mpai

What is mpai?

mpai is an open-source terminal tool that makes Claude Code and Codex sessions multiplayer. A host shares one session over a private Tailscale network, and a named teammate joins from their Mac to read the live transcript and send prompts that carry their name, without screen sharing or a new IDE.

Top Features:

• Session discovery: finds Claude Code and Codex sessions on the host Mac automatically.
• Attributed prompts: every remote turn lands in the real transcript with the sender's name.
• Access roles: viewers only read, participants can prompt, and invites can be revoked.

Use Cases:

• Pair programming: jump into a colleague's long AI coding session without a recap.
• Mid-task steering: guide an agent's work while the host keeps full execution control.
• Cofounder syncs: follow a partner's live transcript instead of summaries or screen shares.

Who Can Use mpai?

• Dev teams: share the same AI coding context without switching to a new IDE.
• Cofounders: share deep agent sessions with a partner working from another Mac.
• Agencies: bring client engineers into a session, since commercial use is allowed.

Pricing

• Open source (free): full source code under the MIT license, with commercial use allowed.
• Public alpha (free): install with Homebrew or npm and start a room in minutes.
• Guest access (free): teammates join through a printed npx command with no account needed.

Pros and Cons

Pros:

• Private: traffic stays on your Tailscale network with no public relay server.
• No new tools: everyone keeps using the terminal and AI clients they already know.
• Clear authorship: named turns show exactly who asked the agent for each change.

Cons:

• Mac only: the alpha runs on Macs only, with no Windows or Linux.
• Tailscale required: both people need an existing Tailscale network before they can connect.
• Alpha limits: standalone Codex sessions are view-only by default, and big teams lack certification.

FAQs:

1) Does my teammate need an account?

No, guests paste a printed npx command and join without an account.

2) Which tools does it support?

Existing Claude Code CLI and Codex sessions on the host Mac.

3) Can guests run shell commands?

No, guests only send prompts, while approvals and shell access stay with the host.

4) Is it free to use?

Yes, it is MIT licensed open source and free for commercial use.

5) What do I need?

macOS, a Tailscale network, Node.js 20 or newer, and an existing AI session.