diff --git a/Procfile b/Procfile
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..34aeb31
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Procfile
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+temporal: temporal server start-dev
diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index 097990c..5db6090 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -9,8 +9,25 @@ An oh-my-zsh plugin for switching Temporal contexts (`~/.temporal/config.yml`) s
 - `temporalctx -`: switch to previous context
 - `temporalctx -c`: print current context
 - `temporalctx edit` (`-e`/`--edit`): open config in `$VISUAL`, then `$EDITOR`, else `vi`
+- `temporalctx start`: start local Temporal dev server
+- `temporalctx stop`: stop local Temporal dev server
+- `tctx`: alias for `temporalctx`
 - `temporal ...`: wrapped by plugin to automatically include current context flags
 
+## Local Dev Server
+
+`temporalctx start` and `temporalctx stop` support two modes:
+
+- Overmind mode (recommended, optional): if `overmind` is installed, plugin uses it with a plugin `Procfile` and socket at `~/.temporal/overmind.sock`.
+- PID mode (fallback): if `overmind` is not installed, plugin starts/stops `temporal server start-dev` directly and tracks `~/.temporal/temporal-dev-server.pid`.
+
+Force PID mode even when Overmind is installed:
+
+```bash
+temporalctx start --no-overmind
+temporalctx stop --no-overmind
+```
+
 ## Helper function
 
 `_temporal_flags` reads the active context and prints CLI flags:
@@ -29,10 +46,15 @@ To bypass wrapping for a command/session, set `TEMPORALCTX_DISABLE_WRAP=1`.
 ./install.sh
 # or
 ./install.sh ~/my-custom-zsh/plugins
+# or include opinionated tq/td/tl helpers in $ZSHC/temporal.zsh
+./install.sh --full
 ```
 
 Then add `temporalctx` to your `plugins=(...)` in `.zshrc`.
 
+`--full` is optional and installs plugin-owned helper functions (`tq`, `td`, `tl`) by symlinking:
+- `${ZSHC:-~/.config/zsh}/temporal.zsh` -> `<plugin-dir>/temporalctx.full.zsh`
+
 ## Config format
 
 ```yaml
diff --git a/install.sh b/install.sh
index 56973b2..71031d9 100755
--- a/install.sh
+++ b/install.sh
@@ -4,10 +4,37 @@ set -euo pipefail
 SCRIPT_DIR="$(cd "$(dirname "${BASH_SOURCE[0]}")" && pwd)"
 REPO_DIR="$SCRIPT_DIR"
 
-if [[ $# -gt 1 ]]; then
-  echo "Usage: ./install.sh [target-directory]" >&2
-  exit 1
-fi
+usage() {
+  echo "Usage: ./install.sh [--full] [target-directory]" >&2
+}
+
+full_mode=0
+user_target=""
+while [[ $# -gt 0 ]]; do
+  case "$1" in
+    --full)
+      full_mode=1
+      shift
+      ;;
+    -h|--help)
+      usage
+      exit 0
+      ;;
+    --*)
+      echo "Unknown option: $1" >&2
+      usage
+      exit 1
+      ;;
+    *)
+      if [[ -n "$user_target" ]]; then
+        usage
+        exit 1
+      fi
+      user_target="$1"
+      shift
+      ;;
+  esac
+done
 
 if ! command -v temporal >/dev/null 2>&1; then
   echo "temporal CLI is required but was not found in PATH." >&2
@@ -16,8 +43,7 @@ if ! command -v temporal >/dev/null 2>&1; then
 fi
 
 default_target_base="${ZSH_CUSTOM:-${ZSH:-$HOME/.oh-my-zsh}/custom}/plugins"
-if [[ $# -eq 1 ]]; then
-  user_target="$1"
+if [[ -n "$user_target" ]]; then
   if [[ "$(basename "$user_target")" == "temporalctx" ]]; then
     target_dir="$user_target"
   else
@@ -73,6 +99,19 @@ else
   echo "Config already exists at $config_file"
 fi
 
