Zero-config dev server

lpm dev is the marquee command of the Dev section. With nothing configured, it runs your dev script. With a few lines of lpm.json, it picks up the right Node version, syncs deps, loads .env, serves over HTTPS, exposes a public tunnel, and orchestrates multiple services with readiness checks. This guide covers the path from "works in my repo" to "works the same for the whole team."

Step 0: Just run it

lpm dev

If your package.json has a dev script, lpm dev runs it. Stop here if that's all you need.

The rest of this guide is about turning that into something repeatable: a checked-in config that gives every contributor the same setup with no per-machine fiddling.

Step 1: Pin the Node version

{
  "runtime": { "node": ">=22.0.0" }
}

lpm dev will use the pinned version, auto-installing it via lpm use if missing. Node's fall-back chain is lpm.json > runtime.node → package.json > engines.node → .nvmrc → .node-version; Bun is read from lpm.json > runtime.bun. See Managed runtimes for the full detection contract.

lpm use node@22                # install + pin in one step (writes lpm.json)

Step 2: Map env files to scripts

{
  "env": {
    "dev":     ".env.development",
    "staging": ".env.staging",
    "prod":    ".env.production"
  }
}

lpm run dev now loads .env.development automatically. lpm run staging loads .env.staging. CLI override: lpm dev --env=preview loads .env.preview regardless.

For env-var validation (CI catches missing required vars before they explode at runtime):

{
  "envSchema": {
    "vars": {
      "DATABASE_URL": { "required": true, "format": "url" },
      "API_KEY":      { "required": true, "secret": true }
    }
  }
}

The check runs before every lpm run / lpm dev / lpm exec. Skip with --no-env-check.

Step 3: Turn on HTTPS

{ "https": true }

Plus a one-time CA install:

lpm cert trust

Now lpm dev serves over https://localhost. Browsers trust the cert. See Local HTTPS for the file layout.

Step 4: Add a tunnel

{ "tunnel": { "domain": "acme-api.lpm.llc" } }

Plus the claim (Pro/Org only):

lpm tunnel claim acme-api.lpm.llc

Now lpm dev exposes the dev server at https://acme-api.lpm.llc. Webhooks to the public URL are captured to disk for replay:

lpm tunnel inspect            # browse captured events
lpm tunnel replay 3           # re-deliver event #3 to localhost
lpm tunnel inspect --ui       # browser-based inspector

Free users get an ephemeral random domain on every run. To keep one stable URL, claim it.

Step 5: Multi-service orchestration

{
  "services": {
    "db": {
      "command": "docker compose up postgres",
      "readyPort": 5432,
      "readyTimeout": 60
    },
    "api": {
      "command": "node server.js",
      "port": 4000,
      "dependsOn": ["db"],
      "env": { "DATABASE_URL": "postgres://localhost:5432/myapp" }
    },
    "web": {
      "command": "next dev",
      "port": 3000,
      "primary": true
    }
  }
}

lpm dev now starts each service, waits for readiness (TCP port poll, or HTTP via readyUrl), and prefixes each service's logs:

[db]  ✔ ready (0.8s)
[api] ✔ ready (3.4s)
[web] ✔ ready (1.2s)
⌘ Opening https://localhost:3000

The primary service is the one that receives --https / --tunnel / --network and the browser-open. Mark exactly one service as primary: true.

For better-than-prefixed-logs viewing:

lpm dev --dashboard

TUI dashboard with per-service log panels and webhook inspection.

Step 6: Task graph and caching

For things you build, not run-and-watch — define them in tasks for caching and dependency ordering:

{
  "tasks": {
    "build": {
      "command": "tsup",
      "dependsOn": ["^build"],
      "cache": true,
      "outputs": ["dist/**"],
      "inputs": ["src/**", "package.json"]
    }
  }
}

^build means "build me only after every upstream workspace dep has built." cache: true caches the result keyed by inputs; a re-run with unchanged inputs replays instantly. See lpm run and Task runner.

Common pitfalls

• lpm cert trust only needs to run once per machine. Teammates each run it on their laptop; CI doesn't need it.
• Tunnel domain claim is per-organization or per-user. Claim it once, commit lpm.json, every teammate uses the same URL.
• Mark exactly one service primary: true. Otherwise lpm dev's flag-routing and browser-open don't have a clear target.
• readyPort defaults to port if absent. If your service listens on a different port for readiness checks (uncommon), set readyPort explicitly.

See also

• lpm dev — full command reference
• lpm.json reference — every field, every type
• lpm cert — local HTTPS detail
• lpm tunnel — claim, inspect, replay
• Task runner — caching internals