Work from another device

The work stays on the Mend machine. Other devices attach to it.

A terminal attachment, browser tab, desktop window, or phone is a client of the same session. Closing one does not stop the agent, delete the worktree, or move the development service.

flowchart LR
  laptop[Laptop CLI]
  browser[Browser]
  desktop[Desktop app]
  phone[Phone]
  private[Private network]
  mend[Mend machine]
  session[Session workspace]

  laptop --> private
  browser --> private
  desktop --> private
  phone --> private
  private --> mend --> session

Use a private network

The installer exposes the Mend server so another device on the host’s LAN or tailnet can reach it. Postgres and the Sealant control plane stay on loopback.

Prefer Tailscale or another private network. Mend does not require public ingress for remote use. Do not publish the server directly to the internet.

Plain HTTP on a LAN does not protect credentials from that network. If you are not using a private encrypted network, place a trusted TLS boundary in front of Mend and test terminal WebSockets before relying on it.

Pair another device

On a signed-in machine, run:

mend pair

The command prints a QR code, a short code, and the address the second device should open. A pairing code is valid for one device, one claim, and ten minutes.

Override the advertised address when automatic detection chooses the wrong interface:

mend pair --url http://mend-host.example:3105

After a successful claim, the new device receives its own revocable token. Revoke devices from Settings.

Current device tokens have normal authenticated API access. Read-only and control scopes are planned but not enforced yet. Pair only devices and users you trust with the whole Mend instance.

Reattach from another terminal

Install the Mend CLI on the second machine, point it at the server, and sign in:

mend login --url http://mend-host:3105
mend sessions
mend attach <session-id-prefix>

mend attach replays the terminal stream and then follows live output. Press Ctrl+] to detach without stopping the process. Set MEND_DETACH_KEY=none when an outer terminal multiplexer owns the detach key.

Browser and desktop

The web and desktop apps list the same projects and sessions. Use them to follow output, open a shell, inspect project setup, and review the current change.

A browser disconnect does not define session status. Reopening the session resumes from its durable record.

Phone

The responsive web app is the no-install phone path. The native client under apps/mobile is not published yet.

Mobile is for steering, terminal access, session status, development-service links, and review. It is not intended to replace a full editor.

Development services

A declared Service runs in a session workspace and receives a stable host port while live. On the machine running the Mend server, that port is local; from another device, run mend service connect <name> to bind the same port on your own loopback over an authenticated WebSocket — it works on every deployment shape and needs no extra network exposure.

Raw forwarded ports do not pass through Mend request authentication; when you expose one directly, the private network is the access boundary. Declare HTTP or HTTPS before presenting a Service as a browser link.