Make the local chat-host loop explicit and cheap so users can warm the machine once instead of rediscovering environment and guest setup on every session. Add cache-backed daily-loop manifests plus the new `pyro prepare` flow, extend `pyro doctor --environment` with warm/cold/stale readiness reporting, and add `make smoke-daily-loop` to prove the warmed repro-fix reset path end to end. Also fix `python -m pyro_mcp.cli` to invoke `main()` so the new smoke and `dist-check` actually exercise the CLI module, and update the docs/roadmap to present `doctor -> prepare -> connect host -> reset` as the recommended daily path. Validation: `uv lock`, `UV_OFFLINE=1 UV_CACHE_DIR=.uv-cache make check`, `UV_OFFLINE=1 UV_CACHE_DIR=.uv-cache make dist-check`, and `UV_OFFLINE=1 UV_CACHE_DIR=.uv-cache make smoke-daily-loop`.
9 KiB
Install
pyro-mcp is built for chat-based coding agents on Linux x86_64 with KVM.
This document is intentionally biased toward that path.
pyro-mcp currently has no users. Expect breaking changes while the chat-host
flow is still being shaped.
Support Matrix
Supported today:
- Linux
x86_64 - Python
3.12+ uv/dev/kvm
Optional for outbound guest networking:
ipnftoriptables- privilege to create TAP devices and configure NAT
Not supported today:
- macOS
- Windows
- Linux hosts without working KVM at
/dev/kvm
If you do not already have uv, install it first:
python -m pip install uv
Use these command forms consistently:
- published package without install:
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro ... - installed package:
pyro ... - source checkout:
uv run pyro ...
Fastest Evaluation Path
Use either of these equivalent evaluator paths:
# Package without install
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro doctor
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro prepare debian:12
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro run debian:12 -- git --version
# Already installed
pyro doctor
pyro prepare debian:12
pyro run debian:12 -- git --version
If you are running from a repo checkout instead, replace pyro with
uv run pyro.
After that one-shot proof works, the intended next step is a warmed daily loop
plus a named chat mode through pyro host connect or pyro host print-config.
1. Check the host
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro doctor --environment debian:12
Expected success signals:
Platform: linux-x86_64
Runtime: PASS
KVM: exists=yes readable=yes writable=yes
Environment cache: /home/you/.cache/pyro-mcp/environments
Catalog version: 4.5.0
Capabilities: vm_boot=yes guest_exec=yes guest_network=yes
Networking: tun=yes ip_forward=yes
Daily loop: COLD (debian:12)
Run: pyro prepare debian:12
If Runtime: FAIL, stop here and use troubleshooting.md.
2. Inspect the catalog
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro env list
Expected output:
Catalog version: 4.4.0
debian:12 [installed|not installed] Debian 12 environment with Git preinstalled for common agent workflows.
debian:12-base [installed|not installed] Minimal Debian 12 environment for shell and core Unix tooling.
debian:12-build [installed|not installed] Debian 12 environment with Git and common build tools preinstalled.
3. Pull the default environment
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro env pull debian:12
The first pull downloads an OCI environment from public Docker Hub, requires
outbound HTTPS access to registry-1.docker.io, and needs local cache space
for the guest image. See host-requirements.md for the
full host requirements.
Expected success signals:
[pull] phase=install environment=debian:12
[pull] phase=ready environment=debian:12
Pulled: debian:12
...
4. Run one command in a guest
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro run debian:12 -- git --version
Expected success signals:
[run] phase=create environment=debian:12
[run] phase=start vm_id=...
[run] phase=execute vm_id=...
[run] environment=debian:12 execution_mode=guest_vsock exit_code=0 duration_ms=...
git version ...
The guest command output and the [run] ... summary are written to different
streams, so they may appear in either order. Use --json if you need a
deterministic structured result.
5. Warm the daily loop
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro prepare debian:12
That one command ensures the environment is installed, proves one guest-backed
create/exec/reset/delete loop, and records a warm manifest so the next
pyro prepare debian:12 call can reuse it instead of repeating the full cycle.
