Vibe Coding From Anywhere: Agentic CLI + Tailscale + ConnectBot

The Problem

Sometimes inspiration (or urgency) hits when you’re not in front of your main machine.

You want to:

• Inspect a codebase
• Ask questions about existing logic
• Make small edits
• Think through architecture

…but your project lives on a home server, behind double NAT, and you only have your phone.

Traditional solutions (port forwarding, public SSH exposure) are either fragile or unsafe.

The Stack

This setup works surprisingly well and feels almost unfairly powerful:

• Fedora Linux server (home, double NAT)
• Continue.dev CLI → agentic AI that understands your codebase
• DeepSeek Coder as the LLM backend
• Tailscale → zero-config private networking
• Android phone
• ConnectBot → real Linux shell on mobile

In short:

📱 Phone → ConnectBot → SSH → Fedora server → Continue.dev → AI understands your repo

Why Tailscale Solves Double NAT

Double NAT normally kills inbound connections.

Tailscale flips the model:

• Your server makes an outbound encrypted connection
• Your phone does the same
• Both devices meet inside a private WireGuard mesh

No port forwarding. No public exposure. No hacks.

From SSH’s perspective, it feels like a local network.

Continue.dev on the Server

On my Fedora server, I run Continue.dev CLI, so the AI lives next to the code.

This means:

• Full repository context
• Fast file access
• No syncing or partial clones

My ~/.continue/config.yaml looks like this:

name: "local-deepseek"
version: "1.0.0"

models:
  - name: "DeepSeek Coder"
    provider: "openai"
    model: "deepseek-coder"
    apiBase: "https://api.deepseek.com/v1"
    apiKey: "REDACTED"

defaultModel: "DeepSeek Coder"
allowAnonymousTelemetry: false

Once authenticated, I can ask questions like:

• “Why is this function structured this way?”
• “What breaks if I change this interface?”
• “Refactor this for clarity”

All over SSH.

ConnectBot: Real Linux on Android

ConnectBot turns your phone into a legit Linux terminal.

just enter your SSH credentials after installing the app.

Once connected:

• Run cn (Continue.dev CLI)
• Navigate the repo
• Read, reason, and edit code

This isn’t remote desktop cosplay — it’s actual development.

Why This Feels Different

Most “AI coding” setups are:

• Browser-based
• Detached from the real repo
• Context-limited

This one is:

• Terminal-native
• Repo-aware
• Private
• Always-on

You’re not asking an AI to guess your project.

You’re asking it while standing inside the project.

When This Is Useful

• Reviewing PRs while commuting
• Debugging production logic away from your desk
• Capturing architectural thoughts before they fade
• Teaching yourself your own codebase

It’s not about replacing real development time.

It’s about keeping momentum alive.

Security Notes

• SSH is only reachable via Tailscale
• No public ports exposed
• Keys stay on your devices
• AI API key lives only on the server

This is far safer than exposing SSH to the internet.

Final Thoughts

Agentic CLI + Tailscale + ConnectBot turns your phone into:

A secure, private, AI-augmented terminal to your home server

Not flashy.

Just extremely effective.

If you already think in terminals, this feels like cheating — in the best way possible.

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