Can you code professionally on a tablet?

Yes. With a tablet, a keyboard, and SSH access to remote servers, you can run a full development workflow. The tablet acts as a thin client—all compute, builds, and AI agents run server-side. The local device handles input, display, and connectivity.

What apps do you need to code on a tablet?

An SSH client for access to remote servers. That is the entire dev workflow—terminal-based development over SSH. Web and mobile apps build and run on remote servers.

What are the tradeoffs of tablet-only development?

The main tradeoff is connectivity dependency—no internet means no work. You also need to enjoy terminal-based workflows (SSH, CLI tools). The upside: lighter hardware, cheaper to replace, and your work environment is always consistent regardless of device.

No Laptop, No Problem: Tablet + Remote Servers as a Dev Rig

My laptop died. The obvious move was to replace it. Instead, I asked a different question: do I actually need a laptop?

What happened

My laptop died. I had two options: buy another one, or test a theory I'd been sitting on for a while.

The theory: a developer doesn't need local compute anymore. Not with remote servers. Not with AI agents that write, test, and review code autonomously.

I picked up a tablet with a keyboard. That's it. No laptop replacement. No backup machine. Just a screen, a keyboard, and a connection.

No Laptop, No Problem: Tablet + Remote Servers as a Dev Rig

What happened

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Categories

The setup

Why it works

The device is a thin client

AI changed the equation

Replaceable by design

What a day looks like

The tradeoffs (real ones)

Who this is for

Three days in, a new record

Try this incrementally

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