Blog/mgranda/Claude Code On-The-Go

• Claude Code On-The-Go - granda

  • Key Insight

    • Running six Claude/Code agents in parallel from a phone using Termius on iOS and a cloud VM
    • No laptop or desktop needed—just Termius on iOS and a cloud VM
    • The loop: kick off a task, pocket the phone, get notified when Claude needs input. Async development from anywhere.

  • Infrastructure

    • A Vultr VM in Silicon Valley:
      • Instance: vhf-8c-32gb
      • Cost: Inline: 0.29/hr (~7 per day when running)
      • Pay only when working. Two scripts handle lifecycle:
        • vm-start: Starts the VM, waits for Tailscale, and connects via mosh
        • vm-stop: Halts the VM
    • iOS Shortcut that calls the Vultr API directly—start the VM from phone before even opening Termius
    • The VM's public IP has no SSH listener. All access goes through Tailscale's private network. Defense in depth: cloud firewall blocks everything except Tailscale coordination, local nftables as backup

  • Mobile Terminal

    • Termius handles SSH and mosh on iOS/Android
    • Mosh is the key—it survives network transitions. Switch from WiFi to cellular, walk through a dead zone, put the phone to sleep. The connection persists
    • One gotcha: mosh doesn't forward SSH agent. For git operations that need GitHub auth, use regular SSH inside tmux

  • Session Persistence

    • The shell auto-attaches to tmux on login. Close Termius, reopen hours later, everything's still there
    • Multiple Claude agents run in parallel windows. C-a c for new window, C-a n to cycle. Works well on a phone keyboard

  • Push Notifications

    • This is what makes mobile development practical. Without notifications, you'd constantly check the terminal. With them, you can walk away
    • The hook in ~/.claude/settings.json:
      • When Claude calls AskUserQuestion, the hook fires. A simple script extracts the question and POSTs to Poke's webhook
    • Phone buzzes. Notifications show the question. Tap, respond, continue

  • Trust Model

    • Run Claude Code in permissive mode. The VM is isolated—no access to production systems, no secrets beyond what's needed for development. Worst case: Claude does something unexpected on a disposable VM
    • Cost control adds another layer. The VM costs $0.29/hr. Even if something runs away, the daily cap is bounded

  • Parallel Development

    • Git worktrees let me run multiple features simultaneously:
      • Each worktree gets its own tmux window with a Claude agent. Port allocation is hash-based—deterministic from branch name, no conflicts
    • Six agents, six features, one phone

  • What This Enables

    • Review PRs while waiting for coffee. Kick off a refactor on the train. Fix a bug from the couch while watching TV
    • The pattern: start a task that will take Claude 10-20 minutes, do something else, get notified, respond, repeat. Development fits into the gaps of the day instead of requiring dedicated desk time

  • The Components

    • Vultr: Cloud VM ($0.29/hr, pay-per-use)
    • Tailscale: Private network, secure access
    • Termius: iOS/Android SSH client
    • mosh: Network-resilient shell
    • tmux: Session persistence
    • Poke: Push notifications via webhook
    • Claude Code: The actual work

  • Related

    • The setup took one Claude Code session to build—gave it my Vultr API key and access to gh, asked for a secure dev VM. Now I code from my phone
    • AI/Coding
    • Mobile/Development
    • Development Workflow
    • Claude/Code