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Quickstart: Configure and Connect

This quickstart connects Codex to a local LyftData MCP process over stdio. It uses the same profile-scoped login as the LyftData CLI and leaves the MCP tool tier at its read_only default.

Before you start

Section titled “Before you start”
  • Complete the single-host evaluation and keep the server running.
  • Find the absolute path to the beta.5 lyftdata binary; MCP clients may not start it with the same shell PATH as your terminal.
  • Use a dedicated profile so the target and cached login are unambiguous.
  • Use --tls-insecure only for the evaluation server’s self-signed certificate. Use normal certificate verification everywhere else.

  1. Sign in through the CLI

    Terminal window
    /absolute/path/to/lyftdata \
      --profile evaluation \
      --url https://localhost:3000 \
      --tls-insecure \
      auth login admin

    The MCP process cannot open an interactive login flow. This command creates the cached login it will reuse for the same profile and URL.

  2. Prove the MCP process can initialize

    Terminal window
    /absolute/path/to/lyftdata \
      --profile evaluation \
      --url https://localhost:3000 \
      --tls-insecure \
      mcp-server --stdio \
      --tenant default \
      --environment default

    An stdio MCP process waits silently for protocol input. Stop this terminal check with Ctrl+C; silence is not a tool-call proof.

  3. Register the stdio server with Codex

    Terminal window
    codex mcp add lyftdata -- \
      /absolute/path/to/lyftdata \
      --profile evaluation \
      --url https://localhost:3000 \
      --tls-insecure \
      mcp-server --stdio \
      --tenant default \
      --environment default
    codex mcp get lyftdata

    Use the absolute binary path in the saved command. Restart Codex, or start a new Codex session, after changing the registration so it refreshes the tool list.

  4. Make a read-only first call

    Ask the connected assistant:

    Use LyftData’s mcp_server_metrics and tool_inventory tools. Report the MCP version, transport, selected tenant and environment, maximum tool tier, and tool counts. Do not call any mutation tool.

    Confirm all of the following:

    • server name lyftdata-mcp and version 3.0.0-beta.5;
    • stdio transport;
    • the intended tenant and default environment;
    • maximum tier read_only;
    • inspection tools are visible while mutation tools such as job_create and deployment_apply_with_refresh are absent.

What the boundary proves

Section titled “What the boundary proves”

Successful initialization proves client-to-MCP protocol compatibility. The inventory call additionally proves authentication, server reachability, session scope, and the locally exposed tool tier. It does not prove that a worker can service a job, that a deployment is ready, or that a destination accepted data.

Move to a controlled write session

Section titled “Move to a controlled write session”

Create a second MCP registration only after an operator approves a bounded authoring task. Add --max-tool-tier write, use a non-production profile, and give the registration a distinct name such as lyftdata-staging-write.

Terminal window
codex mcp add lyftdata-staging-write -- \
  /absolute/path/to/lyftdata \
  --profile staging \
  --url https://staging.example \
  mcp-server --stdio \
  --tenant example \
  --environment staging \
  --max-tool-tier write \
  --activity-forward \
  --activity-session-label reviewed-authoring

--allow-write remains a deprecated compatibility alias for --max-tool-tier write in beta.5. New runbooks should use the explicit tier. Neither flag grants server permissions that the selected identity lacks.

Do not start with destructive. Use it only for a separately reviewed task whose exact cleanup or deletion tools require that tier.

Other clients

Section titled “Other clients”

The client-neutral stdio registration shape is an executable plus its ordered arguments. Codex 0.146.0 is the client verified for this documentation candidate. Other MCP clients may be protocol-compatible, but their config schema and refresh behavior are not asserted here until exercised against the same release.

Stop or remove the connection

Section titled “Stop or remove the connection”

Closing the assistant session stops the child stdio process. To remove the saved Codex registration:

Terminal window
codex mcp remove lyftdata

Removing the registration does not clear the LyftData cached login. Protect or revoke that credential according to Security and Tool Tiers.

Next

Section titled “Next”