# localcloud is cloud for agents. > Cloud for agents: run 25 Google Cloud services locally for development, CI and AI coding workflows. Free during the public preview. > > Source: https://local.cloud/ localcloud is cloud for agents for developers, platform/DevOps engineers and teams running CI, plus AI coding agent users. Individuals, teams, nonprofits, and companies can build and test with 25 Google Cloud services on localhost in one Docker container, without a GCP account, credentials or billing. Free during the public preview. LocalCloud runs Google Cloud-compatible services locally for development, integration tests, and CI. Connect your existing SDKs through local endpoints, or use the LocalCloud MCP server. No Google Cloud account or credentials are required for local workflows. [Quick Start](https://local.cloud/docs/#install-the-cli) [Compare alternatives](https://local.cloud/compare/emulators/) ``` brew install LocalGCloud/tap/localcloud ``` ``` lc doctor lc start --local-only ``` No account or license key. Free during the public preview, and free for open-source projects after it. CLI releases are [Sigstore-signed with SHA-256 checksums](https://local.cloud/security/#signed-releases). ![A laptop showing LocalCloud services running locally with readiness panels and Google Cloud service icons.](https://local.cloud/_astro/hero-laptop-service-grid.BPDP5OSk.svg) No cloud accountNo GCP billingBuild and test locally - 25 Google Cloud services each with documented compatibility limits - 1 Docker container persistent data on localhost ports the CLI picks Quick start ## Install, start, and use Requires Docker. 1. ### Install the CLI Choose the installation channel for your host. Install script: ### Install script ``` curl -fsSL https://local.cloud/install.sh | sh ``` Homebrew: ### Homebrew ``` brew install LocalGCloud/tap/localcloud ``` 2. ### Start LocalCloud and open the console Check Docker, start on localhost-only ports, confirm readiness, configure this shell, and open the console. If a default port is already in use, the CLI picks another one. Use the endpoint values it returns. ``` localcloud doctor localcloud start --local-only curl -fsS http://localhost:5380/readiness eval "$(localcloud env)" localcloud console ``` CLI 0.1.13, released 2026-10-22 · [Checksums and Sigstore bundles](https://github.com/LocalGCloud/localcloud-cli/releases/tag/v0.1.13) · [Changelog](https://local.cloud/changelog/) · [Homebrew tap](https://github.com/LocalGCloud/homebrew-tap) · [License terms](https://local.cloud/license/) No code rewrites Use familiar Google Cloud SDKs and client libraries. Point supported clients at local endpoints—your application logic stays the same. Standard SDK workflows Use supported Google Cloud clients with the local endpoints returned by `localcloud env`. Skip the cloud wait Create resources locally with zero Google Cloud costs. Give your tests and AI agents fast feedback without waiting for cloud provisioning. Faster inner loop Stay local while you build and test. Switch to shared cloud environments when ready. Inspect. Save. Replay. Inspect your local cloud with the built-in console and health endpoints. Test versioned secrets, database backups, and Pub/Sub snapshots. Fully inspectable Built-in console, health endpoints, env export, and seeded sample data make the runtime transparent. Service catalog ## 25 services, running locally Databases Transactional, document, wide-column, relational, and cache workflows. - [**Firestore** Document CRUD, query, and collection workflows; opt-in to save memory. gRPC :5384](https://local.cloud/services/firestore/) - [**Bigtable** Row mutation, read, table administration, and PostgreSQL-backed data workflows. Pro tier, free during preview. gRPC :5385](https://local.cloud/services/bigtable/) - [**Spanner** Spanner data and administration workflows over gRPC and REST. Pro tier, free during preview. gRPC :5386 · HTTP/REST :5387](https://local.cloud/services/spanner/) - [**AlloyDB** AlloyDB cluster and instance control-plane workflows. gRPC :5380](https://local.cloud/services/alloydb/) - [**Memorystore (Redis/Valkey)** Valkey-backed RESP data workflows. RESP :5390](https://local.cloud/services/memorystore/) - [**Cloud SQL** Instance, database, and user workflows with PostgreSQL and on-demand MySQL. HTTP/REST :5380 · PostgreSQL :5391 · MySQL :5406](https://local.cloud/services/cloud-sql/) Messaging & Workflow Events, jobs, scheduling, and orchestration. - [**Pub/Sub** Topic, subscription, publish, pull, and acknowledgement workflows. gRPC :5383](https://local.cloud/services/pubsub/) - [**Cloud Tasks** Queue and task lifecycle workflows. gRPC :5380](https://local.cloud/services/cloud-tasks/) - [**Cloud Scheduler** Schedule and job lifecycle workflows. gRPC + HTTP/REST :5380](https://local.cloud/services/cloud-scheduler/) - [**Cloud Workflows** Workflow deployment and execution workflows. gRPC :5380](https://local.cloud/services/cloud-workflows/) Compute & Runtime Function, container, cluster, VM, and AI control-plane workflows. - [**Cloud Functions (2nd Gen)** Second-generation function