This page documents all configuration options for Mule, including CLI flags, environment variables, and runtime settings.

CLI Flags

Mule’s API server supports the following command-line flags:

-db

PostgreSQL connection string for the database.

mule-api -db "postgres://user:password@localhost:5432/mulev2?sslmode=disable"

Default: postgres://user:pass@localhost:5432/mulev2?sslmode=disable

Format: postgres://user:password@host:port/database?options

Options:

OptionDescriptionDefault
sslmodeSSL connection modedisable
connect_timeoutConnection timeout in seconds10

Example with SSL:

mule-api -db "postgres://user:pass@localhost:5432/mulev2?sslmode=require"

-listen

HTTP listen address for the API server.

mule-api -listen ":8080"

Default: :8080

Examples:

# Listen on port 8080, all interfaces
-listen ":8080"

# Listen on specific interface
-listen "127.0.0.1:8080"

# Listen on port 8140 (recommended for development)
-listen ":8140"

Docker Compose Configuration

When using Docker Compose, configure Mule via the command directive:

services:
  mule:
    build: .
    ports:
      - "8140:8080"
    command: ["-db", "postgres://mule:mule@postgres:5432/mulev2?sslmode=disable", "-listen", ":8080"]
    depends_on:
      postgres:
        condition: service_healthy

Environment Variables

While Mule primarily uses CLI flags and database-stored settings, the following environment variables are commonly used:

Provider API Keys

Set your AI provider API keys as environment variables:

# Anthropic (Claude)
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="sk-ant-..."

# OpenAI (GPT-4, GPT-4o)
export OPENAI_API_KEY="sk-..."

# Google (Gemini)
export GOOGLE_API_KEY="..."

# Ollama (Local models)
# No API key needed, but Ollama must be running locally
export OLLAMA_HOST="http://localhost:11434"

pi CLI Configuration

Mule uses the pi CLI for agent execution. The pi configuration directory should be accessible:

# Default location is ~/.pi/agent
# Mount it in Docker:
volumes:
  - /root/.pi/agent:/home/mule/.pi/agent:ro

Database Settings

Database-related settings are configured through the API after startup:

Database Connection

The database connection string is configured at startup via the -db flag. For security, avoid hardcoding passwords in scripts:

# Use environment variable
DB_PASSWORD="your-secure-password"
mule-api -db "postgres://mule:${DB_PASSWORD}@localhost:5432/mulev2?sslmode=disable"

Database Health Check

Verify database connectivity:

curl http://localhost:8140/health

Application Settings

After Mule is running, configure application settings via the API:

General Settings 

# Set GitHub token
curl -X POST http://localhost:8140/api/v1/settings \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "key": "github_token",
    "value": "ghp_..."
  }'

# Set base URL
curl -X POST http://localhost:8140/api/v1/settings \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "key": "base_url",
    "value": "https://muleai.io"
  }'

Job Settings 

# Set job timeout (in seconds)
curl -X POST http://localhost:8140/api/v1/settings \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "key": "timeout_job_seconds",
    "value": 3600
  }'

# Set max tool calls
curl -X POST http://localhost:8140/api/v1/settings \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "key": "max_tool_calls",
    "value": 100
  }'

Configuration Checklist

Before running Mule in production, verify the following:

Required Configuration

  • PostgreSQL database running and accessible
  • Database connection string configured with -db flag
  • Listen address configured with -listen flag
  • At least one AI provider configured via API
  • GitHub token set for repository operations
  • Job timeout appropriate for your workflows (default: 3600 seconds)
  • Max tool calls appropriate for your agents (default: 100)
  • Memory/vector database configured for RAG features

Optional Configuration

  • Custom agents with specific capabilities
  • WASM modules for custom validation
  • Skills assigned to agents
  • Webhook endpoints for integrations

Troubleshooting

Database Connection Issues

If Mule fails to connect to the database:

  1. Verify PostgreSQL is running: docker-compose ps postgres
  2. Check the connection string format: postgres://user:pass@host:port/db?sslmode=disable
  3. Test connectivity: psql "postgres://mule:mule@localhost:5432/mulev2"
  4. Check logs: docker-compose logs mule

Port Already in Use

If the listen port is already in use:

# Find what's using the port
lsof -i :8080

# Use a different port
mule-api -listen ":8140"

pi CLI Not Found

If agent execution fails:

  1. Verify pi CLI is installed: pi --version
  2. Check the pi agent directory exists: ls ~/.pi/agent
  3. Mount the pi directory in Docker:
volumes:
  - /root/.pi/agent:/home/mule/.pi/agent:ro
Was this page helpful?