LocalCloud MCP for AI coding agents

LocalCloud gives your coding agent a free local cloud environment for building, testing, and debugging Google Cloud applications. Through MCP, the agent can discover local services, obtain SDK configuration, inspect resources, query data, and diagnose application failures. Your application uses standard Google Cloud SDKs pointed at the local runtime.

The MCP bridge is included in LocalCloud CLI 0.1.9 and newer. Docker runs the cloud environment on your machine; a live Google Cloud project is not required for these local workflows.

Install and connect

On macOS, or Linux with Homebrew:

brew install LocalGCloud/tap/localcloud
lc --version
lc doctor
lc mcp install --client cursor

For an existing Homebrew installation, run brew update and brew upgrade localcloud. Confirm that lc --version reports 0.1.9 or newer.

On macOS or Linux without Homebrew:

curl -fsSL https://local.cloud/install.sh | sh
localcloud --version
localcloud doctor
localcloud mcp install --client cursor

Reload Cursor, enable the localcloud MCP server, and let it connect. The bridge starts or reuses the runtime automatically. The first connection can take longer while the runtime image downloads. To finish that download and deliberately bind newly started runtime ports to localhost first, run:

lc start --local-only

The signed CLI releases include macOS ARM64/x86_64 and Linux ARM64/x86_64 binaries. macOS binaries require macOS 13 or newer; Linux binaries require glibc 2.35 or newer. Native Windows binaries are not shipped; Windows users need a suitable Linux/WSL environment and matching client configuration.

Runtime version and existing environments

Use runtime 0.1.5 or newer for validated strict-client tool input and output schemas. CLI and runtime versions are independent; connecting MCP or updating the CLI reuses an existing container.

Inspect lc status. To deliberately upgrade the selected runtime while retaining its named data volume:

lc restart --image agentcloud/localcloud:0.1.5 --pull

Use the same --data-volume and configuration file if you normally target a custom environment. The restart briefly interrupts clients; reconnect afterward.

Clients supporting desktop extensions can also install the LocalCloud MCP 0.1.9 bundle. The bundle includes the supported-platform CLI; Docker and runtime 0.1.5+ are still required.

Choose your coding client

CLI 0.1.9’s --client gemini alias targets Antigravity, not Gemini CLI. Its --client all option writes the Cursor, Claude Code, Claude Desktop, Antigravity, and Windsurf configurations; use the manual instructions for Cline and Gemini CLI.

For desktop applications, use the absolute executable path from command -v localcloud. /opt/homebrew/bin/localcloud below is an Apple Silicon Homebrew example. Merge the entry into your client’s existing configuration so other MCP servers are preserved.

Cursor, Claude Desktop, and Cline

For a client that uses the mcpServers format:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "localcloud": {
      "command": "/opt/homebrew/bin/localcloud",
      "args": ["mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Use Cline’s configuration editor rather than assuming an extension settings-file location.

VS Code

VS Code uses servers in .vscode/mcp.json:

{
  "servers": {
    "localcloud": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "/opt/homebrew/bin/localcloud",
      "args": ["mcp"]
    }
  }
}

Run MCP: List Servers in the Command Palette, then start localcloud.

Give your agent its first task

Copy this prompt into your coding client:

Use the LocalCloud MCP server. List local services, check readiness, and obtain the SDK environment for this project. Check compatibility before writing a small integration test. Use only the returned local endpoints. Stop if the required operation is unavailable; do not request real Google Cloud credentials or fall back to real Google Cloud.

The first calls are localcloud_list_services with {}, followed by readiness and localcloud_get_env with {"format":"json"}. Generated endpoint values account for the running runtime’s port mappings.

Run the MCP walkthrough and three cloud workflows, or use the SDK examples and Terraform guide. Agents can also read the agent entry point and the machine-readable installation guide.

Services, tools, resources, and prompts

The runtime provides service and project inspection, a catalog of local management API operations, resource browsing, supported data queries, SDK/gcloud/Terraform configuration, compatibility checks, diagnostics, recipes, and test prompts.

Read the connected runtime’s tools/list, resources/list, resources/templates/list, and prompts/list results for its actual catalog. CLI versions and runtime versions are independent. Use localcloud_get_api_catalog before localcloud_call_api rather than guessing management routes.

The default data volume is shared across clients and repositories. --project-id selects a logical project; choose a separate --data-volume when you need an independent runtime. SDK operations can change local data, so tests should use their own resources and explicit cleanup.

Write and destructive MCP management operations depend on the runtime settings LOCALCLOUD_MCP_WRITE and LOCALCLOUD_MCP_DESTRUCTIVE, both disabled by default. Installing a client configuration does not enable those privileges. Local compatibility is service- and operation-specific; validate application release behavior against Google Cloud separately.

Troubleshooting

The full MCP reference covers bridge architecture, flags, caller/project context, resources, and prompts. Review licensing and privacy for the artifact you install. For a problem report, include the CLI version, runtime image, client name, and sanitized error output in a CLI issue.