Show HN: PhoneCode: Local-First ADE Running Natively on Android
PhoneCode is a native Android app that provides a local-first agentic coding environment by bootstrapping Alpine Linux via proot inside a Kotlin container. It offers offline access to shell, Python 3.12, Node.js, and git without relying on SSH or cloud servers. API keys are encrypted using Android Keystore, and prompts go directly to providers with no background telemetry.
Background
- PhoneCode is a new open-source Android app that lets you code and run AI-assisted development (an "agentic coding" setup) entirely on your phone, no internet or remote server needed.
- "Agentic coding" refers to AI-powered tools (like OpenCode, which PhoneCode uses underneath) that can execute code, run shell commands, and write files autonomously based on natural-language prompts — basically an AI coding assistant with hands-on access.
- The app uses proot (a "pseudo root" trick) to spin up a full Alpine Linux environment inside a container on your Android device. This gives you a local terminal, Python, Node.js, and git even when offline.
- Most existing Android coding tools are just SSH clients — they connect to a remote VPS or cloud server where the actual work happens. PhoneCode is explicitly "local-first," meaning everything runs on-device.
- The creator posted this as a "Show HN" on Hacker News, a community where developers share side projects and new tools for feedback.