Start the Host
The Host process is vibex-server inside the family archive. npx vibex downloads that binary and starts it with the given flags. The default listen address is 127.0.0.1:17891. Projects, conversations, and plugins live in the local data directory; the Host token is stored there as well.
One data directory has one Host at a time. If the desktop app already occupies that directory, quit the desktop app before the commands below.
npx vibex
npx vibexStarts the Host on loopback and leaves LAN interfaces unbound. Use it for local scripts and opening http://127.0.0.1:17891 on this machine. The token stays in the data directory; the terminal omits the Token block by default. Control commands use the saved token, or VIBEX_SERVER_TOKEN set before start.
This matches running ./vibex-server in an extracted family directory (vibex-server.exe on Windows). npx also sets VIBEX_STATIC_ROOT to packaged web/ so the browser UI is available.
npx vibex serve / npx vibex web
npx vibex serve
npx vibex webThe two commands are identical. web is an alias of serve. The Host listens on every NIC so a phone or another computer on the LAN can connect. After start the terminal prints:
VibeX Host 0.1.3
http://127.0.0.1:17891
http://192.168.x.x:17891
Token
<host-token>Export the line under Token as VIBEX_TOKEN so control commands can call this Host. Open any printed http://… origin in a browser for the Web UI. Desktop Settings → Remote connection uses the same port and the same token.
Phone QR pairing needs the LAN origin. A 127.0.0.1 QR is unreachable from the phone.
npx vibex serve --local
npx vibex serve --localRuns the serve start path: print origins and token, serve the Web UI. Binds loopback only. Use it when this machine needs the Web UI and control commands, and the port should stay local.
--local on the command line overrides VIBEX_SERVER_ALLOW_LAN=1.
npx vibex serve --port 18080
npx vibex serve --port 18080
npx vibex serve --port=18080Listen on 18080. The default is 17891. --port N and --port=N are equivalent. After changing the port, set VIBEX_URL to http://127.0.0.1:18080. Browser URLs use the new port as well. Use this when 17891 is already taken.
A non-numeric port prints invalid --port and exits. A missing value prints missing value for --port.
npx vibex serve --rotate-token
npx vibex serve --rotate-tokenGenerate a new Host token, write it to the data directory, and print it. Control commands and paired devices that still use the old token fail immediately; they need the new token or a new pairing. Use this after a suspected leak, or to drop every old device.
Rotation changes authentication only. Projects, conversations, and plugins stay in the same data directory.
npx vibex serve --lan
npx vibex serve --lanAllow listening on every NIC. npx vibex serve already enables LAN; this flag is the explicit form when combining with npx vibex (loopback) or when invoking vibex-server --lan directly.
If both --local and --lan are present, the process binds loopback only.
npx vibex --mcp
npx vibex --mcpStart vibex-mcp. The CLI strips --mcp and forwards remaining arguments to that binary. That process exposes local MCP tools to agents and has no Web UI. For the UI, use npx vibex or npx vibex serve.
Combined examples
npx vibex serve --local --port 18080
npx vibex serve --rotate-token --port 17891Environment variables can change defaults without extra flags: VIBEX_SERVER_ALLOW_LAN=1 enables LAN; VIBEX_SERVER_LISTEN=18080 or VIBEX_SERVER_LISTEN=127.0.0.1:18080 overrides the port; VIBEX_SERVER_TOKEN=… sets the token used at start. Full list: Environment and troubleshooting.
Unknown arguments fail parse and exit. npx vibex --help prints start usage. SIGINT (Ctrl+C) or SIGTERM stop the child; Windows uses taskkill /t.
To list Agents and install Runtime and ACP on this machine, use npx vibex list and npx vibex install. No port is bound. See Install Agents locally.

