am. Back to work
Engineering case study · prototype

Relay.

A cross-device coding handoff designed to carry uncommitted work and context with you.

Git workflows·Node.js·Private phone interface
01 / The problem

Work should be able to move.

A coding session often contains more than the last commit: staged edits, unstaged changes, and new files can all matter. Moving between devices without losing that context requires a deliberate handoff.

Relay is a prototype exploring that handoff and a way to continue coding conversations from a phone.

02 / Approach

Preserve the state, then continue.

The prototype transfers the project’s Git base together with separate staged and unstaged patches and non-ignored untracked files. It checks the restored patches so the receiving workspace reflects the handoff.

A private phone interface offers access to saved coding conversations and a view of changed files.

1. PreserveCarry the Git base and uncommitted work.
2. ContinueReturn to a saved conversation on your phone.
3. ReviewInspect and apply the resulting patch.
03 / Trade-offs

Make returning changes explicit.

Relay records a handoff snapshot, then exports changes made after it as a patch. Applying that patch is an explicit action: the prototype checks that the local Git base still matches and that the patch applies cleanly before changing local files.

This approach favors inspectable Git artifacts and a reviewable return path. If the base has changed or the patch conflicts, the user can inspect the exported patch instead of applying it automatically.

04 / Status & learning

A focused prototype.

Relay is an early prototype, not a claim of a complete production platform. Its scope is a concrete handoff and a private controller for continuing and reviewing work.

The project is an exploration of how much continuity a coding workflow needs: preserving the work is only useful if returning to it is understandable and safe.