REA
Reverse engineer anything from your terminal or agent with one CLI and MCP server.
Runs on your computer
Hostbeam
What it does
Lets a coding agent read the screenshots you beam to its server with Hostbeam.
- Connects Runs on your computer
- Account or key No key needed
- Category Developer tools
Install
Pick the AI app you use, then copy the settings.
Passed 3/3 checks · Runs on your computer
First: which AI do you use?
Pick your app and the steps appear below.
Works with Claude, with some setup first
You need a Hostbeam key (create it on the maker’s site) · Install Node.js on your computer first (one time) · Only the Claude desktop app (Windows or Mac), not the web or phone
Install Node.js
One time only; it works for every server that needs Node.js
Sign up and create a Hostbeam key
Open the maker’s site, sign up and create an API key for the next step. Check the maker’s site for pricing and free plans.
Open the Claude desktop app’s settings file
SettingsDeveloperEdit Config
Paste these settings and save the file
Checking the commands · copy buttons appear once they pass
Paste the key only into the app’s field, never into a chat or to anyone
Quit Claude and open it again
Try it
Use Hostbeam and tell me what you can do for me, then show me one thing✓ If Claude says it is using Hostbeam or shows a Hostbeam tool in the answer, you are connected
Menu names checked against Anthropic’s help page on Nov 11, 2026 · your screen may differ slightly by app version
ChatGPT cannot connect Hostbeam yet
Hostbeam runs on your computer, but ChatGPT can only connect servers that run on the web
What you can do instead
A · Use an app that can connect Hostbeam
- You need a Hostbeam key (create it on the maker’s site) · Install Node.js on your computer first (one time) · Only the Claude desktop app (Windows or Mac), not the web or phone
- You need a Hostbeam key (create it on the maker’s site) · Install Node.js on your computer first (one time)
- You need a Hostbeam key (create it on the maker’s site) · Install Node.js on your computer first (one time)
- You need a Hostbeam key (create it on the maker’s site) · Install Node.js on your computer first (one time)
B · Others in Developer tools that work with ChatGPT
Picked from the most used in the same category, only ones that connect by address with no key
- Sentry✓ ChatGPT
- Compiler Explorer✓ ChatGPT
- GitDiagram✓ ChatGPT
Works with Claude Code, with some setup first
You need a Hostbeam key (create it on the maker’s site) · Install Node.js on your computer first (one time)
Install Node.js
One time only; it works for every server that needs Node.js
Sign up and create a Hostbeam key
Open the maker’s site, sign up and create an API key for the next step. Check the maker’s site for pricing and free plans.
Open Terminal
Mac: press Command+Space and type Terminal · Windows: open PowerShell
Paste this command and press Enter
Checking the commands · copy buttons appear once they pass
Replace “your-value” with your key before pressing Enter
Paste the key only into the app’s field, never into a chat or to anyone
Type /mcp in Claude Code
You should see Hostbeam listed as connected
Try it
Use Hostbeam and tell me what you can do for me, then show me one thing✓ If Claude Code says it is using Hostbeam or shows a Hostbeam tool in the answer, you are connected
Menu names checked against Anthropic’s help page on Nov 11, 2026 · your screen may differ slightly by app version
Works with Cursor, with some setup first
You need a Hostbeam key (create it on the maker’s site) · Install Node.js on your computer first (one time)
Install Node.js
One time only; it works for every server that needs Node.js
Sign up and create a Hostbeam key
Open the maker’s site, sign up and create an API key for the next step. Check the maker’s site for pricing and free plans.
Click this button to open Cursor
Checking the commands · copy buttons appear once they pass
Fill in your key
In the Hostbeam settings, HOSTBEAM_DIR is empty; add your key and save
Paste the key only into the app’s field, never into a chat or to anyone
Open the AI chat in Cursor in Agent mode
Try it
Use Hostbeam and tell me what you can do for me, then show me one thing✓ If Cursor says it is using Hostbeam or shows a Hostbeam tool in the answer, you are connected
Menu names checked against Cursor’s help page on Nov 11, 2026 · your screen may differ slightly by app version
Works with VS Code, with some setup first
You need a Hostbeam key (create it on the maker’s site) · Install Node.js on your computer first (one time)
Install Node.js
One time only; it works for every server that needs Node.js
Sign up and create a Hostbeam key
Open the maker’s site, sign up and create an API key for the next step. Check the maker’s site for pricing and free plans.
Click this button to open VS Code
Checking the commands · copy buttons appear once they pass
Fill in your key
In the Hostbeam settings, HOSTBEAM_DIR is empty; add your key and save
Paste the key only into the app’s field, never into a chat or to anyone
Open the AI chat in VS Code in Agent mode
Try it
Use Hostbeam and tell me what you can do for me, then show me one thing✓ If VS Code says it is using Hostbeam or shows a Hostbeam tool in the answer, you are connected
Menu names checked against VS Code’s help page on Nov 11, 2026 · your screen may differ slightly by app version
For developers: Terminal commands and JSON settings
Installed on your computer
Claude Code
Checking the commands · copy buttons appear once they pass
Claude Desktop (claude_desktop_config.json)
Checking the commands · copy buttons appear once they pass
Cursor (~/.cursor/mcp.json)
Checking the commands · copy buttons appear once they pass
VS Code (mcp.json)
Checking the commands · copy buttons appear once they pass
Values you fill in
HOSTBEAM_DIRenvThe folder Hostbeam beams to on this server. Leave unset for /tmp/hostbeam.
These settings are generated from the maker’s registry entry. If the README says otherwise, follow the README.