+if [[ "$full_mode" == "1" ]]; then
+  zshc_dir="${ZSHC:-$HOME/.config/zsh}"
+  helper_source="$target_dir/temporalctx.full.zsh"
+  helper_target="$zshc_dir/temporal.zsh"
+  mkdir -p "$zshc_dir"
+  if [[ ! -f "$helper_source" ]]; then
+    echo "Could not find opinionated helpers at $helper_source" >&2
+    exit 1
+  fi
+  ln -sfn "$helper_source" "$helper_target"
+  echo "Installed opinionated helpers at $helper_target"
+fi
+
 echo
 echo "Installation complete."
 echo "Add temporalctx to your Oh My Zsh plugins list, for example:"
diff --git a/temporalctx.full.zsh b/temporalctx.full.zsh
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..3404b70
--- /dev/null
+++ b/temporalctx.full.zsh
@@ -0,0 +1,27 @@
+# Opinionated Temporal helper aliases/functions.
+# Installed by `./install.sh --full`.
+
+# Query a workflow's state.
+# Usage: tq <workflow-id>
+tq() {
+  local wf_id="${1:?Usage: tq <workflow-id>}"
+  temporal workflow query \
+    --workflow-id "$wf_id" \
+    --type getState
+}
+
+# Describe a workflow.
+# Usage: td <workflow-id>
+td() {
+  local wf_id="${1:?Usage: td <workflow-id>}"
+  temporal workflow describe \
+    --workflow-id "$wf_id"
+}
+
+# List recent workflows.
+# Usage: tl [limit]
+tl() {
+  local limit="${1:-10}"
+  temporal workflow list \
+    --limit "$limit"
+}
diff --git a/temporalctx.plugin.zsh b/temporalctx.plugin.zsh
index 6f1c192..9618c99 100644
--- a/temporalctx.plugin.zsh
+++ b/temporalctx.plugin.zsh
@@ -1,6 +1,8 @@
 # temporalctx oh-my-zsh plugin
 # Switch between Temporal contexts defined in ~/.temporal/config.yml.
 
+typeset -g _TEMPORALCTX_PLUGIN_DIR="${${(%):-%x}:A:h}"
+
 _temporalctx_config_file() {
   if [[ -n "$TEMPORAL_CONFIG" ]]; then
     print -r -- "$TEMPORAL_CONFIG"
@@ -15,6 +17,22 @@ _temporalctx_previous_file() {
   print -r -- "${config_file:h}/.temporalctx-previous"
 }
 
+_temporalctx_pid_file() {
+  local config_file
+  config_file="$(_temporalctx_config_file)"
+  print -r -- "${config_file:h}/temporal-dev-server.pid"
+}
+
+_temporalctx_overmind_socket() {
+  local config_file
+  config_file="$(_temporalctx_config_file)"
+  print -r -- "${config_file:h}/overmind.sock"
+}
+
+_temporalctx_procfile() {
+  print -r -- "${_TEMPORALCTX_PLUGIN_DIR}/Procfile"
+}
+
 _temporalctx_default_config() {
   cat <<'YAML'
 current-context: local
@@ -213,6 +231,85 @@ _temporalctx_edit_config() {
   ${=editor_cmd} "$config_file"
 }
 
+_temporalctx_start_local_server() {
+  local no_overmind pid_file pid socket procfile
+  no_overmind="${1:-0}"
+
+  if [[ "$no_overmind" != "1" ]] && command -v overmind >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    socket="$(_temporalctx_overmind_socket)"
+    procfile="$(_temporalctx_procfile)"
+    if [[ ! -f "$procfile" ]]; then
+      print -u2 -- "temporalctx: Procfile not found at $procfile"
+      return 1
+    fi
+    OVERMIND_SOCKET="$socket" overmind start -f "$procfile" -D >/dev/null 2>&1 || return 1
+    print -r -- "started local dev server via overmind"
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  pid_file="$(_temporalctx_pid_file)"
+
+  if [[ -f "$pid_file" ]]; then
+    pid="$(<"$pid_file")"
+    if [[ -n "$pid" ]] && kill -0 "$pid" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+      print -u2 -- "temporalctx: local dev server already running (pid $pid)"
+      return 1
+    fi
+    rm -f -- "$pid_file"
+  fi
+
+  if [[ -z "$(whence -p temporal)" ]]; then
+    print -u2 -- "temporalctx: temporal CLI not found in PATH"
+    return 127
+  fi
+
+  command temporal server start-dev >/dev/null 2>&1 &
+  pid="$!"
+  print -r -- "$pid" > "$pid_file"
+  print -r -- "started local dev server (pid $pid)"
+}
+
+_temporalctx_stop_local_server() {
+  local no_overmind pid_file pid i socket
+  no_overmind="${1:-0}"
+
+  if [[ "$no_overmind" != "1" ]] && command -v overmind >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    socket="$(_temporalctx_overmind_socket)"
+    if [[ ! -S "$socket" && ! -e "$socket" ]]; then
+      print -u2 -- "temporalctx: local dev server not running"
+      return 1
+    fi
+    OVERMIND_SOCKET="$socket" overmind quit >/dev/null 2>&1 || return 1
+    print -r -- "stopped local dev server via overmind"
+    return 0
+  fi
+
+  pid_file="$(_temporalctx_pid_file)"
+
+  if [[ ! -f "$pid_file" ]]; then
+    print -u2 -- "temporalctx: local dev server not running"
+    return 1
+  fi
+
+  pid="$(<"$pid_file")"
+  if [[ -z "$pid" ]] || ! kill -0 "$pid" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+    rm -f -- "$pid_file"
+    print -u2 -- "temporalctx: local dev server not running"
+    return 1
+  fi
+
+  kill "$pid" >/dev/null 2>&1 || true
+  for i in {1..20}; do
+    if ! kill -0 "$pid" >/dev/null 2>&1; then
+      break
+    fi
+    sleep 0.1
+  done
+
+  rm -f -- "$pid_file"
+  print -r -- "stopped local dev server (pid $pid)"
+}
+
 typeset -ga _temporalctx_flags
 
