Mac CLI Companion
The free Mac CLI that runs review-server and pairs with the iPhone app.
What it is
The Mac CLI companion is the free half of SpecDock. It runs on your Mac as
review-server, watches your project's Markdown and MDX files, and is what your
iPhone actually talks to for sync and Agent Handoff.
It ships as an npm package, so there is nothing to download, unzip, or build. You run it
straight from npx, and npx always fetches the version you ask for.
Without it running, the iPhone app only has sample data to look at.
Get started
Install
Open Terminal on your Mac and run the command below. It starts review-server,
prints the URLs your iPhone can reach it on, and shows a pairing QR code.
Pair
Open SpecDock on your iPhone. On the same Wi-Fi, it finds your Mac over Bonjour and you pick it from the list. You can also scan the QR code the CLI just printed, or type the 6-digit pairing code by hand.
Add a project
Run the command below inside a project's folder to register it too, or add it later from the app by picking it from the detected list or typing a path with Add by Path.
Boundaries
Free
The Mac CLI companion costs nothing. Reading and commenting on one project in the iPhone app is also free.
Mac required
The companion is what makes real sync and Agent Handoff work. Without it, the iPhone app only has sample data to explore.
Tailscale optional
Tailscale is one route to reach your Mac from outside your Wi-Fi, not a requirement. LAN, Bonjour, and manual URL all work without it, and pairing is required on every route either way.
Integrity
The companion is distributed through npm, so npm's own tarball integrity covers what you
run; there is no separate checksum to verify by hand. Run specdock doctor or
specdock version to see exactly what you're running.