Getting started

What you need

• macOS or Linux (on Windows it may work inside WSL, not tested).
• Node.js 22 or newer: check with node --version.
• A coding agent that runs shell commands. Claude Code gets a ready-made skill; any other agent works too, see Agents.
• A phone, a tablet or another computer with a modern browser. No app store, no account.

Install with your agent

Paste this into Claude Code:

Set up palmtop for me: follow https://palmtop.miltonwebagency.it/install.md

The agent checks your system, downloads palmtop into ~/.palmtopai/bin, verifies its checksum and installs the Claude Code skill. It never edits your shell files: it shows you the line that adds palmtop to your PATH. Run it, then restart Claude Code so it finds the skill.

Install by hand

mkdir -p ~/.palmtopai/bin && cd ~/.palmtopai/bin
curl -fsSL https://palmtop.miltonwebagency.it/palmtop.mjs -o palmtop.mjs
chmod +x palmtop.mjs && ln -sf palmtop.mjs palmtop
# add to ~/.zshrc or ~/.bashrc, then open a new terminal:
export PATH="$HOME/.palmtopai/bin:$PATH"
palmtop install   # Claude Code skill and permission

palmtop install puts the skill in ~/.claude/skills/palmtop/ and allows palmtop commands in ~/.claude/settings.json (it backs up the file first). Skip it if you don’t use Claude Code.

Pair your devices

From any folder on the computer run:

palmtop pair

A page with a QR code opens in your browser. Scan it with your phone or tablet: the app opens already paired with this computer, and shows every project on it — including the ones you start later. On a phone, add the page to your home screen so it feels like an app.

• The QR page works once and expires after a minute: run palmtop pair again if needed.
• To use the app in a browser on the same computer, click Open on this computer.
• Pair once per device and per computer. Each device needs its own QR code.

Your first checks

Ask your agent for something and for the checks, for example:

implement the plan and put the checks on palmtop

The agent does the work, then writes a checklist of things for you to test. Your devices show it live (and notifies you, if you turned notifications on). Try each check and mark it:

Mark	Meaning
✓	It works. A note can confirm, or ask for a change
✕	It doesn’t work. A note can say what happens, or ask to remove the feature
?	You need more information. The agent explains, without changing code

Leave a check unmarked if you didn’t test it. See review statuses for what the agent does with each mark and note. When you are done, tell the agent in the chat, for example “I reviewed the checks on palmtop”. It reads your review, fixes what doesn’t work and asks you to check those items again.

Next: learn the concepts behind projects, sessions and reviews.