> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://bolt-builder-bolt-cli-5b0aab46-mintlify-541a0110.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Run Bolt as a Headless Server

> bolt serve exposes a full Bolt runtime over HTTP so any TUI, web UI, editor integration, or script can attach to it locally or across the network.

`bolt serve` runs a headless Bolt server that exposes the full engine over HTTP: sessions, agents, tools, provider access, MCP, and streaming events. Anything Bolt can do interactively, it can do over the API.

## Start a server

```bash theme={null}
bolt serve                              # localhost only, random port
bolt serve --hostname 0.0.0.0 --port 4096
bolt serve --mdns                       # advertise on the local network
```

<Warning>
  Binding to `0.0.0.0` exposes Bolt on your network. Always set `BOLT_SERVER_USERNAME` and `BOLT_SERVER_PASSWORD` before doing so.
</Warning>

## Attach a TUI

From any machine that can reach the server:

```bash theme={null}
bolt attach http://server:4096
bolt attach --mini http://server:4096
```

Or run a one-shot prompt against a remote server:

```bash theme={null}
bolt run --attach http://server:4096 --dir /projects/api "what tests are failing?"
```

## Basic auth

Set credentials via environment variables (see [Env Variables](/reference/environment-variables)):

```bash theme={null}
export BOLT_SERVER_USERNAME=teamname
export BOLT_SERVER_PASSWORD=$(openssl rand -hex 24)
bolt serve --hostname 0.0.0.0 --port 4096
```

All clients must send matching credentials.

## Related

* [Remote Sessions](/server/remote-sessions) — attaching, mDNS discovery, and shared servers.
* [Web UI](/server/web-ui) — the browser front-end.
* [ACP](/server/acp) — driving Bolt from Zed and other editors.