# Set up Crave developer tools

This guide is for coding agents helping a developer connect to Crave's existing developer platform. Restaurant OS is in private preview. This setup does not install the desktop app, provision a Cloud workspace, or launch a self-hosted Restaurant OS server. Request Restaurant OS access at https://developer.craveup.com/#waitlist.

## 1. Inspect the local setup

Read the user's repository instructions first. Check whether Node.js, npm/npx, and a Crave CLI or MCP configuration already exist. Use Node.js 22 or newer. Preserve existing tool settings and unrelated MCP servers. Do not modify production environments, restaurant memberships, payments, or customer data as part of onboarding.

## 2. Verify the CLI

Use the published, scoped CLI package:

```sh
npx -y @craveup/cli@1.4.0 --help
```

Use `CRAVEUP_ENVIRONMENT=sandbox` for this onboarding session. On macOS/Linux, prefix Crave commands with `CRAVEUP_ENVIRONMENT=sandbox`. On Windows PowerShell, set `$env:CRAVEUP_ENVIRONMENT = "sandbox"` before running them. Do not change the user's permanent environment settings.

## 3. Sign in with the user

With the sandbox environment set, run:

```sh
npx -y @craveup/cli@1.4.0 login
npx -y @craveup/cli@1.4.0 whoami
```

Let the user complete the browser sign-in and select their authorized organization or developer workspace. Never request passwords or copy session credentials into chat, source files, or logs. If sign-in or organization access fails, report the actual failure and stop authenticated setup; do not invent access, switch to production, or create memberships.

## 4. Connect the coding agent through MCP

If the user's coding agent supports local stdio MCP servers, add a Crave entry through its supported configuration mechanism. Merge into existing settings; do not overwrite them. For clients using the `mcpServers` JSON format, the entry is:

```json
{
  "mcpServers": {
    "crave": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@craveup/mcp@0.6.0"],
      "env": {
        "CRAVEUP_ENVIRONMENT": "sandbox"
      }
    }
  }
}
```

Other clients may use a different schema. Adapt this same command, arguments, and environment to the client's documented configuration. Do not write JSON into a TOML configuration file. Restart or reconnect the MCP client as needed, then confirm the server connects and its tools are listed. If no supported MCP client is available, keep the CLI setup and explain that limitation.

## 5. Report what actually works

Report the CLI version, whether sandbox sign-in succeeded, and whether the MCP client connected. Do not treat a saved configuration as a successful connection. Do not create orders, change menus, move money, or publish anything to test connectivity. Ask the user what they want to build next.

CLI authentication and MCP reuse Crave's existing identity and access controls. This guide does not grant restaurant access or enable paid Cloud provisioning. Avoid the legacy CLI `init` flow for Restaurant OS; it is not a Restaurant OS installer.

## Documentation

- Developer platform: https://developer.craveup.com/#developers
- MCP setup: https://docs.craveup.com/guides/ai/craveup-mcp-server
- API and SDK documentation: https://docs.craveup.com
- Restaurant OS early access: https://developer.craveup.com/#waitlist