I'm working with Claude Code and facing a challenge where the agent starts my development server using a Bash command (`Bash(cd apps/web && pnpm dev)`), but it hangs because the server runs continuously. This issue prevents Claude from engaging further in the conversation while waiting for the command to finish. I'm looking for effective methods to:
1. Run the development server in the background or separately.
2. Allow Claude to monitor the server logs or status.
3. Keep the conversation going while the server is active.
Currently, I have to manually terminate the process to get Claude back on track, which results in losing the dev server and the conversation. Has anyone discovered a good workflow for managing this? Any insights on using MCP servers? Thanks!
6 Answers
If you're unsure about the command to start your server, just ask Claude for it! You can open another terminal window, navigate to the directory, and run the server separately. This way, it keeps the process away from your Claude session, reducing headaches if you reset it accidentally.
Consider running multiple agents tailored for different tasks. You can have one focused on development, and others for operations or research, each in their own terminal to keep things organized.
You can tweak your `CLAUDE.md` to either skip blocking commands or start the server in a different thread, like using `npm run dev &` to run it in the background.
I created a script that launches the server in a separate process. In my `CLAUDE.md`, I set it up to start the server if it’s not already running. Claude can even help take screenshots using headless Chrome, making adjustments smoother. Just make sure to have the script kill any previous server instances to avoid zombie processes!
I think you might find this new tool helpful; it just got released! Looks like it can help with what you’re trying to do, but I haven’t tried it yet since it’s still in early development.
This looks promising!
I’m not sure if this is exactly what you need. You're looking for a way to manage long-running commands without pausing the convo, right? I suggest using tmux to start new terminal sessions. That way, Claude can keep the chat going while you run your front and backend servers in different sessions.
I run my dev server in a dedicated tmux session which keeps it from blocking the Claude thread. Then, I ask Claude to tail the logs from that session. You can set this up easily with a command like `/tmux-dev`. I’ll post more detailed instructions with examples soon!
Could you share the specific steps for that command?
Yes, I’d love to see those details!
The issue is that Claude auto-runs `pnpm dev` and pauses the conversation. I want it to execute that command but still be able to chat without interruption.