Why it is worth attention

It combines a fully automated, security-hardened cloud box (no inbound ports, key-only SSH, no sudo for agents) with a practical mobile workflow (QR code, Termius, Mosh) and instant ephemeral web publishing via Cloudflare tunnels—all in two commands.

Who it is for

Developers who want to code from a phone or tablet while traveling
AI coding agent users seeking a low-cost, always-on remote environment
Privacy-conscious developers who refuse public SSH and want a tailnet-only box
Solo builders or small teams experimenting with multiple AI coding agents

Use cases

Run Claude Code or Aider on a cheap €5-8/mo Hetzner server and access it from anywhere via phone
Create a secure dev box for a weekend project and share a live demo URL with a colleague via pocketdev publish
Adopt an existing Hetzner server and automatically harden it (no public ports, Tailscale-only access, agent installation)
Quickly spin up a disposable AI coding environment for a hackathon and tear it down with one command

Strengths

Two-command setup with a guided TUI that walks through token, box, Tailscale, and agent configuration
Defense-in-depth security: Hetzner firewall drops all inbound, Tailscale for connectivity, key-only SSH, unprivileged dev user
Supports seven AI coding agents (Claude Code, Codex, opencode, Cursor, Gemini, Grok, Aider) with automatic login over SSH
Mobile-optimized workflow: QR code, Termius SSH ID for key distribution, Mosh for persistent connections, tmux session management

Considerations

Early-stage project; multi-user/hosted version faces per-seat subscription constraints (Claude Pro/Max is per-user)
Requires both a Hetzner Cloud and a Tailscale account, and the phone setup needs manual key management (QR alone won't work without a key)
Reboot kills the tmux session (processes don't survive), and cloud-init runs apt upgrade on first boot, adding a short delay

README quick start

pocketdev

Run the AI coding CLI you already pay for on a cloud box you reach from your phone.

pocketdev provisions an always-on Hetzner server, locks it to your private Tailscale network (no public SSH), and installs the agent you use: Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, opencode, Gemini, Grok, or Aider. You log in with your own subscription. Then you SSH in from a laptop or from Termius on a phone and code from anywhere.

Two commands and you are done:

# on your laptop
pocketdev

# on the box (once)
ssh dev@devbox
pocketdev setup

How it works

pocketdev (laptop) walks one step at a time: paste a Hetzner token (it checks the token before moving on), choose the box, connect Tailscale, choose which agents to install on the box, and pick what code the box starts with. Each console page opens only when you reach that step and say so.

The Project step picks one source for the box's code:

Clone a GitHub repo. Pick from a searchable list of your repos, read live via the local gh CLI; pocketdev clones it on the box during pocketdev setup (after gh auth login). If gh isn't installed locally, type owner/repo instead.
Copy a local folder. Browse your filesystem (start typing to filter, ctrl+a toggles hidden files), pick a folder or file, and pocketdev rsyncs it to the box over the tailnet once the box is up.
Start fresh. An empty box.

The box step offers two paths:

Create a new box. Drill down Hetzner's hierarchy, the same as the console: Type (Shared / Dedicated) → Class (Cost-Optimized, Regular Performance, or General Purpose) → Architecture (x86 / Arm64), with any single-choice step skipped. Then a table (headers, full region names with country flags, live net monthly prices ex VAT in your account currency) where each row is a concrete size + region, cheapest first. Type to filter, shift+tab to step back. pocketdev creates a firewall that drops all public inbound, boots Ubuntu 24.04 with that firewall attached, joins it to your tailnet, and installs the agent CLIs. Nothing listens on the public internet.
Adopt a server you already own. Pick one of your existing servers; pocketdev joins it to your tailnet and installs the agents over SSH without rebuilding it. pocketdev destroy never deletes an adopted server (you owned

Description

One command to run the AI coding CLI you already pay for (Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Gemini, Grok, aider) on a Tailscale-only Hetzner box — code from your phone.

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