cmdrop

AirDrop for shell commands. Send a command to a nearby Mac or Linux machine on the same LAN. Commands never auto-run.

Install

Requires Node.js 20+.

npm install -g cmdrop
cmdrop init

On Ubuntu, Avahi is recommended (UDP fallback works without it):

sudo apt install avahi-daemon

If ufw is active, allow the daemon port when peers cannot see each other:

sudo ufw allow 45454/tcp && sudo ufw allow 45455/udp

Pair two machines

Do this on each computer (same Wi‑Fi / LAN):

npm install -g cmdrop
cmdrop init
cmdrop peers

peers should list this device and the other machine. The first drop between two devices shows a 6-digit pairing code on both sides — confirm it matches. After that, the devices stay trusted until you cmdrop unpair.

Use

# pick a command from history, then pick a nearby device
cmdrop send

# send an explicit command
cmdrop send -- 'docker compose up -d'
cmdrop send --last --to OtherLaptop

# on the receiving machine: preview, then copy / insert / run
cmdrop inbox

Run always asks you to type run. Nothing executes silently.

cmdrop status          # identity + daemon
cmdrop history         # browse history without sending
cmdrop unpair NAME     # forget a device
cmdrop restart         # reload the user daemon
cmdrop init --shell    # optional: insert into the next prompt

How it works

cmdrop runs a small user daemon (launchd on macOS, systemd --user on Linux). It finds peers with mDNS (Bonjour / Avahi) and a UDP fallback, then sends the command over TLS. There is no account and no cloud.

Requirements

• macOS, Linux, or Ubuntu
• Node.js 20 or newer
• Same local network

Windows is not supported.