LivebookTools

What is LivebookTools?

LivebookTools is a CLI tool for working with .livemd files. It provides an MCP (Model Context Protocol) server that connects AI coding agents to Livebook sessions, enables syncing files to a running Livebook (BYOE), and allows running Livebooks as scripts from the command line. It is built in Elixir and requires a running Livebook instance with distributed Elixir.

How to use LivebookTools?

Install LivebookTools via mix escript.install github thmsmlr/livebook_tools and ensure the escript directory is on your PATH. Set the environment variables LIVEBOOK_NODE and LIVEBOOK_COOKIE to match your running Livebook server. Then configure your AI code editor (e.g., Cursor) to connect to the MCP server via STDIO using the livebook_tools command; the server will auto‑discover and expose its tools.

Key features of LivebookTools

• BYOE (Bring Your Own Editor) — sync .livemd files to an open Livebook session.
• MCP Server — connect AI coding agents to Livebook sessions via STDIO.
• Run Livebooks from the CLI by converting them to Elixir scripts.
• Detect runtime environment (Livebook vs. CLI) with simple code snippets.
• Tested with Cursor; compatible with any MCP‑supporting AI editor.

Use cases of LivebookTools

• Edit .livemd files in an AI‑powered code editor while syncing changes to a Livebook session.
• Run a Livebook as a cron job or automated script using the CLI run command.
• Let an AI coding agent interact with Livebook data, cells, and results through the MCP server.

FAQ from LivebookTools

How do I install LivebookTools?

Run mix escript.install github thmsmlr/livebook_tools and add the escript directory (usually ~/.mix/escripts) to your PATH.

What runtime dependencies are required?

You need Elixir (the