Get it running

Open the macOS app to connect to this Mac automatically. You do not need to start a server manually or enter a token.

Get the bundle

Download the zip from Download on the product site. It holds buster7.app and a short README. The server and the b7 command live inside the app.

Put the app in place

Move buster7.app into your Applications folder.

It opens as-is

The bundle carries a Developer ID signature notarized by Apple, so buster7.app opens on the first try — no "unverified developer" warning.

If it still refuses to open, clear the quarantine flag:

xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/buster7.app

1. Open the app

Launch buster7.app. It starts its own local server and connects automatically. Choose Add project, select your working folder, and open a terminal.

The authentication token is generated automatically and stored in macOS Keychain. If you previously configured a different server, that connection is preserved.

Quitting the app stops its server and terminals. Projects and sessions are restored on the next launch, but commands that were running do not continue uninterrupted.

2. Drive it from a shell

Keep the app open and run the command inside the app:

/Applications/buster7.app/Contents/Helpers/b7 status

It uses your saved connection settings. See CLI (b7) for details.

The app checks for new versions on its own and tells you when one is available. Choose Install Update and it replaces itself and reopens. To check right away, choose buster7 → Check for Updates… in the menu bar.

Your projects and sessions are kept. The bundle's bin/server and bin/b7 are not updated automatically; if you use them, replace them from the new bundle.

Versions 1.0.1 and earlier do not include this. Replace buster7.app with the one from the new bundle once.

From another machine or a phone

From a phone to the app on this Mac

In the app, open Settings → Connection, and under Connect from a phone turn on Accept connections from other devices. A phone on the same Wi-Fi or VPN can then connect to this Mac. Switching it restarts the server, so running commands stop (sessions come back after the restart).

Then press Show QR code and scan it with Scan QR code in the phone app, or with the phone's own camera app. The port stays the same when you reopen the app.

Use a network you trust

Traffic is not encrypted. Use it on a network you trust, such as at home, or over a VPN. The QR code contains the token, so do not show it while sharing your screen.

Run the server on its own

To connect from another machine, run the server inside the app on its own and enter the address and token it prints in Connection settings. Unless you turn on the setting above, the automatic local server only accepts connections from this Mac. Over a home or office network, or from a mobile connection, set up a tunnel such as a VPN and put that host name in Server (for example macmini.example.net:8787).

By default the server listens only on the same machine. To use it over a tunnel, change the address it listens on:

/Applications/buster7.app/Contents/Helpers/server --bind 0.0.0.0:8787

When the server listens on an address other devices can reach, it prints a QR code for your phone along with the token. In the phone app's connection settings, tap Scan QR code and scan it: the address and token are filled in and the app connects. You can also scan it with the phone's own camera app: the app opens and asks you to confirm the server, so tap Connect. If you chose the token yourself, or want to show the code again later, run:

/Applications/buster7.app/Contents/Helpers/b7 --token <token> server pair

When there are several candidate addresses, the one on the same Wi-Fi comes first. If it cannot be reached, pick another with --host.

The iOS app is not distributed yet.

Keep the token to yourself

Anyone with the token can drive your server. Keep it out of screen shares and screenshots.