Android companion

Ghostex Android is a Termux-based companion app for connecting to persistent Ghostex sessions already running on your Mac. It lists ZMX-backed sessions, attaches the Android terminal to selected sessions, and runs sidebar actions through long-press menus.

AndroidTailscaleSSHJ

Download

APKs are published in GitHub Releases:

https://github.com/maddada/Ghostex/releases/latest/download/ghostex-android.apk

Package id: io.ghostex — installs beside upstream Termux (com.termux) on the same phone.

What it does

Connect to one or more saved SSH machines from the Ghostex drawer.
Automatically reconnect to the last selected machine when the app reopens.
List ZMX-backed Ghostex sessions for the current release.
Keep the last seven opened remote sessions warm for faster switching.
Use long-press action sheets for sidebar actions that are hover controls on macOS.
Reach the Mac over Tailscale SSH with app-owned SSHJ transport (not phone-side OpenSSH).

Mac setup

Install and sign in to Tailscale on the Mac.
Enable macOS Remote Login in System Settings → General → Sharing.
Install Ghostex and ensure ghostex is available in the SSH login shell.
Install zmx and set Ghostex session persistence to zmx.
Verify: command -v ghostex && command -v zmx
Keep Ghostex open so gx can list live sessions.

ghostex android-check --json

Android setup

Install and sign in to Tailscale on the Android device.
Open Ghostex Android and add the Mac as a saved machine.
First-run tutorial walks through Tailscale, SSH, and machine setup.
Done opens Add Machine for a fresh user.

Remote commands

ssh user@mac-tailscale-host
gx sessions
gx a 1
gx wake 1
gx sleep 1
gx kill 1
gx rename-session --session-id <id> --title "New title"

Attach contract

Android attaches by stable Ghostex session id using the same contract as desktop remote SSH:

ghostex attach --session-id <id> --project-id <id>

The E2E harness verifies Tailscale SSHJ reachability, remote ghostex and zmx, ZMX inventory parsing, stable-id attach command construction, and remote session actions.

Drawer UI

Cleaner remote-session drawer with refresh, Machines, Settings, and Exit.
Collapsible project groups with project reordering.
Project-level new session controls.
Local Termux terminal management is hidden behind the Ghostex drawer.

Verify Mac readiness

From the Mac or over SSH, confirm Android readiness:

Option	What it does
`ghostex android-check --json`	Reports CLI availability, session count, and sessionPersistenceProvider.
`npm run android:verify-release`	Full release proof from the Ghostex repo root (signing, E2E, UI smoke).

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