 _temporalctx_build_flags() {
@@ -271,12 +368,31 @@ temporal() {
 }
 
 temporalctx() {
+  local no_overmind=0
   _temporalctx_ensure_config
 
   case "$1" in
     "")
       _temporalctx_pick_context
       ;;
+    start)
+      if [[ "$2" == "--no-overmind" ]]; then
+        no_overmind=1
+      elif [[ -n "$2" ]]; then
+        print -u2 -- "temporalctx: unknown option for start: $2"
+        return 1
+      fi
+      _temporalctx_start_local_server "$no_overmind"
+      ;;
+    stop)
+      if [[ "$2" == "--no-overmind" ]]; then
+        no_overmind=1
+      elif [[ -n "$2" ]]; then
+        print -u2 -- "temporalctx: unknown option for stop: $2"
+        return 1
+      fi
+      _temporalctx_stop_local_server "$no_overmind"
+      ;;
     edit|-e|--edit)
       _temporalctx_edit_config
       ;;
@@ -311,3 +427,5 @@ temporalctx() {
       ;;
   esac
 }
+
+alias tctx='temporalctx'
diff --git a/tests/install_test.sh b/tests/install_test.sh
index 28e0c50..ef81b33 100755
--- a/tests/install_test.sh
+++ b/tests/install_test.sh
@@ -44,4 +44,16 @@ PATH="$tmp_root/bin:$PATH" HOME="$home2" "$REPO_ROOT/install.sh" "$custom_target
 [[ -L "$custom_target/temporalctx" || -d "$custom_target/temporalctx/.git" ]] || fail "custom target should install to <dir>/temporalctx"
 log "case passed: custom target"
 
+# Test: --full installs opinionated helpers into ZSHC/temporal.zsh.
+log "case: --full installs opinionated helpers in ZSHC"
+home3="$tmp_root/home3"
+zshc3="$tmp_root/zshc3"
+plugins3="$tmp_root/plugins3"
+mkdir -p "$home3" "$zshc3" "$plugins3"
+PATH="$tmp_root/bin:$PATH" HOME="$home3" ZSHC="$zshc3" "$REPO_ROOT/install.sh" --full "$plugins3" >"$tmp_root/install3.out" 2>"$tmp_root/install3.err"
+[[ -L "$zshc3/temporal.zsh" ]] || fail "--full should install temporal.zsh as a symlink in ZSHC"
+link_target="$(readlink "$zshc3/temporal.zsh")"
+assert_contains "$link_target" "temporalctx.full.zsh" "--full helper symlink should point to plugin helper file"
+log "case passed: --full helpers"
+
 echo "PASS: install.sh"
diff --git a/tests/temporalctx_plugin_test.sh b/tests/temporalctx_plugin_test.sh
index 95cad43..2660bf6 100755
--- a/tests/temporalctx_plugin_test.sh
+++ b/tests/temporalctx_plugin_test.sh
@@ -60,6 +60,12 @@ printf 'cloud-prod\n'
 SH
 cat > "$tmp_root/bin/temporal" <<'SH'
 #!/usr/bin/env bash
+if [[ "${1:-}" == "server" && "${2:-}" == "start-dev" ]]; then
+  trap 'exit 0' TERM INT
+  while true; do
+    sleep 1
+  done
+fi
 printf 'ARGS:'
 printf ' %s' "$@"
 printf '\n'
@@ -100,6 +106,72 @@ assert_contains "$visual_args" "$cfg" "editor should receive config file path"
 [[ ! -f "$fallback_log" ]] || fail "EDITOR fallback should not run when VISUAL is set"
 log "case passed: edit subcommand"
 
