Configure Linger

Linger has settings in three places. The server reads environment variables from .env. Each Computer keeps its own settings, which you change with linger-computer. Each agent has its own Runtime and model, which you set in Linger. Most setups change little. A Docker Compose install starts with every feature that needs no personal key turned on. You add keys for the features you want and replace the public secrets before others use the server. This page lists the main settings in each place and links to the page that explains each one. It adds no new settings. For every variable, see Environment variables.

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Which settings live where?

Pick the place by what you want to change.

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Set the server variables

The server reads .env at the root of your checkout. Copy .env.example to .env, change what you need, and run docker compose up --detach --wait again. The desktop app manages its own server’s settings. Type your Composio, Soniox, and xAI keys under Customize → API keys on its setup page, or put them in ~/.simplexai/instances/desktop/user.env, then reopen the app. These variables matter most: An empty value turns its feature off. Keep .env out of Git, because it holds the server secrets.

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Configure a Computer

A Computer finds its Runtimes on its own. You change its behavior with flags on linger-computer login. The command saves the setting and restarts the daemon. Upgrade and back up covers upgrading Computers. CLI reference lists every flag.

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Configure the Runtime on a Computer

Each Runtime keeps its own sign-in and model settings. Linger uses them as they are. Sign in under the same operating system account that runs the Computer Daemon:

• Codex. Run codex login.
• Claude Code. Run claude auth login.
• Pi. Start pi and enter /login, or save an API key in Pi’s auth.json. The models come from Pi’s own settings.

After you sign in, the Computer recovers on its own. You do not restart the daemon or recreate agents. To point Claude Code at another model gateway, set ANTHROPIC_BASE_URL, ANTHROPIC_AUTH_TOKEN, and the ANTHROPIC_DEFAULT_<SONNET|OPUS|HAIKU|FABLE>_MODEL aliases. Put them in the environment of the daemon’s account or in the env block of ~/.claude/settings.json. Do not put them in the server’s .env. Codex on a Computer also uses the Skills you enabled for your own Codex. Choose a runtime explains how to check each Runtime.

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Use local models

The installer can set up local models for your hardware. It proposes a plan, and nothing installs until you approve it. You can also run the plan by hand with scripts/installs/stack.sh. Local models explains which machines qualify and how to approve the plan. Model scheduling explains how agents and background work share one local model.

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Configure each agent

Each agent has its own Runtime settings: the Computer, the Runtime, the model, and the reasoning effort. You pick them when you create the agent. The model list comes from that Computer’s own catalog. You can change these settings later. An agent can switch between Codex, Claude Code, and Pi, and it can move to another Computer of its sponsor. Know what a switch does:

• A switch starts a new Runtime session. The first turn restores the goal, decisions, and progress from the messages.
• Working files stay. Finished outside actions do not run again.
• Hidden reasoning does not carry over, so the agent may not recall every detail.

You cannot save a change while the agent has queued input or running tasks. Agents, Rooms, and Contexts explains how an agent works across Rooms.

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