At a glance
- Downloads per weeki
- 64/wk
- Verified domain
- ✓ hostbeam.app
- Connection
- Runs on your computer
- Latest versioni
- 0.1.4
- Categoryi
- Developer tools
- Published to registryi
- Oct 9, 2026
- Code last changedi
- Oct 9, 2026
- Maker
- PunkAbeat
- Packages
npm: @hostbeam/mcp- Website
- hostbeam.app
- Registry status
- Active
Which apps can use it
Based on how this server connects and on each app’s own docs, checked Nov 10, 2026.
Run on your computer in
ClaudeGooseLM StudioMsty StudioCherry StudioCursorVS Code + GitHub CopilotVisual StudioWindsurf (Devin Desktop)ZedKiroClineContinueJetBrains AI AssistantClaude CodeCodex CLIGemini CLIOpenCodenodecodeWarpLibreChatRaycast
Related guides
What it can do
Runs on your computer; the tool list appears in your AI app after you install it.
Basic checksi
We check information anyone can see; we have not read the code. Checks that do not apply are left out of the count. · Checked Nov 13, 2026
- ✓ Pass
Maker matches the repo
The registry name was verified against the domain hostbeam.app (the registry checks domain ownership)
- ✓ Pass
Still maintained
Code last changed 35 days ago
- ✓ Pass
Has a licence
Uses MIT
- – Not applicable
Endpoint responds
This one runs on your computer; there is no internet endpoint
- – Not applicable
Sign-in with OAuth
Runs on your computer and uses local settings instead
- … Not checked yet
No hidden instructions in tool descriptions
Runs on your computer; we can only read tool lists from internet endpoints
Discussion
Ask, share a tip or report that it does not work. Sorted by what people marked helpful.
No posts yet. Be the first to ask or share.
Posts here are written by users, not the PopNx team.
User reviews
No reviews yet
Compared with others in Developer toolsi
- More stars than 0% of the other 5851 servers in this category
- Published to the registry more recently than 47% of the other 5851 servers in this category
- Basic checks equal to or better than 100% of the other 5851 servers in this category
Compared with every active server in this category in the registry. Stars count only when the publisher owns the repo.
Common questions
Is Hostbeam safe?
It passed 3 of 3 applicable basic checks. We have not read the code. Before adding a key or token, see what access the server asks for and use a key with only the permissions you need.
What keys or codes does it need?
The registry does not list a required key, though some servers ask you to sign in on first use.
Does it run on my computer or in the cloud?
It runs on your computer. Your AI app starts it when needed, and data does not pass through the maker’s servers (unless it calls an online service itself).
Is it still maintained?
The GitHub repo last changed 35 days ago, and the latest version (0.1.4) reached the registry 35 days ago.
Which apps can use it?
Apps that support MCP, such as Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor and VS Code. You also need Node.js on your computer.
What can I use instead?
In the same category: REA, GitHub, Serena MCP: the IDE for your agent
Others in the same category
Servers in the same category from other makers, sorted by stars.
Reading a card:↓ Downloads per weeki★ GitHub starsiThree pillars: reviews · checks · usageiUpdated = latest version published to the registryi
Serena MCP: the IDE for your agent
A powerful toolkit for coding, providing semantic retrieval and editing capabilities.
Runs on your computer
README from the maker
Open the README
Copied from the maker’s repo as written. PopNx MCP has not reviewed or endorsed it. HTML, images and scripts are removed. Links lead off this site.
Hostbeam MCP server
Hostbeam sends a screenshot from your Mac or your iPhone to a server over SSH and puts the remote path on your clipboard, so you can paste it to a coding agent running there.
This MCP server runs on that server, next to the agent. The agent can ask for the screenshot you just beamed and read it, without you pasting the path.
Install
On the server your agent runs on, not on your Mac or your phone. Node 18 or later.
For Claude Code:
claude mcp add -s user hostbeam -- npx -y @hostbeam/mcp-s user makes it available in every project on that server.
For Codex:
codex mcp add hostbeam -- npx -y @hostbeam/mcpFor other MCP clients, in their JSON config:
{"mcpServers": { "hostbeam": { "command": "npx", "args": ["-y", "@hostbeam/mcp"] } } }
If the server can't reach npm, copy hostbeam-mcp.mjs to it and run that instead. It has no dependencies.
claude mcp add -s user hostbeam -- node /path/to/hostbeam-mcp.mjsHostbeam beams to /tmp/hostbeam unless you changed the folder for that host. If you did, give the server the same folder: -e HOSTBEAM_DIR=/your/folder for Claude Code, --env HOSTBEAM_DIR=/your/folder for Codex, or "env": { "HOSTBEAM_DIR": "/your/folder" } in JSON.
Tools
- `latest_screenshot` returns the most recent beam as images, with how long ago it arrived. If you beamed several files at once, it returns all of them, up to six, and names the rest.
- `list_screenshots` lists recent beams with file names, sizes and times. No image data.
- `read_screenshot` returns one file by name.
What it reads
Only files Hostbeam delivered: names starting with hostbeam- with an image extension, in that one folder. It doesn't look in subfolders, and it refuses a name with a path in it. It never writes, moves or deletes anything.
It skips symlinks, and it won't read a folder that belongs to another user or that any user can write to, because a file there may not be one you beamed.
JPEG, PNG, GIF and WebP come back as images, up to 3.75 MB each. Other formats and larger files come back as a path instead: models only accept those four formats, and model APIs refuse bigger images. When a beam holds several files, latest_screenshot includes images up to 7.5 MB in total and names the rest.
Check it by hand
It speaks newline-delimited JSON-RPC on stdin and stdout:
printf '%s\n' \'{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":1,"method":"initialize","params":{}}' \ '{"jsonrpc":"2.0","id":2,"method":"tools/call","params":{"name":"list_screenshots"}}' \ | npx -y @hostbeam/mcp
License
MIT