# Try the Demo

Run a seeded local admin with every feature turned on, including AI chat and MCP, from a checkout of this repository.

After reading this guide, you will know:

* How to start the demo and sign in.
* Where to find each feature in it, including AI chat and MCP.
* How the demo's grants map to your own policy.

## Start It

From a checkout, after `bundle install`:

```sh
bin/demo --assistant
```

This shows everything. The script copies the packaged session/SQLite host to
`tmp/demo`, points it at this checkout, installs Active Storage and Action Text,
migrates and seeds a fresh database, and serves it on `127.0.0.1:3917` only.
`--assistant` adds admin Chat, review Surfaces and the MCP endpoint, backed by
an offline fake model on port 3918: no API key and no network.

Other options:

| Command | Shows |
|---|---|
| `bin/demo` | Everything except AI chat and MCP |
| `bin/demo --plain` | Only the packaged customers and orders |
| `bin/demo --port 4000` | Use port 4000 and a separate host in `tmp/demo-4000`. The fake model uses the next port |
| `bin/demo --setup-only` | Prepares `tmp/demo` without serving it |

Every run starts from scratch, so changes you make are reset next time. Press
Ctrl-C to stop the server.

## Sign In

Open `http://127.0.0.1:3917/login`. The demo's sign-in page lists its accounts
with a **Sign in as …** button each; the form below them is filled in with the
admin account already. Every account's password is `demo-password`.

| Account | Sees |
|---|---|
| `admin@example.test` | Everything in Tenant A, with writes, imports, exports, history, the audit log, AI chat and MCP access |
| `viewer@example.test` | Tenant A read-only: lists, records and search; no passwords or write pages |
| `other@example.test` | Tenant B, which has almost no data: tenant scoping at work |

## A Tour

* **Overview**: resource cards with counts, then metrics and 30-day trend charts
  for orders and articles. See [Dashboard and Search](/next/dashboard/).
* **Search everything**: the header box searches customers, articles, tags and
  orders at once; try `upgrading`.
* **Articles**: every field type on one model without `lock_version`: email, URL,
  time of day, a cover image, a photo gallery, rich text, JSON settings, tags, and
  a write-only password. Open an article, then **Edit**. See
  [Resources and Fields](/next/resources-and-fields/),
  [File Uploads](/next/file-uploads/) and
  [Associations](/next/associations/).
* **History and Audit log**: save a change, then open the article's **History**,
  or **Audit log** in the menu for every change and export. See
  [Record History](/next/record-history/).
* **CSV**: on the Articles list, **Export CSV** downloads the current list;
  **Import CSV** checks and imports `tmp/demo/articles-import.csv`, which has one
  row that fails on purpose. See [CSV Export and Import](/next/csv-export/).
* **Bulk delete**: tick a few articles, **Capture selection**, then **Delete the
  selected records**.
* **Orders**: list tabs, typed filters, a reference picker for customers and a
  custom review operation. Customers show their orders in a panel with an **Add
  order** link.
* **Conflicts**: open the same record's edit form in two tabs and save both; the
  second save reports that the record changed.

## AI Chat and MCP

Run `bin/demo --assistant`, sign in as Admin and choose **Assistant** →
**New conversation**. The demo uses an offline model that recognizes fixed
phrases and streams its replies. The prompts below exercise the tools in the
chat UI without an API key.

Enter sends a message and Shift+Enter adds a line. Scroll back to read earlier
messages and choose **Jump to latest** to return to the current reply.

| Type this | What happens |
|---|---|
| `set articles 1 title to Hello` | A review shows the title before → after; only **Confirm and execute** saves it |
| `create articles with title Draft` | A create review; nothing is created until you confirm |
| `delete articles 2` | A delete review with a **Delete** button |
| `history of articles 1` | The article's audited changes |
| `search articles for upgrading` | The assistant streams a summary and the conversation links the matching articles |
| `count customers` | A count of customers visible to the signed-in administrator |
| `award 5 points to 1` | A review for the customers' custom operation |

Try the search first. Then submit the title change, check the before and after
values on the review card, and choose **Confirm and execute**. The completed
card and assistant reply appear in the same conversation. Ask for the article's
history to see the audited update.

You can also start a chat from an article page with **Ask the assistant about
this record**. The first message includes a `Context:` line naming the page.

**MCP access** in the menu issues a personal access token and shows the exact
`claude mcp add` command for `http://127.0.0.1:3917/staff/mcp`. An agent
connected with it can search and read through the admin's grants, and each change
it proposes returns a `review_url` that you open and confirm in the browser. See
[Admin Assistant](/next/admin-assistant/) and
[MCP Server](/next/mcp-server/).