6. Connect a chat host
Use the helper flow first:
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro host connect codex --mode repro-fix
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro host connect codex --mode inspect
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro host connect claude-code --mode cold-start
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro host connect claude-code --mode review-eval
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro host print-config opencode --mode repro-fix
If setup drifts later, inspect and repair it with:
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro host doctor
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro host repair claude-code
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro host repair codex
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro host repair opencode
Use a named mode when one workflow already matches the job:
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro mcp serve --mode repro-fix
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro mcp serve --mode inspect
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro mcp serve --mode cold-start
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro mcp serve --mode review-eval
Use the generic no-mode path when the mode feels too narrow. Bare
pyro mcp serve still starts workspace-core. From a repo root, it also
auto-detects the current Git checkout so the first workspace_create can omit
seed_path.
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro mcp serve
If the host does not preserve the server working directory, use:
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro mcp serve --project-path /abs/path/to/repo
If you are starting outside a local checkout, use a clean clone source:
uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro mcp serve --repo-url https://github.com/example/project.git
Copy-paste host-specific starts:
- Claude Code setup: claude_code_mcp.md
- Codex setup: codex_mcp.md
- OpenCode config: opencode_mcp_config.json
- Generic MCP fallback: mcp_client_config.md
Claude Code cold-start or review-eval:
pyro host connect claude-code --mode cold-start
claude mcp add pyro -- uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro mcp serve --mode cold-start
Codex repro-fix or inspect:
pyro host connect codex --mode repro-fix
codex mcp add pyro -- uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro mcp serve --mode repro-fix
OpenCode uses the mcp / type: "local" config shape shown in
opencode_mcp_config.json.
If pyro-mcp is already installed, replace uvx --from pyro-mcp pyro with
pyro in the same command or config shape.
Use the generic no-mode path when the named mode is too narrow. Move to
--profile workspace-full only when the chat truly needs shells, services,
snapshots, secrets, network policy, or disk tools.
7. Go from zero to hero
The intended user journey is:
- validate the host with
pyro doctor --environment debian:12 - warm the machine with
pyro prepare debian:12 - prove guest execution with
pyro run debian:12 -- git --version - connect Claude Code, Codex, or OpenCode with one named mode such as
pyro host connect codex --mode repro-fix, then use rawpyro mcp serve --mode ...or the generic no-mode path when needed - use
workspace resetas the normal retry step inside that warmed loop - start with one use-case recipe from use-cases/README.md
- trust but verify with
make smoke-use-cases
If you want the shortest chat-first story, start with use-cases/repro-fix-loop.md.
8. Manual terminal workspace flow
If you want to inspect the workspace model directly from the terminal, use the companion flow below. This is for understanding and debugging the chat-host product, not the primary story.
uv tool install pyro-mcp
WORKSPACE_ID="$(pyro workspace create debian:12 --seed-path ./repo --name repro-fix --label issue=123 --id-only)"
pyro workspace list
pyro workspace update "$WORKSPACE_ID" --label owner=codex
pyro workspace sync push "$WORKSPACE_ID" ./changes
pyro workspace file read "$WORKSPACE_ID" note.txt --content-only
pyro workspace patch apply "$WORKSPACE_ID" --patch-file fix.patch
pyro workspace exec "$WORKSPACE_ID" -- cat note.txt
pyro workspace summary "$WORKSPACE_ID"
pyro workspace snapshot create "$WORKSPACE_ID" checkpoint
pyro workspace reset "$WORKSPACE_ID" --snapshot checkpoint
pyro workspace export "$WORKSPACE_ID" note.txt --output ./note.txt
pyro workspace delete "$WORKSPACE_ID"
When you need deeper debugging or richer recipes, add:
pyro workspace shell *for interactive PTY statepyro workspace service *for long-running processes and readiness probespyro workspace create --network-policy egress+published-portsplusworkspace service start --publishfor host-probed servicespyro workspace create --secretand--secret-filewhen the sandbox needs private tokenspyro workspace stopplusworkspace disk *for offline inspection
9. Trustworthy verification path
The five recipe docs in use-cases/README.md are backed by a real Firecracker smoke pack:
make smoke-use-cases
Treat that smoke pack as the trustworthy guest-backed verification path for the advertised chat-host workflows.
Installed CLI
If you already installed the package, the same path works with plain pyro ...:
uv tool install pyro-mcp
pyro --version
pyro doctor --environment debian:12
pyro prepare debian:12
pyro run debian:12 -- git --version
pyro mcp serve
Contributor clone
git lfs install
git clone <repo>
cd pyro
git lfs pull
make setup