Kimi is one of the providers I like using for “read-first” sessions.

Sometimes I want to explore a codebase, ask questions, and only start writing once I’m sure.

That makes it a great fit for a phone check-in workflow:

• I don’t need to do big edits
• I mostly want summaries and safe guidance

This guide is how I run Kimi on a computer that has the repo, and then monitor it from my phone.

TL;DR

1. Install Kimi CLI and confirm it runs on the computer that will host the session.
2. Kimi runs in ACP mode via kimi acp.
3. If you want a strict “no writes” mode, Kimi can be launched with a read-only agent file that excludes shell + write tools.
4. Use a phone-friendly session UI to check progress and send follow-ups.

The problem

If you’re using a phone, the two biggest failure modes are:

• you accidentally approve a destructive tool
• you try to do real editing on mobile

So the best “phone workflow” is:

• safe check-ins
• read-only when possible
• a clear stop-and-summarize pattern

What I tried first (and where I bounced off)

• SSH from phone

• remote desktop

• just waiting

• Happier: it gives you a phone UI for check-ins and follow-ups, without dragging you into terminal work. Trade-off: it still depends on the computer running the session being online.

If you’re new to Happier (what it is, and where to get it)

If you haven’t seen Happier before: it’s an open-source companion app (mobile/web/desktop) for coding sessions.

Get set up:

• GitHub: https://github.com/happier-dev/happier
• Install/download: https://github.com/happier-dev/happier#how-it-works
• Discord: https://discord.gg/W6Pb8KuHfg

Step 1: install Kimi

From provider docs:

kimi --version

Step 2: understand how Kimi runs (ACP)

In Happier’s backend implementation, Kimi is launched as:

• kimi acp

That’s why the CLI needs to be installed on the host computer.

Step 3: optional — run in read-only mode

This is a Kimi-specific feature worth using.

In source, when permission intent is read-only, Happier writes a temporary agent YAML that excludes:

• shell tool
• file write tools

So you get a session that can still reason, but can’t mutate the repo.

Step 4: phone loop

1. open session
2. ask for a checkpoint summary
3. send one follow-up
4. leave

If you’re new to Happier

Happier is one option for running Kimi on a computer and monitoring it from your phone.

Get set up:

• GitHub: https://github.com/happier-dev/happier
• Install/download: https://github.com/happier-dev/happier#how-it-works
• Discord: https://discord.gg/W6Pb8KuHfg