## Where the Grants Live

The demo's policy is the packaged host's `AdminPolicyAdapter` plus a
`ShowcasePolicy` module prepended to it (`tmp/demo/app/rails_ai_admin`). Read it
next to [Configuration](/next/configuration/): each
feature above appears only because a method there returns `true` for the admin
role, and the articles resource opts in to AI proposals with
`assistant_changes :create, :update, :destroy`.

Try the Demo

Run a seeded local admin with every feature turned on, including AI chat and MCP, from a checkout of this repository.

After reading this guide, you will know:

How to start the demo and sign in.
Where to find each feature in it, including AI chat and MCP.
How the demo’s grants map to your own policy.

Start It

From a checkout, after bundle install:

bin/demo --assistant

This shows everything. The script copies the packaged session/SQLite host to tmp/demo, points it at this checkout, installs Active Storage and Action Text, migrates and seeds a fresh database, and serves it on 127.0.0.1:3917 only. --assistant adds admin Chat, review Surfaces and the MCP endpoint, backed by an offline fake model on port 3918: no API key and no network.

Other options:

Command	Shows
`bin/demo`	Everything except AI chat and MCP
`bin/demo --plain`	Only the packaged customers and orders
`bin/demo --port 4000`	Use port 4000 and a separate host in `tmp/demo-4000`. The fake model uses the next port
`bin/demo --setup-only`	Prepares `tmp/demo` without serving it

Every run starts from scratch, so changes you make are reset next time. Press Ctrl-C to stop the server.

Open http://127.0.0.1:3917/login. The demo’s sign-in page lists its accounts with a Sign in as … button each; the form below them is filled in with the admin account already. Every account’s password is demo-password.

Account	Sees
`admin@example.test`	Everything in Tenant A, with writes, imports, exports, history, the audit log, AI chat and MCP access
`viewer@example.test`	Tenant A read-only: lists, records and search; no passwords or write pages
`other@example.test`	Tenant B, which has almost no data: tenant scoping at work

A Tour

Overview: resource cards with counts, then metrics and 30-day trend charts for orders and articles. See Dashboard and Search.
Search everything: the header box searches customers, articles, tags and orders at once; try upgrading.
Articles: every field type on one model without lock_version: email, URL, time of day, a cover image, a photo gallery, rich text, JSON settings, tags, and a write-only password. Open an article, then Edit. See Resources and Fields, File Uploads and Associations.
History and Audit log: save a change, then open the article’s History, or Audit log in the menu for every change and export. See Record History.
CSV: on the Articles list, Export CSV downloads the current list; Import CSV checks and imports tmp/demo/articles-import.csv, which has one row that fails on purpose. See CSV Export and Import.
Bulk delete: tick a few articles, Capture selection, then Delete the selected records.
Orders: list tabs, typed filters, a reference picker for customers and a custom review operation. Customers show their orders in a panel with an Add order link.
Conflicts: open the same record’s edit form in two tabs and save both; the second save reports that the record changed.

AI Chat and MCP

Run bin/demo --assistant, sign in as Admin and choose Assistant → New conversation. The demo uses an offline model that recognizes fixed phrases and streams its replies. The prompts below exercise the tools in the chat UI without an API key.

Enter sends a message and Shift+Enter adds a line. Scroll back to read earlier messages and choose Jump to latest to return to the current reply.

Type this	What happens
`set articles 1 title to Hello`	A review shows the title before → after; only Confirm and execute saves it
`create articles with title Draft`	A create review; nothing is created until you confirm
`delete articles 2`	A delete review with a Delete button
`history of articles 1`	The article’s audited changes
`search articles for upgrading`	The assistant streams a summary and the conversation links the matching articles
`count customers`	A count of customers visible to the signed-in administrator
`award 5 points to 1`	A review for the customers’ custom operation

Try the search first. Then submit the title change, check the before and after values on the review card, and choose Confirm and execute. The completed card and assistant reply appear in the same conversation. Ask for the article’s history to see the audited update.

You can also start a chat from an article page with Ask the assistant about this record. The first message includes a Context: line naming the page.

MCP access in the menu issues a personal access token and shows the exact claude mcp add command for http://127.0.0.1:3917/staff/mcp. An agent connected with it can search and read through the admin’s grants, and each change it proposes returns a review_url that you open and confirm in the browser. See Admin Assistant and MCP Server.

Where the Grants Live

The demo’s policy is the packaged host’s AdminPolicyAdapter plus a ShowcasePolicy module prepended to it (tmp/demo/app/rails_ai_admin). Read it next to Configuration: each feature above appears only because a method there returns true for the admin role, and the articles resource opts in to AI proposals with assistant_changes :create, :update, :destroy.