App modes

Broxy can run in three practical modes. Each mode uses the same configuration files and presets.

Desktop UI

Use the desktop app when you want visual management:

• Add and edit MCP servers.
• Create and switch presets.
• View server status and capabilities.
• Adjust settings like timeouts and port.

The UI starts a local HTTP endpoint automatically. If you change the port in settings, the endpoint restarts.

CLI mode

Use the CLI when you want a headless process or automation:

• Start a proxy from a terminal or script.
• Use it on a remote machine with a service manager.
• Apply a preset by id on startup.

Command (installed CLI):

broxy proxy --preset-id <preset-id> --inbound stdio

You can also run the universal JAR (see Universal JAR (CLI)).

Headless STDIO

Use the app binary directly when a client launches Broxy as a subprocess:

• The client starts the Broxy executable with --stdio-proxy.
• Broxy reads from stdin and writes MCP responses to stdout.

Preset selection order:

1. Explicit --stdio-proxy override (when provided by the app entrypoint).
2. defaultPresetId from mcp.json.
3. The only preset if exactly one exists.
4. Otherwise, an empty preset.