mobilecode README

The project's README from github.com/hsandhu/mobilecode. As one markdown file: README.md.

mobilecode

The open source AI coding agent for mobile apps.

MobileCode is a fork of opencode that knows about mobile projects. When it detects an iOS or Android project it can run the simulator or emulator preview server and render the live device inside the app, next to your session.

React Native

Run a React Native app on iOS and Android from one Play button. MobileCode starts one Metro server, builds both native projects, and launches them in embedded Simulator and Emulator panes.

MobileCode building and running a React Native app on iOS and Android

MobileCode building and running an iOS app in the embedded simulator

iOS: detects Xcode projects and workspaces, CocoaPods, and Expo apps, then runs serve-sim and embeds the iOS Simulator stream.
Android: detects Gradle projects and Expo apps, then runs serve-avd and embeds the Android Emulator stream.
Expo and React Native: Play generates the native project with expo prebuild when needed, installs pods, starts Metro, and connects the emulator to it through adb reverse. One Metro serves both platforms.
Agent-driven runs: the device_run tool lets the agent build and launch the app itself, wait for the result, and read the build error and log tail, so it can fix a failing build without you pasting logs. The device pane opens when a run starts.
One project at a time: the simulator, emulator and Metro port are shared, so starting a project stops any other project's apps first. Switching to a tab whose project was running brings it back, relaunching the installed app without a rebuild when it can.
Everything else opencode does: terminal UI, desktop app, web UI, any model provider, MCP, plugins, and skills.

How the device pane works

Open a session in a mobile project and the device pane opens by itself, alongside your conversation. It starts npx serve-sim or npx serve-avd on the machine running the MobileCode server and streams the simulator or emulator into the app, with Start, Stop, Reload and Open in browser controls. Projects are detected up to two directories below the session root, so an app in a subfolder is still found.

Build and run

The session titlebar carries an Xcode-style run control for every detected platform, showing the current build status next to it.

Play builds the native project, installs it on the running simulator or emulator, and launches it. On iOS that is xcodebuild against the first shared scheme, then simctl install and simctl launch. On Android it is ./gradlew :<module>:assembleDebug, then adb install -r -g and an explicit launch intent.
Stop cancels a build in flight, or terminates the app on the device when it is already running.
Status moves through Building, Installing, Launching and Running, and a failed build shows the first compiler or Gradle error with the full log one click away in the device pane.

The same operations are available over HTTP:

GET  /api/device-preview?location[directory]=<project>
POST /api/device-preview/start      { "platform": "ios" | "android" }
POST /api/device-preview/stop       { "platform": "ios" | "android" }
POST /api/device-preview/run        { "platform": "ios" | "android" }
POST /api/device-preview/run/stop   { "platform": "ios" | "android" }

Requirements: macOS with Xcode for iOS (serve-sim needs Node 20 or newer), and the Android SDK platform-tools with at least one AVD for Android. Android builds need a JDK your project's Gradle version supports, and the package name is read from the built APK with aapt2 when the SDK build-tools are installed.

Installation

# Install script (downloads a release binary from GitHub)
curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/hsandhu/mobilecode/main/install | bash

# From source
git clone https://github.com/hsandhu/mobilecode.git
cd mobilecode
bun install
bun run --cwd packages/opencode src/index.ts

The install script places the binary in ~/.mobilecode/bin and adds it to your shell PATH.

Configuration and data

MobileCode keeps opencode's configuration format and locations, so an existing opencode.json, provider credentials, plugins, and skills work unchanged. Configuration lives in ~/.config/opencode, data in ~/.local/share/opencode, and environment variables keep the OPENCODE_ prefix. See the opencode docs for the full reference.

Development

bun install
bun run --cwd packages/opencode src/index.ts serve --port 4096   # backend
bun --cwd packages/app dev -- --port 4444                        # web UI at http://localhost:4444
bun --cwd packages/desktop dev                                   # desktop app

Run bun typecheck inside a package directory before sending changes. Tests run from package directories, for example bun test in packages/opencode.

Building the macOS app

bun run build:macos

One command: it installs dependencies, bundles the server, builds the Electron app and writes MobileCode.app plus a .dmg and .zip to packages/desktop/dist. It needs Node 20 or newer and picks a suitable version from nvm when the one on your PATH is older.

The build is unsigned by default, so right-click the app and choose Open the first time. To ship a signed and notarized build, pass --sign with a Developer ID certificate in your keychain and APPLE_API_KEY, APPLE_API_KEY_ID and APPLE_API_ISSUER set. Other options are --arch arm64|x64|universal, --channel dev|beta|prod and --skip-install; --help lists them.

License

MIT. MobileCode is built on opencode, copyright (c) 2025 opencode, and keeps its MIT license.

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What is this?

MobileCode is an open source AI coding agent for building mobile apps, forked from opencode. When it detects an iOS or Android project it can launch the simulator or emulator and show a live preview right next to your chat session.

Is this a CLI tool or does it have a desktop app?

It inherits all of opencode's interfaces: a terminal UI, an Electron desktop app, and a web UI, plus support for any model provider, MCP, plugins and skills.

What do I need installed to preview iOS or Android apps?

iOS previews need macOS with Xcode (and Node 20+ for serve-sim); Android previews need the Android SDK platform-tools with at least one AVD, plus a JDK matching your project's Gradle version.

Can I preview multiple mobile projects at the same time?

No, the simulator, emulator and Metro port are shared, so starting a new project automatically stops any other project's running apps first.

Does it work with an existing opencode setup?

Yes, MobileCode keeps opencode's configuration format and file locations, so an existing opencode.json, provider credentials, plugins and skills work unchanged.

How does it run React Native or Expo apps?

Pressing Play starts one Metro server, runs expo prebuild if needed, installs pods, builds both native projects, and connects the Android emulator to Metro through adb reverse, launching the app on both iOS and Android at once.

What does the devicerun tool let the agent do?

It lets the AI agent build and launch the app itself, wait for the result, and read the build error and log tail directly, so it can fix a failing build without you pasting logs.

Can I get a signed macOS app build?

By default the macOS app build is unsigned, but passing --sign with a Developer ID certificate and Apple API key credentials produces a signed and notarized MobileCode.app, .dmg and .zip.

What are similar projects?

Baize, skills, skills, 1code, zuse, kimi-code, acryl, lody-ios

Which topics is it in?

gradle, expo, ide, xcode, bun, ai-coding, ai-tools, react-native, mobile-development, node, coding-agents, model-context-protocol

Creator: hsandhu
Size: 310.8 MB
Stars: 242
Updated: CommitOct 08 Releasev1.18.35Oct 08
Age: 1mo
Commits · 90 Days