Crabfleet

Your computers, within reach.

Crabfleet is a remote desktop app for VNC: a native Mac viewer, private desktop sharing, and a Linux/Windows host connector. Save connections, switch between desktops, and share a computer with low-latency video, audio, clipboard, and optional file transfer.

The Mac app works with ordinary VNC servers without an account. Its optional desktop service adds sign-in, discovery, and an authenticated browser relay at https://crabfleet.openclaw.ai. Product documentation lives at docs.crabfleet.ai.

Desktop features

• Native Mac viewer: Metal rendering, saved VNC connections, Quick Connect, full-screen controls, multiple warm sessions, and Wake-on-LAN.
• Share This Mac: up to four displays, password-authenticated direct connections over Tailscale, pinned QUIC with TCP fallback, and owner-authenticated browser relay.
• Negotiated media: HEVC, H.264, Tight/JPEG fallback, client-side cursors, Auto/Sharp/Smooth quality modes, and opt-in system audio.
• Clipboard and files: UTF-8 clipboard synchronization and explicitly selected shared folders with bounded transfers.
• Linux connector: X11, Hyprland/wlroots, and GNOME/KDE portal capture, optional audio, private persistent state, and graphical-session startup.
• Windows connector: primary-display capture, keyboard and pointer input, password authentication, Tight/JPEG, and client-side cursors.

Get started

On macOS, build with a real Developer ID and install at the stable application path before testing screen capture or input:

pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
CODE_SIGN_IDENTITY="Developer ID Application: OpenClaw Foundation (FWJYW4S8P8)" pnpm macos:bundle

Install the resulting macos/CrabfleetMac/.build/Crabfleet.app at /Applications/Crabfleet.app. Choose Use Local VNC Only for saved connections or Quick Connect. Choose Share This Mac to host a desktop; grant Screen Recording and, for remote control, Accessibility.

On Linux:

go build -o ./dist/crabfleet-connect ./cmd/crabfleet-connect
./dist/crabfleet-connect login --server https://crabfleet.openclaw.ai
./dist/crabfleet-connect share --fleet

See the quickstart, Mac app guide, and Linux connector guide.

Development

pnpm install --frozen-lockfile
pnpm check
pnpm test
pnpm test:native
pnpm build:docs

pnpm check builds the browser companion, type-checks the desktop backend, and runs lint and format checks. pnpm test covers desktop authorization, registration, relays, and browser RFB. pnpm test:native runs Go race tests and vet; on macOS it also runs the Swift suites. Use pnpm format to apply formatting.

The source is split into macos/CrabfleetMac (native viewer and Mac host), cmd/crabfleet-connect and internal (Go hosts and RFB), and src (desktop discovery, authorization, relay, and browser VNC companion). The backend has no agent workspace, board, terminal, or sandbox execution service.

Deployment configuration and upgrade notes are in the administration guide; the desktop protocol is documented in the API reference.

License

See LICENSE. The native app includes a source fork of RoyalVNCKit with its own notices in macos/CrabfleetMac/Vendor/RoyalVNCKit.