I Want to Write Code on My Phone

On the train, while taking a walk, or during short waiting times—moments when you can’t open a laptop, yet your mind drifts back to code. That function. That bug. That unfinished feature.

But actually typing code on a phone? Entering symbols is pure hell. It’s just not practical.

At least, that’s what I used to think.

After Meeting Coding Agents

Once I started using coding agents seriously, my perspective changed.

Natural language turns directly into code. “Refactor this function,” and it actually refactors it. “Add some tests,” and the tests appear. It can even run commands.

That’s when it clicked: if coding no longer fundamentally depends on keyboard input, then maybe a phone is enough.

I Built Pockode

At first, I thought about putting my entire development environment in the cloud. But setup was annoying, performance was mediocre, and more importantly— I didn’t want to give up my familiar local environment.

So I built Pockode.

It’s a tool that lets you control Claude Code running on your home computer from your phone. As long as Claude Code is installed locally, you start it with one command, scan a QR code, and you’re in.

No new environment to set up. No project migration. You keep developing exactly the way you always have.

I Hardly Open Neovim Anymore

When I first started developing Pockode, Neovim was still essential— mainly for checking git diff.

Later, I added diff viewing and file browsing directly into Pockode. I was developing Pockode using Pockode, originally just for debugging—but then I realized I no longer needed to open Neovim at all.

Now I only open an editor when I need full-text search or deep code reading.

Sometimes I fix bugs while walking. I give instructions to the AI on my phone, generate code, run tests. By the time I get home, the feature is already done.

99% of the Code Is Written by AI

In Pockode, about 99% of the code comes from Claude Code.

But this isn’t “hands-off” development. I discuss design with it, review the output, and continuously adjust direction.

Honestly, my Go experience was barely beyond tutorials, and I hadn’t touched React in a long time. Yet I still managed to build a complete, usable product.

The reasons are simple:

• Go is highly readable—you can judge logic even if syntax details are fuzzy
• AI proactively suggests appropriate libraries and implementations
• It introduces approaches I wouldn’t have thought of myself

If I had been developing alone, this project would probably have been abandoned before completion. I kept going because AI was running alongside me.

Living With AI’s Weaknesses

AI isn’t perfect.

It can sprint in the wrong direction. It keeps optimizing locally while forgetting the original goal. When that happens, you must intervene immediately and pull it back.

It tends to apply quick fixes. Instead of addressing root causes, it patches symptoms. Too many patches, and even simple features turn into tangled code.

The worst case is “meaningless code.” Variables that are defined but never used. Branches that are never reached. They look harmless, but in the next session they mislead the AI: “This must exist for a reason.”

And that’s how new misunderstandings are born.

To avoid this, there’s only one requirement: you must understand the overall structure. You can’t fully let go—but as long as you hold the steering wheel, AI is extremely powerful.

Even When You Leave Your Desk, Development Doesn’t Stop

Coding agents have a practical problem: permission prompts.

Writing files. Running commands. Every confirmation can stop progress the moment you step away.

But auto-approving everything is dangerous.

With Pockode, this problem disappears. Even when you’re out, you can confirm permissions from your phone and keep the agent running.

I used to skip meals because I “didn’t want to break the flow.” That’s no longer the case.

While walking, on the train, or out and about, I can always check progress and intervene if needed.

Development is no longer tied to a place.

That’s the kind of life I want.

If this resonates with you, give Pockode a try.

Original text: https://sijiaoh.com/en/posts/phone-claude-code-and-me/