How do I install Lific?

Copy the stdio config for Cursor, Claude Desktop, Claude Code, or VS Code on this page. It uses the publisher's install, not a PlugMCP proxy.

Does Lific need an API key?

No required environment variable is listed on this record.

When was Lific last checked?

Last checked 2026-10-16. Local-first, lightweight issue tracker. Single binary, SQLite-backed, MCP-native.

Lific MCP server

Add this server

The publisher's own command. Not a PlugMCP endpoint.

Local command

cargo lific

Provider

Claude Code

claude mcp add io.github.voidnullable-lific -- cargo lific

Run in a terminal.

Claude Desktop

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "io.github.voidnullable-lific": {
      "command": "cargo",
      "args": [
        "lific"
      ]
    }
  }
}

claude_desktop_config.json

Step-by-step: add this in Claude

Remote URL or a command on your machine? How the two installs differ

Plans and issues live on your server instead of in the context window, so work outlives the session. Agents use it over MCP; you use the web UI.

31 MCP tools in 5,781 tokens, about one long file read.
One 25 to 32 MB binary with SQLite, the web UI and backups built in. No Docker, no Postgres.
lific connect writes MCP config for 11 AI clients.
Identifiers like APP-42, never UUIDs.

60-second setup

cargo install lific   # or download a binary from Releases
lific init            # config, database, admin account, background service on :3456
lific connect         # MCP config for your AI clients

Restart your AI client. The web UI is at http://localhost:3456. lific doctor checks config, database, server and an MCP round trip, and exits nonzero if anything is broken.

lific init --here keeps config and database in the current directory.
lific init --no-service skips the background service; run lific start yourself.
lific service status | restart | stop | uninstall manages the service.

More: Installation · Quickstart

What your agent can do

Call	What it does
`get_briefing(project="APP")`	Resume a project: plans and next steps, blocked and workable issues, and with `since`, what changed
`list_issues(project="APP", workable=true)`	Open issues whose blockers are all resolved
`list_issues(members=["me"])`	Your active work across the projects you belong to
`create_plan` / `get_plan`	Nested step plans that survive the session; a step and its issue close together
`link_issues(target="APP-9", relation_type="blocks", user="ada")`	Block an issue on a person or a date window, not only another issue
`update_issue(assignees=["human"])`	Mark work a person must do; agents take unassigned issues
`update_issue(status="done", evidence="cargo test: 412 passed")`	Close with the proof saved as a verification comment
`edit_issue` / `edit_page`	Change one string without resending the document
`get_activity(identifier="APP", since="2026-10-01")`	Who changed what while you were away

Each AI tool connects as its own bot under your account. The history says "OpenCode closed APP-42", and you can revoke one tool without touching the others.

MCP tools

Family	Tools
Issues	`list_issues` · `get_issue` · `create_issue` · `update_issue` · `bulk_update` · `edit_issue` · `get_board`
Relations and waits	`link_issues` · `unlink_issues`
Pages	`get_page` · `create_page` · `update_page` · `edit_page`
Plans	`create_plan` · `get_plan` · `edit_plan_step` · `update_plan_step`
Comments	`add_comment` · `list_comments` · `edit_comment` · `delete_comment`
Attachments	`upload_attachment` · `get_attachment` · `list_attachments`
Search and history	`get_briefing` · `search` · `get_activity`
Structure	`list_resources` · `manage_resource` · `delete`
Export	`export`

The 5,781 tokens are the tools/list definitions as compact JSON, counted with tiktoken's o200k_base. Parameters and output: MCP tools.

Connect your AI tools

lific connect supports opencode · claude-code · claude-desktop · cursor · vscode · codex · zed · gemini · windsurf · goose · crush.

lific connect                                          # pick from the clients it finds
lific connect --client opencode --client cursor --yes  # no prompts
lific connect --client claude-code --scope project     # repo-local .mcp.json
lific connect --client zed --stdio                     # no server: direct SQLite over stdio

It merges into existing config, and leaves a file it can't parse alone and prints the snippet instead. OAuth sign-in from the client and lific login for headless machines also work: Connect agents.

Remote, over Streamable HTTP:

{
  "lific": {
    "type": "remote",
    "url": "http://localhost:3456/mcp",
    "headers": { "Authorization": "Bearer your-api-key" }
  }
}

Local, over stdio with no server:

{
  "lific": {
    "type": "local",
    "command": ["lific", "--db", "path/to/lific.db", "mcp"]
  }
}

Create a key with lific key create --name my-key --user <you>. A stdio session without LIFIC_TOKEN acts as the instance operator.

