Embodiments are directed to interacting with a server in a read-eval-print loop (REPL) environment. In an embodiment, a client computer system receives a proxy object from a remotely-hosted server. The server maintains an execution context with which the client computer system interacts. The client system presents the received proxy object to the user for interaction with the object. The user input indicates how the data in the proxy object is to be processed. The interaction allows the user to manipulate the remotely-hosted data through the local computer system. The client system then, based on the user interaction, sends a user-initiated command to the remotely-hosted server using the proxy object. The user-initiated command indicates various portions of data hosted on the server that are to be returned to the user. The data received from the remotely-hosted server is then displayed at the client computer system.