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toolkit daemon is the background process that keeps the local reverse proxy and web dashboard API running continuously. It binds to the configured proxy port, registers the Toolkit dashboard route, and holds the process alive indefinitely so *.localhost subdomains remain available for as long as your machine is on. Under normal usage, you never need to call this command directly — toolkit ui starts the daemon automatically, and toolkit autostart enable ensures it launches at every login. Call toolkit daemon directly only when you need explicit, low-level control over the process.

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Syntax

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Options

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When to use this directly

You might call toolkit daemon directly in these advanced scenarios:
  • Headless or server environments — machines without a desktop session where toolkit ui is not appropriate, but you still want the proxy and API running.
  • Containerized or CI setups — when you want to run the daemon as the foreground process inside a container or process supervisor (e.g. systemd, Docker CMD).
  • Custom port configuration — when the default proxy port (80) or UI port (3100) conflicts with another service and you need to override both in a single explicit command.
  • Testing startup modes — when you want to verify the behavior of a specific --mode value without modifying your system’s autostart registration.

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Examples

In most cases, use toolkit ui or toolkit autostart enable instead of calling toolkit daemon directly — both commands handle the full daemon lifecycle automatically, including port negotiation and route registration.