What is Cooder

Cooder lets AI Agents keep working in the background while you're away from your computer. Agent sessions are initiated from the mobile app (client): you send a task from your phone, VS Code keeps executing in the background, and you can monitor progress or send follow-up instructions anytime.

The Problem It Solves

AI Agents handling complex tasks can take dozens of minutes or more. Traditional workflows require you to sit at your computer waiting, or constantly switching back to check status. Cooder changes that:

• Background execution — The Agent runs independently, without requiring your attention
• Real-time mobile control — Messages stream instantly; check progress and send new instructions anytime
• Non-blocking workflow — Commute, take a meeting, or rest while AI works for you

Components

Component	Description
VS Code Extension	Provides the @cooder command in GitHub Copilot Chat; manages Agent lifecycle
Relay Server	Forwards messages from VS Code to your phone in real time via WebSocket
Cooder App (PWA)	Mobile interface supporting Web, iOS, Android, and Electron

How It Works

Cooder App on phone (type task, tap Send)
      ↓ WebSocket
  Relay Server (message forwarding)
      ↓ remote_command
  VS Code Extension (runs Agent Loop, calls Copilot LM API)
      ↓ agent_text / status_update streams back
  Relay Server
      ↓
  Cooder App on phone (receives logs in real time)

Tasks are initiated from the phone. The VS Code extension receives the instruction in the background and executes it, streaming logs back to your phone in real time. VS Code doesn't need to be in the foreground — just keep it open and paired.

Typical Scenario

Commute scenario: At 9:00 AM, you open the Cooder app on your phone, type "implement user login" into the input box, and tap Send. The VS Code extension receives the task in the background and starts driving Copilot AI to analyze the codebase. On the subway, you watch logs stream in: structure analysis done, main files created, integrating auth module. You send "also add rate limiting" as a follow-up. At 11:30 AM you arrive at the office, open VS Code, and the diff is ready for review.

About the @cooder Command

The @cooder Chat Participant in VS Code is a secondary entry point: you can also start tasks directly from the VS Code Copilot Chat panel, and the extension will still stream execution logs to your phone via Relay. But the primary use case is initiating from your phone — especially when you need to step away from your computer and keep work moving.

Next Steps

• Quickstart — Up and running in 5 minutes
• Agent Control — Learn how to manage Agent tasks