Command line

dart pub global activate devpul_cli

This installs the devpul command from devpul_cli. It runs from the pub cache, where it finds the UI build in the devpul package; a dart compile exe binary cannot. devpul --help prints the summary below; -h and --help work after any command too.

devpul [options] [vm-service-url]
devpul [options] run [flutter run or dart run arguments]
devpul mcp [--port <n>] [vm-service-url]
devpul add <plugin>[@version|#ref] [--path <dir>] [--yes]
devpul remove <id>
devpul list
devpul sync [--check]
devpul outdated [--exit-code]
devpul upgrade [id] [--major-versions] [--yes]
devpul update
devpul cache clean
devpul create <dir> [--js] [--dart]
devpul check [dir]

devpul

devpul                                     # serve the UI and open it
devpul http://127.0.0.1:41234/AbCdEf12=/   # open it connected to a running app

Serves the UI on http://127.0.0.1:7171 until stopped with Ctrl+C. With a VM service URL, the UI opens connected to that app.

Option
--port <n>	The UI port, 7171 by default. Settings and history are kept per port, since each is its own browser origin. Without it, a port taken by another program moves to the next free one, up to 7190.
--no-open	Print links and open no browser.
--plugin <path>	Serve a plugin module file or plugin folder to the UI, loaded again on each save. Repeat it for several. See Writing plugins.
-h, --help	Print usage.

A devpul that finds another devpul on its port hands its app to that one's tab and serves nothing itself, so one tab follows every app you start. --plugin needs its own server: stop the other one or pass --port.

The server listens on 127.0.0.1 only and answers only requests whose Host is a loopback name. A later devpul hands over its app with a token from the user cache directory, which only your user can read.

devpul run

devpul run -d macos              # flutter run with these arguments
devpul run --profile -d macos    # a profile build with DevPul kept in
devpul run bin/server.dart       # dart run outside a Flutter project
devpul --port 7272 run -d linux  # options before run

Runs flutter run with the arguments after run, in a folder whose pubspec.yaml depends on the Flutter SDK, and dart run anywhere else. Once the app is up, DevPul opens connected to it, and the app's printed link points at this server. devpul's own options go before run; everything after it goes to the tool.

• flutter run keeps its terminal keys (r, R, q), and DevPul gets Reload and Restart buttons. --profile adds --dart-define=DEVPUL_PROFILE=true; see profile builds.
• dart run gets a VM service on a free port and hot reloads each time a .dart file in the folder is saved.
• devpul exits with the tool's exit code.

devpul mcp

devpul mcp                                     # the app the devpul on 7171 last connected to
devpul mcp http://127.0.0.1:41234/AbCdEf12=/   # this app

An MCP server on stdio for coding agents: requests, logs, errors, events and the app's actions. Without a URL it asks the devpul serving the UI on --port (7171 by default) for its app on every tool call. See Agents (MCP).

Plugins

Run in the app root, the folder with pubspec.yaml. Installing plugins walks through them.

add

devpul add riverpod                                     # listed on the plugins page
devpul add dio                                          # a pub package listed there
devpul add cart@^1.2.0                                  # a pub version constraint
devpul add https://example.com/plugins.git --path cart  # a git repository
devpul add https://example.com/plugins.git#main --path cart
devpul add https://example.com/flags/plugin.json        # a plugin.json over https
devpul add ../plugins/cart                              # a folder

Copies a plugin into lib/devpul/<id>/, records it in devpul.lock and writes lib/devpul/plugins.dart. @version takes a pub version constraint, #ref a git branch, tag or commit. A name the plugins page lists as a pub package, such as dio or http, runs dart pub add or flutter pub add for that package, and for devpul when the app lacks it, then prints the wiring.

Option
--path <dir>	The plugin folder in a git repository, when it is not the root.
--yes	Run the dart pub add or flutter pub add a plugin needs without asking.

remove

devpul remove <id> deletes the plugin's folder and lock entry and writes plugins.dart again.

list

devpul list prints each plugin in devpul.lock with its version and source, and marks copies with local edits.

sync

devpul sync writes lib/devpul/plugins.dart from devpul.lock, offline, and copies plugins added from a folder again when the folder changed.

Option
--check	Write nothing; exit 1 when plugins.dart or a folder copy is stale.

outdated

devpul outdated lists each plugin's current version, the newest its constraint allows and the latest, and devpul_cli against pub.dev. A source it cannot reach prints why and does not fail the command.

Option
--exit-code	Exit 1 when anything is behind.

upgrade

devpul upgrade [id] moves one plugin, or all, to the newest version the constraint allows, then writes plugins.dart. It shows a git diff of the copied files and asks first; without a terminal and without --yes it prints the diff and writes nothing. Refs move to their current commit, folders and plugin.json URLs to their current contents.

Option
--major-versions	Take the latest version, rewriting the constraint when it does not allow it.
--yes	Write without the diff and run the pub add a plugin needs.

update

devpul update updates devpul itself: dart pub global activate devpul_cli with the SDK that runs it.

cache clean

devpul cache clean deletes the git mirrors of plugin repositories.

Plugin authoring

create

devpul create my_plugin          # JS module, Dart and an example app
devpul create --dart my_plugin   # add the Dart half to an existing folder

Writes a plugin folder named after the plugin id, or the files missing from one. A new plugin gets both halves unless one is picked; an existing one gets the picked half added. See Writing plugins.

Option
--js	A JS module for a tab.
--dart	Dart for the app, such as an observer.

check

devpul check [dir] validates a plugin folder, the current one by default, the way add and the registry do, and exits 1 on any problem.

Exit codes

Code	When
0	Done.
1	A command failed, a check found problems, or --exit-code found updates.
64	Wrong arguments; the usage follows the message.

devpul run exits with the code of flutter run or dart run.

Files

Path
~/.cache/devpul on Linux, ~/Library/Caches/devpul on macOS, %LOCALAPPDATA%\devpul on Windows	The port and token of each serving devpul, and git mirrors of plugin repositories. $XDG_CACHE_HOME moves it on Linux.

Git plugins and the upgrade diff need git on PATH.