---
name: MobileVC Installer
slug: mobilevc-installer
category: Automation
description: MobileVC Installer installs the MobileVC npm package and starts the backend so Claude Code can run from a phone. Use it when setting up the mobile client, QR-code pairing, or LAN/relay access.
github: "https://github.com/JayCRL/MobileVC/tree/main/claude-skills/mobilevc-installer"
language: Go
stars: 210
forks: 29
install: "npx degit https://github.com/JayCRL/MobileVC/tree/main/claude-skills/mobilevc-installer ~/.claude/skills/mobilevc-installer"
installs_to: ~/.claude/skills/mobilevc-installer
source_path: claude-skills/mobilevc-installer/SKILL.md
collection_size: 1
category_size: 1860
added: 2026-09-04T05:26:33.252Z
last_synced: 2026-09-04T05:26:33.252Z
canonical_url: "https://dirskills.com/skills/mobilevc-installer"
---

# MobileVC Installer

MobileVC Installer installs the MobileVC npm package and starts the backend so Claude Code can run from a phone. Use it when setting up the mobile client, QR-code pairing, or LAN/relay access.

**Install:**

```bash
npx degit https://github.com/JayCRL/MobileVC/tree/main/claude-skills/mobilevc-installer ~/.claude/skills/mobilevc-installer
```

## README

# mobilevc-installer

Install and run MobileVC for the user. The user's dev machine becomes the Claude Code backend; the phone runs the official client app and connects to it over LAN or through the public Relay flow.

GitHub: https://github.com/JayCRL/MobileVC
npm:    https://www.npmjs.com/package/@justprove/mobilevc

## What you do

Run these steps in order. Stop and report to the user as soon as anything fails.

### Step 1 — Preflight

Before installing, check the environment. Run these commands and confirm:

```bash
node --version    # require >= 18.0.0
npm --version
```

If `node` is missing or older than 18, STOP and tell the user how to install Node.js (`brew install node`, `nvm install 20`, or https://nodejs.org). Do NOT proceed.

### Step 2 — Install the npm package

Try the global install first:

```bash
npm install -g @justprove/mobilevc
```

If it fails with `EACCES` or permission errors, do NOT use `sudo`. Instead suggest one of:

- `npm config set prefix ~/.npm-global && export PATH=~/.npm-global/bin:$PATH` then re-run install
- `nvm use <version>` if the user has nvm
- `npm install --prefix ~/.local @justprove/mobilevc` and add `~/.local/bin` to PATH

Verify:

```bash
mobilevc --help
```

### Step 3 — First-run setup (interactive)

Tell the user that `mobilevc start` will ask three questions on first run:

1. **Language** — `zh` or `en`
2. **Port** — default `8001`. Pick something else if 8001 is busy.
3. **Auth token** — any string the user wants. The phone client will need this to connect.

If the user has not picked a token yet, suggest something memorable but non-trivial (e.g. `mvc-` plus 8 random chars).

Important: token input is hidden in the terminal. Tell the user to type the token normally and press Enter even though no characters are shown.

### Step 4 — Start the backend

```bash
mobilevc start
```

This will:
- Run `mobilevc setup` if no config exists yet
- Spawn the prebuilt server binary in the background (logs in `~/.mobilevc/logs/`)
- Print a LAN QR code in the terminal that encodes `<host>:<port>` + auth token

If start fails, run `mobilevc logs` and surface the relevant error to the user. Common issues:
- Port already in use → `mobilevc stop` then change port via `mobilevc setup`
- Binary missing → reinstall via `npm install -g @justprove/mobilevc --force`

### Step 5 — Direct the user to install the phone client

Tell the user (verbatim, in the user's preferred language):

```
后端已启动。请在手机上：
1. 打开 MobileVC 官网首页：https://www.mobilevc.top
2. iOS 通过官网上的 TestFlight 链接安装
3. Android 通过官网上的 APK 下载入口安装
4. 如果官网打不开，先切换到国内网络环境后再试
5. 打开 MobileVC App，扫描终端里刚刚打印的二维码
```

(English variant if the user is using English.)

### Step 6 — Done

Confirm the running state:

```bash
mobilevc status
```

Tell the user the helper commands they will need later:
- `mobilevc status` — check if backend is alive
- `mobilevc logs -f` — follow logs
- `mobilevc stop` — stop backend
- `mobilevc restart` — restart with same config
- `mobilevc setup` — reconfigure (port / token / language)
- `mobilevc public --relay wss://relay.mobilevc.top:9443` — connect through the official Relay when the phone is not on the same WiFi

## Important rules

- **Do NOT** clone the MobileVC source repo unless the user explicitly asks to develop on it. This skill is for end-users who only want to RUN MobileVC.
- **Do NOT** ask the user for APNS keys or any backend secrets. The npm-bundled binary is self-contained for LAN usage; APNS push is only required if the user is self-hosting a public deployment, which is out of scope here.
- **Do** check Node.js version first. Almost all install failures upstream of `mobilevc start` are Node version or PATH issues.
- **Do** keep the QR code output visible — that's the primary user-facing artifact.