the same gravity as widening the exec policy:
only add servers the user asked for, prefer read-only servers, and
never put a secret (API key) in chat — use the `env:` field. The
`mcp-servers.toml` path is NOT in the file-policy allow-list by default;
add it there if the user wants the agent to write configs directly.
## End-to-end smoke test
```bash
# 1. Inside agent chat:
@agent give me a cli key for my laptop
# → outputs `starchild login starchild_<base64>` (bundle has sc_… code)
# 2. On laptop:
starchild login starchild_xxx
starchild whoami
starchild "hello, who are you?"
# → starchild sends Bearer sc_… to sc-chatroom; sc-chatroom resolves
# → it to AKM + container_id and forwards to user's clawd
# 3. Revoke the short code from chat:
@agent revoke cli code sc_xxxxxxxx
# 4. Next CLI call should fail at the gateway:
starchild "hello?"
# → "gateway rejected (401) — code may be revoked; ask your agent for a fresh CLI bundle"
```
## Pipe / shell composition (CLI ≥ v0.1.0)
Once paired, `starchild` is pipe-friendly. It reads stdin when no
positional prompt is given, writes the assistant reply to stdout, and
sends diagnostics to stderr — so it composes with any Unix tool.
```bash
# stdin → reply
echo "explain monads in 3 lines" | starchild
# reply → downstream
starchild "what is the OWASP top 10?" | pbcopy
# full three-stage pipe with streaming output
( echo "summarize this README:"; cat README.md ) | starchild --stream | tee summary.md
# code review pattern — concatenate context + question upstream
( echo "review this diff, flag risky changes:"; git diff ) | starchild
```
**Gotcha:** when you pass a positional prompt, stdin is **ignored**.
To send both context and an instruction, concatenate them upstream
with `( echo "<question>"; cat <file> )` rather than relying on
`cat <file> | starchild "<question>"` (which would silently drop the
file contents).
## SOUL.md hint (recommended)
Add to your agent's SOUL.md so the LLM picks the right tool when the
user asks for a CLI key:
```markdown
## Issuing CLI bundles for the user's own bots/scripts
When the user asks "give me a cli key" / "create a starchild bundle" /
"let me talk to you from my terminal", run:
python3 skills/cli-bridge/scripts/cli_login.py --label "<inferred>"
This is a chat bridge only — it does NOT let you run commands on their
machine or touch their files. Two independent opt-in capabilities, each
granting local access — only add them when the user explicitly asks:
- `--enable-shell` → run commands ("run commands on my laptop", "use
agent-shell", "organize my Downloads"). Remote command execution.
- `--enable-files` → read/write files ("save this to my laptop", "read my
~/notes.md"). Reads/writes files on their machine.
python3 skills/cli-bridge/scripts/cli_login.py --label "<inferred>" --enable-shell
python3 skills/cli-bridge/scripts/cli_login.py --label "<inferred>" --enable-files
Treat both as granting access to their machine — never add either by
default or "to be helpful". If they later want a capability, mint a new
bundle with the flag and have them revoke the old one.
Default the label to something like "untitled-YYYY-MM-DD" if the user
doesn't suggest one. Show them the resulting bundle and tell them how
to revoke: `cli-list` to find the code, then `cli-revoke sc_…`.
After pairing, mention they can also pipe into the CLI from their
shell — e.g. `echo "..." | starchild`, `starchild "..." | pbcopy`,
or `( echo "review:"; git diff ) | starchild`. Stdout is the reply
(pipe-safe), stderr is diagnostics. Note the gotcha: passing a
positional prompt makes stdin get ignored, so context + question
should be concatenated upstream.
## Driving a local app via MCP (agent-shell ≥ v0.5.32)
Once `--enable-shell` is granted and `agent-shell` is running, you can
also drive LOCAL apps (Blender, Godot, a local Figma-bridge,
computer-use, …) through stdio MCP servers. The agent-shell daemon IS
the MCP Host: it reads `~/.config/starchild/mcp-servers.toml`, spawns
the servers, and registers their tools as `mcp__<server>__<tool>` into
this conversation. No separate MCP client (Cursor/Claude Desktop) is
needed.
When the user asks "control Blender" / "use the local figma plugin" /
"drive my local <app> via MCP":
- Confirm `agent-shell` is connected (a `local_shell` call works).
- Add the server to `~/.config/starchild/mcp-servers.toml` (ABSOLUTE
paths only — no `$HOME`, no `~`). The app's Settings → Local MCP
Servers panel can do this too.
- Restart `agent-shell` (`starchild agent-shell-stop && starchild
agent-shell`, or via the app's RestartBanner). This does NOT cut the
chat — only `local_shell`/file-transfer pause for ~2s.
- After restart the `mcp__<server>__*` tools appear. If they don't,
read the daemon log (`~/.starchild/sc-chatroom[-dev]/cli-shell/
agent.log` — look for `mcp: <id> ready` or `mcp: failed to start
<id>: <reason>`) via `local_shell`.
- For servers with a local app bridge (Blender's addon on
127.0.0.1:9876), confirm that bridge is running too — the MCP server
process can start but its tools error until the backend app is up.
- Prefer the `mcp__<server>__*` tools over opening a raw socket to the
app's bridge. The MCP layer gives you schemas + validation; the raw
bridge is a last-resort fallback.
Don't add a server the user didn't ask for — a local MCP server can
execute arbitrary code on their machine. See the "Local MCP servers via
agent-shell" section above for the full config format and per-backend
caveats (Blender two-part, Figma local-vs-remote, etc.).
```

