Dev Servers
Run local development servers inside Scape with live preview, Cmd+click to source, and automatic port management across parallel worktrees.
Scape can run your local development servers directly in the app — with a live browser preview above a terminal, automatic port management across worktrees, and Cmd+click-to-source for React apps.
Setting up a dev server
Add a dev server via Add Link in the sidebar. Configure:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| URL | The local URL to open (e.g. http://localhost:3000) |
| Title | Display name in the sidebar |
| Script | Bash command to start the server (e.g. npm run dev) |
| Port | The port to poll for readiness |
| Repo | Which project repo this server belongs to |
You can also Save Link from an open browser tab to capture the URL and create a server entry.
Running a dev server
Click a saved server in the sidebar. Scape:
- Spawns
bash -lc <script>in a terminal. - Opens a split tab — browser preview on top, terminal on bottom.
- Polls the configured port until the server responds (up to 60 seconds).
Status progression: Starting → Ready / Timed out / Crashed.
Stopping a server sends SIGTERM, waits 8 seconds, then SIGKILL. Up to 16 concurrent servers.
Cmd+click to source
On local React dev builds, Cmd+click any element in the browser preview to jump to its source component in Scape's code editor — exact file, line, and column.
This works with React 16–19 dev builds via source map resolution. Production builds show a toast: "No source for this element (dev build only)."
Parallel worktrees
The same saved server script can run concurrently across worktrees. Each instance gets a different port via the $PORT environment variable, so multiple worktrees can run their own dev servers simultaneously without port conflicts.
Scape also auto-copies .env and .env.local files from the canonical repo root into worktrees that lack them, so new worktrees can start servers immediately.
MCP tools
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
start_dev_server | Start a server by name or with a custom script |
list_dev_servers | List all running dev servers |
get_dev_server_logs | Tail or grep server output |
stop_dev_server | Stop a running server |
restart_dev_server | Restart a server |
iCloud sync
Saved server configurations sync across your Macs via iCloud. Scripts from other devices go through trust verification before they can run.