Start the MCP (Model Context Protocol) server over stdio so coding assistants
can create, edit, and run Momentic tests. For full setup instructions see
MCP.
By default, starting an MCP session opens a localhost page with a remote
control UI that allows you to view and interact with the emulator.
All options below can be passed as flags or, where noted, set via environment
variables. CLI flags override environment variables.
npx momentic-mobile mcp [options]
Options
| Setting | Flag | Environment variable | Description |
|---|
| Momentic API key | --api-key <key> | MOMENTIC_API_KEY | Authenticates the MCP server with Momentic APIs. |
| Config file path | -c, --config <path> | — | Points to the momentic.config.yaml file used to load project tests, modules, and environments. |
| Android SDK root | --android-home <path> | ANDROID_HOME | Sets ANDROID_HOME for the current MCP process. |
| Java home | --java-home <path> | JAVA_HOME | Sets JAVA_HOME for the current MCP process. |
| Headful browser | --headful [true or false] | — | Sets whether the remote control browser opens with a visible UI by default. Defaults to true if omitted. |
| Session idle timeout | --session-idle-timeout-minutes <minutes> | MOMENTIC_SESSION_IDLE_TIMEOUT_MINUTES | Idle timeout for MCP sessions in minutes. Sessions inactive for this duration are terminated automatically. Defaults to 5 minutes. |
| Daemon mode | --daemon | — | Creates a persistent local daemon so mobile sessions can be shared across multiple MCP server invocations. |
--api-key <key>
Momentic API key.
npx momentic-mobile mcp --api-key your-api-key
-c, --config <path>
Path to the momentic.config.yaml file. Required when run from an MCP client;
use an absolute path so the server can resolve it correctly.
npx momentic-mobile mcp --config /absolute/path/to/momentic.config.yaml
npx momentic-mobile mcp --config /absolute/path/to/momentic.config.yaml --android-home /absolute/path/to/Android/sdk --java-home /absolute/path/to/java-home
--session-idle-timeout-minutes <minutes>
Session idle timeout in minutes. MCP sessions that remain idle for this duration
are automatically terminated. Defaults to 5 minutes. Can also be set via the
MOMENTIC_SESSION_IDLE_TIMEOUT_MINUTES environment variable.
npx momentic-mobile mcp --session-idle-timeout-minutes 5
--headful [true|false]
Default headful mode for the momentic_session_start tool when the agent does
not manually specify a value. Setting this to false will prevent Momentic from
starting a remote control UI.
npx momentic-mobile mcp --headful false
--daemon
Creates a persistent local daemon so mobile sessions can be shared across
multiple MCP server invocations.
Daemon mode is not yet available on Windows. Use the standard momentic-mobile mcp stdio mode on Windows for now.
npx momentic-mobile mcp --config /absolute/path/to/momentic.config.yaml --daemon
--android-home <path>
Path to the Android SDK root. This sets ANDROID_HOME for the current MCP
process.
--java-home <path>
Path to the Java home directory. This sets JAVA_HOME for the current MCP
process. 