CLI

lific issue list --project APP
lific issue create --project APP --title "Fix login bug" --priority high
lific issue update APP-42 --status done
lific search "authentication" --project APP
lific --backend http --url https://lific.example.com issue list --project APP   # after lific login

The CLI reads the database directly, or a remote server with --backend http. Output is JSON when piped. lific agents-md adds a short Lific section to a repo's AGENTS.md. Full reference: CLI.

When Lific is the wrong tool

You coordinate a large team and need SSO, sprints or Gantt charts. Use Linear or Plane.
You want issues stored in the repo itself. Use a git-native tracker such as beads.
You need several servers syncing with each other. One Lific instance is one SQLite file.

It's built for one person directing several agents.

Running it

Access. New installs check project membership on every call, reads included. Add people with lific member add --project APP --user sam --role maintainer. See Self-hosting.

Backups. Lific writes an archive every hour and keeps 24. For a one-off:

lific dump                                    # database plus attachments, safe while running
lific restore lific_20260703_141500.tar.gz    # stop the server first

Config. lific init writes lific.toml. Set server.public_url before exposing the server beyond localhost. See Configuration.

Docker. Optional; the binary needs nothing else.

docker build -t lific .
docker run -p 3456:3456 -v lific-data:/data \
  -e LIFIC_INIT_ADMIN_NAME="Your Name" \
  -e LIFIC_INIT_ADMIN_PASSWORD="a long password" \
  lific

Both variables are required on first boot and ignored after it.

Upgrading. Read Upgrading before you skip versions.

Build from source

git clone https://github.com/VoidNullable/lific && cd lific
devenv allow && devenv shell
devenv tasks run lific:debug-build

CONTRIBUTING.md covers tests and release builds.

Community

Questions, bug reports and release announcements: Discord. Support questions get answered fastest in #support.

Contributing

Issues and PRs welcome. For anything large, open an issue first.

MCP Registry

Lific publishes server.json to the MCP Registry.

mcp-name: io.github.VoidNullable/lific

License

Apache-2.0

Add this server

The publisher's own command. Not a PlugMCP endpoint.

Local command

cargo lific

Provider

Claude Code

claude mcp add io.github.voidnullable-lific -- cargo lific

Run in a terminal.

Claude Desktop

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "io.github.voidnullable-lific": {
      "command": "cargo",
      "args": [
        "lific"
      ]
    }
  }
}

claude_desktop_config.json

Step-by-step: add this in Claude

Remote URL or a command on your machine? How the two installs differ

Call

What it does

get_briefing(project="APP")

Resume a project: plans and next steps, blocked and workable issues, and with since, what changed

list_issues(project="APP", workable=true)

Open issues whose blockers are all resolved

list_issues(members=["me"])

Your active work across the projects you belong to

create_plan / get_plan

Nested step plans that survive the session; a step and its issue close together

link_issues(target="APP-9", relation_type="blocks", user="ada")

Block an issue on a person or a date window, not only another issue

update_issue(assignees=["human"])

Mark work a person must do; agents take unassigned issues

update_issue(status="done", evidence="cargo test: 412 passed")

Close with the proof saved as a verification comment

edit_issue / edit_page

Change one string without resending the document

get_activity(identifier="APP", since="2026-10-01")

Who changed what while you were away

Family

Tools

Issues

list_issues · get_issue · create_issue · update_issue · bulk_update · edit_issue · get_board

Relations and waits

link_issues · unlink_issues

Pages

get_page · create_page · update_page · edit_page

Plans

create_plan · get_plan · edit_plan_step · update_plan_step

Comments

add_comment · list_comments · edit_comment · delete_comment

Attachments

upload_attachment · get_attachment · list_attachments

Search and history

get_briefing · search · get_activity

Structure

list_resources · manage_resource · delete

Export

export

lific connect # pick from the clients it finds lific connect --client opencode --client cursor --yes # no prompts lific connect --client claude-code --scope project # repo-local .mcp.json lific connect --client zed --stdio # no server: direct SQLite over stdio

lific issue list --project APP lific issue create --project APP --title "Fix login bug" --priority high lific issue update APP-42 --status done lific search "authentication" --project APP lific --backend http --url https://lific.example.com issue list --project APP # after lific login

Lific

Add this server

Host a copy with our keys and logs.

Related MCP

Related skills

60-second setup

What your agent can do

MCP tools

Connect your AI tools

CLI

When Lific is the wrong tool

Running it

Build from source

Community

Contributing

MCP Registry

License

Lific

Add this server

Host a copy with our keys and logs.

Related MCP

Related skills

60-second setup

What your agent can do

MCP tools

Connect your AI tools

CLI

When Lific is the wrong tool

Running it

Build from source

Community

Contributing

MCP Registry

License