control-plane workflows. gRPC :5380](https://local.cloud/services/cloud-functions/) - [**GKE** Cluster workflows with opt-in k3d runtime integration. Pro tier, free during preview. gRPC :5380 · k3d :5443](https://local.cloud/services/gke/) - [**Cloud Run** Service and revision workflows with host-runtime integration. Pro tier, free during preview. gRPC :5380](https://local.cloud/services/cloud-run/) Security Secret, identity, and cryptographic API workflows. - [**Secret Manager** Secret and version lifecycle workflows for local development. gRPC :5380](https://local.cloud/services/secret-manager/) - [**Cloud IAM** IAM policy API workflows for local development. gRPC :5380](https://local.cloud/services/cloud-iam/) - [**Cloud KMS** Key-management and cryptographic workflows. Pro tier, free during preview. gRPC + HTTP/REST :5380](https://local.cloud/services/cloud-kms/) Operations Projects, service usage, billing metadata, logs, and metrics. - [**Cloud Resource Manager** Project lifecycle workflows for local development. HTTP/REST :5380](https://local.cloud/services/cloud-resource-manager/) - [**Service Usage** Service enablement and metadata workflows. HTTP/REST :5380](https://local.cloud/services/service-usage/) - [**Cloud Billing** Billing-account, budget, and cost metadata workflows. HTTP/REST :5380](https://local.cloud/services/cloud-billing/) - [**Cloud Logging** Log ingestion, listing, metrics, and sink workflows. gRPC :5380](https://local.cloud/services/cloud-logging/) - [**Cloud Monitoring** Metric writes, filtered time-series reads, and alert-policy configuration. gRPC :5380](https://local.cloud/services/cloud-monitoring/) Storage Buckets, objects, and local file workflows. - [**Cloud Storage** Bucket and object lifecycle workflows for local SDK and API development. HTTP/REST :5382](https://local.cloud/services/cloud-storage/) Analytics Local data processing, warehouse, and query workflows. - [**BigQuery** Dataset, table, query, scripting, and API workflows. HTTP/REST :5388 · gRPC :5389](https://local.cloud/services/bigquery/) - [**Dataproc** Dataproc cluster and job workflows in serverless and cluster modes with Docker execution. gRPC :5380](https://local.cloud/services/dataproc/) Auxiliary Integration APIs Data lookup and fixture seeding APIs for other cloud services (e.g. BigQuery external tables); not offered as an individual Google Cloud service. - [**Google Sheets** Auxiliary read-only values lookup API for BigQuery external tables and fixture seeding, selected by exact A1 range. HTTP/REST :5380](https://local.cloud/services/google-sheets/) Where to go next ## Guides for Google Cloud local development AI agents ### [A local cloud for AI coding agents](https://local.cloud/local-cloud-for-ai-agents/) A code sandbox isolates where an agent runs. LocalCloud gives that code a cloud to talk to, with no credentials by default. Emulator ### [Run BigQuery locally](https://local.cloud/services/bigquery/) Develop BigQuery dataset, query, and API workflows locally, with per-operation status and documented limits. Comparison ### [LocalCloud vs the alternatives](https://local.cloud/compare/emulators/) Balanced comparisons against LocalStack, Google's own emulators, and hosted agent sandboxes. CI / CD ### [Local GCP integration testing](https://local.cloud/gcp-integration-testing/) Run integration checks against local endpoints with health gates, pinned image identity, and explicit production validation. Guide ### [How to run Google Cloud locally](https://local.cloud/how-to-run-google-cloud-locally/) Install the CLI, start a runtime that listens only on localhost, and configure workflows across every available service. Reference ### [Local cloud and agent glossary](https://local.cloud/glossary/) Precise definitions for agent environment, cloud emulator, credentialless testing, and the terms around them. Questions ## Questions developers and agents ask How does LocalCloud compare with LocalStack and Google's own emulators? LocalStack emulates AWS and Snowflake, not Google Cloud; teams on both clouds run both. Google ships separate emulators for Bigtable, Datastore, Firestore, Pub/Sub and Spanner through the Google Cloud CLI, and the Firebase Local Emulator Suite for Firebase products. The Google Cloud CLI has no BigQuery or Cloud Storage emulator. Single-service community emulators typically cover one Google Cloud service each, such as BigQuery or Cloud Storage; coverage and fidelity vary by project. LocalCloud runs 25 Google Cloud services, including BigQuery and Cloud Storage, in one Docker container, using Google's Firestore emulator and a Spanner emulator built from Google's open-source emulator. Sources reviewed October 5, 2026. | | LocalCloud | Google emulators (gcloud) | LocalStack | Community emulators | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Google Cloud services | 25 Google Cloud services in one Docker container | Five: Bigtable, Datastore, Firestore, Pub/Sub and Spanner, each started on its own | None; LocalStack covers AWS and Snowflake | Typically one Google Cloud service each, such as BigQuery or Cloud Storage | | BigQuery and Cloud Storage | Both, alongside Pub/Sub, Spanner, Firestore and the rest of the stack | No BigQuery or Cloud Storage emulator | No | Separate projects, one per service | | Data across restarts | Stored in a named Docker volume that survives restarts | Pub/Sub keeps data for the emulator session; the Spanner emulator keeps data in memory only | Not applicable to Google Cloud | Varies by project | | License | Proprietary Public Preview License | Google tooling; the Spanner emulator is open source (Apache-2.0) | Proprietary plans; current releases need an account and auth token since March 23, 2026 | Open-source licenses that vary by project | | Cost and sign-up | Free during the public preview, with no account or license key; open-source projects stay free after it | Installed with the Google Cloud CLI | Free Hobby plan for non-commercial use; paid plans for commercial use | Free | [Compare emulator features](https://local.cloud/compare/emulators/) · [LocalStack for Google Cloud](https://local.cloud/localstack-for-google-cloud/) Is LocalCloud free, and do I need an account? LocalCloud is free during the public preview for individuals and organizations, including for-profit companies, for development, testing, CI, evaluation and internal pilots. You don't need an account, a payment method or a license key. Open-source projects stay free after the preview ends, and preview releases keep their terms. [Pricing](https://local.cloud/pricing/) · [License](https://local.cloud/license/) What do I need to run it? Docker. The CLI runs on macOS 13+ on Apple Silicon and Linux with glibc 2.35+ (Ubuntu 22.04 equivalent), and any Docker host can run the agentcloud/localcloud image directly. The CLI gives the container 4 GB of memory by default; the quick start runs it on localhost-only ports. [Install the CLI](https://local.cloud/docs/#install-the-cli) · [Manual Docker path](https://local.cloud/docs/#manual-docker-path) Does my data leave my machine? Your service data stays in a Docker volume on your machine. The runtime sends pseudonymous usage and diagnostic reports; set LOCALCLOUD\_TELEMETRY=false in the container's environment to stop them. Tools and jobs you connect can still send data elsewhere. [Privacy](https://local.cloud/docs/privacy/) Can AI coding agents use LocalCloud? Yes. Agents get a Google Cloud target on localhost with no credentials or billing project by default, so agent-written code can't create real cloud resources by mistake. Point an agent at the agent guide, or copy the AGENTS.md template into your repository. Agent builders can write to agent@local.cloud. [Agent guide](https://local.cloud/ai/) · [AGENTS.md template](https://local.cloud/ai/agent-template.md) Trust ## Check it before you install it - **Signed CLI releases** Every CLI release ships SHA-256 checksums and Sigstore bundles from its GitHub Actions release workflow, and the install script checks the checksum before installing. [CLI releases](https://github.com/LocalGCloud/localcloud-cli/releases) · [Changelog](https://local.cloud/changelog/) - **Image SBOM and provenance** The agentcloud/localcloud image carries an SPDX software bill of materials and SLSA build provenance for linux/amd64 and linux/arm64. [How to inspect them](https://local.cloud/security/#image-provenance) · [Docker Hub](https://hub.docker.com/r/agentcloud/localcloud) - **Your data stays local** Service data lives in a Docker volume on your machine. Usage telemetry is pseudonymous and turns off with LOCALCLOUD\_TELEMETRY=false. [Privacy](https://local.cloud/docs/privacy/) - **Published compatibility** Every service lists what runs locally and where its limits are, reviewed October 20, 2026. [Compatibility](https://local.cloud/compatibility/) - **Preview and open-source terms** Preview releases keep their terms, and open-source projects stay free after the preview ends. [License](https://local.cloud/license/) · [Licensing summary](https://local.cloud/docs/licensing/) - **A team you can reach** Email info@local.cloud for questions, licensing, privacy or security reports. AI agents and integrations: agent@local.cloud. [Contact](https://local.cloud/contact/) · [Security](https://local.cloud/security/) Verify it yourself ### Check the signature on the CLI 0.1.13 checksums ``` curl -fsSLO https://github.com/LocalGCloud/localcloud-cli/releases/download/v0.1.13/SHA256SUMS curl -fsSLO https://github.com/LocalGCloud/localcloud-cli/releases/download/v0.1.13/SHA256SUMS.sigstore.json cosign verify-blob SHA256SUMS \ --bundle SHA256SUMS.sigstore.json \ --certificate-identity-regexp '^https://github\.com/LocalGCloud/localcloud-cli/\.github/workflows/cli-release\.yml@refs/tags/v' \ --certificate-oidc-issuer https://token.actions.githubusercontent.com ``` ### Inspect the runtime image SBOM and provenance ``` docker buildx imagetools inspect agentcloud/localcloud:latest --format '{{ json .SBOM }}' docker buildx imagetools inspect agentcloud/localcloud:latest --format '{{ json .Provenance }}' ``` The [security page](https://local.cloud/security/) explains each step and how to report a vulnerability.