+# Test: alias + local dev server start/stop via PID file.
+log "case: tctx alias and local dev server lifecycle"
+out="$(PATH="$tmp_root/bin:$PATH" TEMPORAL_CONFIG="$cfg" zsh -c '
+  source "'$REPO_ROOT'/temporalctx.plugin.zsh"
+  echo "alias_current=$(tctx -c)"
+  start_out="$(temporalctx start --no-overmind)"
+  pid_file="${TEMPORAL_CONFIG:h}/temporal-dev-server.pid"
+  [[ -f "$pid_file" ]] || exit 22
+  pid="$(<"$pid_file")"
+  kill -0 "$pid"
+  stop_out="$(temporalctx stop --no-overmind)"
+  echo "start=${start_out}"
+  echo "stop=${stop_out}"
+  echo "pid_file_exists=$([[ -f "$pid_file" ]] && echo yes || echo no)"
+')"
+assert_contains "$out" "alias_current=cloud-prod" "tctx alias should call temporalctx"
+assert_contains "$out" "start=started local dev server (pid " "start should report pid"
+assert_contains "$out" "stop=stopped local dev server (pid " "stop should report pid"
+assert_contains "$out" "pid_file_exists=no" "stop should remove pid file"
+log "case passed: alias and local dev server lifecycle"
+
+# Test: overmind path when available, and --no-overmind fallback.
+log "case: overmind start/stop and --no-overmind fallback"
+cat > "$tmp_root/bin/overmind" <<'SH'
+#!/usr/bin/env bash
+set -euo pipefail
+cmd="${1:-}"
+shift || true
+case "$cmd" in
+  start)
+    : "${OVERMIND_SOCKET:?OVERMIND_SOCKET required}"
+    : > "$OVERMIND_SOCKET"
+    exit 0
+    ;;
+  quit)
+    : "${OVERMIND_SOCKET:?OVERMIND_SOCKET required}"
+    rm -f -- "$OVERMIND_SOCKET"
+    exit 0
+    ;;
+  *)
+    echo "unexpected overmind command: $cmd" >&2
+    exit 1
+    ;;
+esac
+SH
+chmod +x "$tmp_root/bin/overmind"
+
+out="$(PATH="$tmp_root/bin:$PATH" TEMPORAL_CONFIG="$cfg" zsh -c '
+  source "'$REPO_ROOT'/temporalctx.plugin.zsh"
+  sock="${TEMPORAL_CONFIG:h}/overmind.sock"
+  echo "start_om=$(temporalctx start)"
+  [[ -e "$sock" ]] || exit 31
+  echo "stop_om=$(temporalctx stop)"
+  echo "sock_exists=$([[ -e "$sock" ]] && echo yes || echo no)"
+  echo "start_no_om=$(temporalctx start --no-overmind)"
+  pid_file="${TEMPORAL_CONFIG:h}/temporal-dev-server.pid"
+  [[ -f "$pid_file" ]] || exit 32
+  echo "stop_no_om=$(temporalctx stop --no-overmind)"
+')"
+assert_contains "$out" "start_om=started local dev server via overmind" "start should use overmind when available"
+assert_contains "$out" "stop_om=stopped local dev server via overmind" "stop should use overmind when available"
+assert_contains "$out" "sock_exists=no" "overmind stop should clear socket"
+assert_contains "$out" "start_no_om=started local dev server (pid " "--no-overmind should force pid mode start"
+assert_contains "$out" "stop_no_om=stopped local dev server (pid " "--no-overmind should force pid mode stop"
+log "case passed: overmind and --no-overmind"
+
 # Test: temporal command wrapping + opt-out.
 log "case: temporal wrapper injects flags and supports opt-out"
 out="$(PATH="$tmp_root/bin:$PATH" TEMPORAL_CONFIG="$cfg" TEMPORAL_CLOUD_PROD_API_KEY=sekret zsh -c '