Run AI coding agents like Claude Code on your Android phone

AI coding agents are terminal programs. Give them a real Linux system and they run on a phone just as they do on a laptop: start a task, put the phone away, and get told when it is done. Here is what that is good for and where it falls short.

What people use it for

Start work away from the desk. Kick off a refactor, a test fix or a new feature from the bus, and review it later.
Keep an eye on long jobs. The agent runs while the phone is in your pocket; an Android notification arrives when it is done.
Build things the agent can run. The agent has the same tools it has on a laptop: Git, Python, Node.js, compilers, ffmpeg, Blender. The Blender cinematic on this site was written and rendered by agents on a phone.
Let an agent use desktop apps. With desktop control switched on (off by default), an agent can click, type and read the screen of the Linux desktop over MCP, while you watch.

What runs

These agents install with one tap from PocketShell's Home (none are preinstalled): Claude Code, OpenCode, Codex, Qwen Code, Kilo Code, Cline, Antigravity, Hermes Agent and ZCode. Any other agent that runs on Linux arm64 can be installed from the terminal.

Piece	What it is
Linux	Debian 13 with apt, glibc, no root needed
Engines	Fast (in-process, the default after a self-test) and Compatible (proot). Codex and Hermes Agent need Compatible.
Notifications	An Android notification when the agent is done, with Reply and Mark as read. Agents signal it with the standard OSC 9 message; tested with Claude Code, Codex, OpenCode, Hermes and ZCode
Desktop control	Optional: agents drive the Linux desktop over MCP; switch in Settings → Linux, a Stop button ends it
Screenshots to the agent	Long-press the terminal, tap Paste: the image is saved and its path pasted

Limits, plainly

The model does not run on the phone. The agent is a program on the phone; the thinking happens on the provider's servers. You need that provider's account, subscription or API key, and internet.
Typing on a phone is slow. Agents help here because you write one sentence and they do the typing, but reading big diffs on a phone screen is still hard. A tablet or a Bluetooth keyboard helps.
Background limits. Android may still stop work under memory pressure, and battery use of long sessions was not measured.
Some agents need the slower Compatible engine (Codex, Hermes Agent).

Where PocketShell fits. Agents need a real Linux userland, and on Android that normally means rooting the phone or a pile of setup. PocketShell gives one-tap installs for the common agents, a terminal keyboard made for them, Android notifications when a session ends, and optional desktop control. PocketShell is a 15-day free trial, then €7.99 once, no subscription. Pricing · Download

Questions

Can I run Claude Code on Android?

Yes. Claude Code runs in PocketShell's Debian terminal on Android phones and tablets (arm64, Android 8 or newer). You need your own Claude account; the model runs on Anthropic's servers.

Does the AI model run on my phone?

No. Coding agents like Claude Code, OpenCode and Codex run on the phone, but the model they talk to runs on the provider's servers, so you need internet and an account or API key.

Do I need root?

No. PocketShell runs Debian without root.

Written by Muhammad Taha Raees, the developer of PocketShell. Measurements are single runs on the devices named, unless the text says otherwise. Last checked: 2026-11-04.