FAQ

The questions people ask most often.

Does my code leave my machine?

No. Your dev server is rendered in a private iframe that only your browser can see. Other people in the hub do not have access to it, and LU's servers never receive your code, your terminal output, or your local files. The only thing leaving your machine is your avatar's position, your text/voice if you opt in, and your display name.

Do I need an account?

You'll be asked to sign in with GitHub the first time you launch — that's how LU knows it's you across sessions and devices. Beyond that, no email, no password, no profile to fill out.

Is it free?

Yes, the basics are free. Walking around the hub, fishing, talking to friends — all free, forever. We may add paid options later (private zones, cosmetic items, sponsor tiers) but the core experience won't move behind a paywall.

Which frameworks work?

All of them, because LU just embeds an iframe pointing at your localhost. Anything that runs on http://localhost:<port> shows up — Next.js, Vite, Remix, SvelteKit, Astro, Rails, Django, plain static files. There's no integration; LU doesn't care what's on the other side of the port.

Can I self-host it?

LU's CLI and runtime are open source. You can run the client yourself. The multiplayer game servers (where avatars and the hub live) are hosted by us — you can technically run your own, but the social layer of LU only really works if everyone's on the same servers, so we recommend using ours.

Why does it want microphone access?

For proximity voice chat. LU asks the first time you walk near another avatar; you can grant once and forget, deny and stay text-only, or revoke later from your browser's site settings. The mic is off by default until you opt in.

How do I uninstall?

localuniverse uninstall

That removes the binary and clears local data. Your account stays on the server until you delete it from the settings menu (Esc → Account → Delete account).