# Automate a practice run

Run the same bounded lifecycle from CI, hosted MCP, or a local stdio client without repository-only steps.

## Use this when

Use this when the five-step practice loop must run repeatably outside the dashboard.

## Before you start

Create a [workspace API key](/help/definitions.html#definition-workspace-api-key) for direct API or local tooling, or authorize the hosted remote MCP with OAuth. Keep control credentials out of the agent process; the agent receives only the store Admin URL and token.

## Steps

- **Package-free CI:** call the documented practice HTTP endpoints with your existing HTTP client; preserve failed artifacts and return a CI exit code owned by your policy.

- **Hosted remote MCP:** connect with OAuth 2.1 to stateless Streamable HTTP `/mcp`.

- **Local alternative:** run the Meguro MCP client over stdio and provide its workspace API token in the local environment.

- Start, inspect status, capture checkpoints when needed, copy `practiceRun.advanceCursor` unchanged into advance, finish or cancel, and fetch the receipt.

## Success looks like

Automation emits only copyable or downloadable artifacts, preserves the full receipt boundary, and never passes the workspace key to the agent under test.

## If it fails

If a control call fails, record its status and bounded response, refresh status for the server-owned `practiceRun.advanceCursor`, and stop rather than manufacturing a successful artifact. The shopper-facing practice-store `/api/mcp` is a separate Storefront data plane, not the hosted control plane.

## Next action

Add a [Configured Receipt Gate signal](/help/gate-and-automation.html#gate-and-automation) only when you have named receipt facts and thresholds.