Can I use Aider with Claude or GPT models over SSH?

Yes. Aider runs on your server with the API keys set there, for example ANTHROPIC_API_KEY or OPENAI_API_KEY. HQSSH only carries the terminal.

How do I know when Aider is done?

Start Aider with `--notifications` so it rings the terminal bell when it is waiting for input. HQSSH turns that bell into a phone notification.

Aider on iPhone, iPad & Android

Pair-program with Aider from your phone: run it on your server with any model provider, launch it with one tap in HQSSH, get a notification when it is waiting for you, and run headless Aider tasks.

Updated October 8, 2026

Aider is an open-source AI pair programmer that runs in the terminal, edits files in your git repo and commits each change. It works with Claude, GPT and many other models. HQSSH lets you run it on your own server and work with it from an iPhone, iPad or Android phone.

Install Aider on the machine

On the Mac, Linux server or VPS that holds your code:

python -m pip install aider-install
aider-install

Set the API key for your model provider on the server, for example ANTHROPIC_API_KEY or OPENAI_API_KEY. The key stays on the server, and the phone only carries the terminal.

Launch it from your phone

Install the HQSSH daemon on the same machine (Linux or macOS):

$ curl -fsSL https://hqssh.com/install | sh

The daemon detects Aider automatically. Open a project in the app and tap LAUNCH AIDER. The session keeps running when the phone locks or the connection drops, and you can reattach from your phone, your iPad or the hqssh attach desktop command.

Get notified when Aider is waiting

Aider can ring the terminal bell when it has finished and is waiting for your next message. Turn it on with --notifications, or permanently in .aider.conf.yml:

notifications: true

HQSSH turns the bell into a phone notification for every session on the machine, including ones you aren't viewing. The daemon can also forward alerts to an ntfy topic so they reach you with the app closed.

Headless Aider tasks

Some jobs don't need a conversation. Save a prompt as an HQSSH task and the daemon runs it on the server as aider --yes --message "<prompt>", then keeps the output so you can read it later. Because Aider commits its changes, every task leaves a reviewable trail in git log.

Phone-friendly Aider habits

Use the full terminal. Aider's commits are ordinary git commits, so check them with git log -p in the same app, or undo the last one with /undo inside Aider.
Keep messages short. Long prompts are easier to write as a task, or paste from your notes with the toolbar's paste key.
Add files deliberately. /add and /drop keep Aider focused on the files you name, which also keeps responses short enough to read on a phone.