Install the Mac Host

Requirements

• Apple silicon with macOS 15 or later.
• Current Tailscale sign-in on the Mac and iPhone.
• A supported terminal workflow. Codex CLI is the setup-validated AI workflow today; Claude Code and Gemini CLI compatibility are being validated.
• The exact signed, notarized, and stapled Terminal iOS host package.

The host package does not bundle or provision an AI tool or its account.

Installation

Verify the channel's version, byte length, and SHA-256 before opening the package. Complete macOS Installer normally. Do not bypass Gatekeeper or install an unsigned copy.

Installation alone does not expose a listener or activate trusted ingress. Finish the setup-validated Codex configuration from an ordinary terminal:

terminal-ios-host setup

For a provider-neutral managed login shell with no Codex requirement, run terminal-ios-host setup --shell-only instead.

Setup shows the exact host, endpoint, and private session before making changes. It requests administrator approval only for trusted ingress, runs health checks, and opens one fresh QR without printing its secret material. Rerunning an unchanged accepted setup is idempotent and creates a new one-time QR.

For the setup-validated AI path, managed setup validates one exact Codex executable and can start it only in a newly created empty pane. --shell-only creates the same persistent terminal around a login shell without requiring or launching Codex. Other host-installed command-line tools can be started from that shell; Claude Code and Gemini CLI remain provider-specific validation in progress. Setup does not copy or change shell dotfiles, CODEX_HOME, AI-tool configuration, plugins, credentials, accounts, or authentication.

Keep the package receipt and published digest until setup, reboot, and iPhone reconnect have all succeeded. Never paste pairing material into chat or email.