Connecting clients

Connect each AI client once. After that, every client uses the model currently open in the shared ifc-console session.

Quick setup

1. Start ifc-console.
2. Run /connect <client>, for example /connect codex.
3. Paste the copied configuration into the location shown by the console.
4. Restart or reload the client once.

The normal daily flow is then ifc-console, /file, and chat. Changing the model does not require another client setup.

You can generate the same configuration without opening the console:

ifc-console mcp-config --client codex

Accepted names are claude-code, claude-desktop, cursor, vscode, and codex. Use /connect all to display every setup or /copy <client> to copy one again.

Client instructions

Claude Code

Run the command printed by /connect claude-code:

claude mcp add --scope user ifc-console -- /path/to/ifc-console bridge

--scope user makes the connection available in every project. The generated command uses the absolute executable path so it also works when Claude Code does not inherit your shell PATH.

Claude Desktop

Open Settings > Developer > Edit Config and add the output from /connect claude-desktop to claude_desktop_config.json:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ifc-console": {
      "command": "/path/to/ifc-console",
      "args": ["bridge"]
    }
  }
}

Save the file and restart Claude Desktop.

Cursor

Open the global MCP configuration at ~/.cursor/mcp.json and add:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ifc-console": {
      "command": "/path/to/ifc-console",
      "args": ["bridge"]
    }
  }
}

Restart Cursor or reload its MCP servers.

VS Code

Run MCP: Open User Configuration from the Command Palette and add:

{
  "servers": {
    "ifc-console": {
      "type": "stdio",
      "command": "/path/to/ifc-console",
      "args": ["bridge"]
    }
  }
}

Save the file, then start or restart the server from VS Code's MCP controls.

Codex

Add the output from /connect codex to ~/.codex/config.toml:

[mcp_servers.ifc-console]
command = "/path/to/ifc-console"
args = ["bridge"]

Restart Codex after changing the configuration. The desktop app, CLI, and IDE extension share this file.

If an older entry contains bearer_token_env_var, replace it with the current bridge output. The bridge does not require a token in the client configuration.

How the default connection works

The client starts a small stdio bridge, which forwards requests to the console over localhost:

AI client -> ifc-console bridge -> running console -> active model

This design has three useful properties:

• the client and console can start in either order;
• several clients can share one model and one terminal-owned mode switch;
• the client configuration contains no IFC path or bearer token.

The bearer token is stored in ~/.ifc-console/token and normally persists on one machine. Rotate it with ifc-console token rotate. You only need to regenerate client setups after changing the port, rotating the token, or disabling persistent tokens.

Before sending the token, the bridge verifies that the listener on the chosen port can prove it is the matching ifc-console process. This protects against an unrelated program that happens to occupy the port. Programs running as the same OS user can usually read the token file, so the bridge is not an isolation boundary between applications owned by that user.

Alternative transports

The generated bridge setup is recommended for interactive use. Two alternatives are available:

transport	use it when	limitation
bridge	you want the shared console and flexible start order	starts one small proxy per client
http	the console always starts first and you want no proxy	direct configs may contain a token
stdio	one client should own a separate server process	it does not share /file, the console feed, or viewer

Generate a specific transport with:

ifc-console mcp-config --client <client> --transport http
ifc-console mcp-config --client <client> --transport stdio --file model.ifc

Keep HTTP tokens private

A direct HTTP configuration may contain a bearer token. Do not commit it. If it leaks, run ifc-console token rotate and regenerate the affected configuration.

For connection failures, see Troubleshooting.