Multiple Harness instances

Different ports select different listening endpoints. They do not automatically guarantee different storage or authorization. Configure endpoints, core stores and gateway stores separately.

Current CLI

packages/cli/src/cli.ts supports --port, --core-data-dir and --data-dir. The current defaults are ~/.harness-fe/core and ~/.harness-fe/gateway; they are not derived from the port. Select distinct data directories when running independent instances, and keep client configs pointed at the intended endpoint.

harness serve --port 47730 --core-data-dir /tmp/harness-instance-a/core --data-dir /tmp/harness-instance-a/gateway

This is an explicit development layout, not a migration or cleanup instruction. Existing stores should be backed up and kept intact; do not delete directories to fix identity/configuration errors.

Scope and transport

harness serve is an Open shared gateway; governed HTTP operation has explicit token/scope/project policies. harness mcp reuses or starts a shared gateway and proxies stdio to its MCP endpoint. Pointing at the same port alone does not grant the same project rights to every caller.

Direct core/Bridge construction can choose different fallback paths from the CLI. Read the actual entry's configuration rather than applying CLI defaults to every embedding.

Architecture and console development are documented in architecture and console inspection. The old port-derived storage rule was retired after source review; its original source commit/hash remains recorded in this repository's simplification manifest.