Getting Started

Getting Started (Host)

This page covers the host side -- the person sharing their machine.

1. Download

Go to Releases and download the latest handoff.exe. No installer; drop it anywhere.

2. Start a Session

Open a terminal in the folder where handoff.exe lives and run:

.\handoff.exe new

Output looks like:

relay: https://handoff.whyknot.dev

session live -- share the view URL with your helper:
   https://handoff.whyknot.dev/v/n1_AbCdEfGhIjK

press Ctrl+C to end the session at any time.

ready -- <n> capabilities registered

Copy the URL and send it to your helper (chat, email, phone -- any channel works).

3. Watch the Console

Each command the operator queues prints to your console:

[cmd] cmd_1 kind=sys.info
       -> ok=true elapsed=312ms
[cmd] cmd_2 kind=hw.usb
       -> ok=true elapsed=88ms

Every command is also appended to the audit log so you have a record of what ran. See Configuration for the log path.

Risky commands, such as arbitrary PowerShell execution, filesystem writes or deletes, process termination, service control, and Pico flashing/reset actions, open a yes/no warning popup the first time they are requested. Choosing Yes allows risky commands for the remainder of the session without another prompt. Only approve this if you trust the person using the view URL.

4. End the Session

Press Ctrl+C. The session closes immediately; the view URL stops working.

Relay URL

The default relay is https://handoff.whyknot.dev. To use a different relay:

$env:HANDOFF_RELAY = "https://your-relay.example.com"
.\handoff.exe new

See Configuration for all environment variables.