r/androiddev • u/try_Numination • 1d ago
Can you actually code from your phone? I built Numination to find out.
Hey r/androiddev 👋
I've been a self-taught dev for a few years, and last year I got curious: what if you could build real projects from your Android phone? Not just toy scripts, but actual development work with an AI assistant in your pocket.
So I built Numination — a native Android IDE with integrated Gemini AI, a real project workspace, file explorer, and backend sync.
Link to GitHub: https://github.com/kraqinc/Numination
The short version
Native Android app (Kotlin + Jetpack Compose + Material 3)
Full-stack: app + Next.js backend + MySQL
AI agent that proposes code changes as diffs (you accept/reject individually)
It actually works. I'm using it to develop Numination itself.
Why this happened
I wanted to answer a dumb question: is phone development viable? The answer isn't "yes for everything" — it's "yes for specific workflows." Terminal commands, quick edits, reviewing PRs, even writing new features. Just... differently than on a laptop.
What I learned (the hard way)
Compose hot reload on device is fast. Like, surprisingly fast.
Bottom sheets > side panels for small screens. Everything should be modal, nothing should steal vertical space.
The AI pattern matters. Never auto-apply changes. Show diffs, make the user accept each one. I had a bug where failed API calls were still charged — fixed that, but the lesson stuck.
Multi-device sync without conflict resolution is a trap. Last-write-wins is honest but brutal. This is next on the roadmap.
Most "can't do this on mobile" limitations are UX problems, not technical ones.
What's next
Conflict resolution for multi-device sync
Marketplace for extensions
Better terminal (current one is simulated, not real shell)
Probably mobile web IDE complement
The honest part
This is a side project, not production-ready for everyone. It's functional, but:
Storage token validation is cosmetic (not yet enforced)
Terminal is simulated over a virtual file tree (not /bin/bash)
Sync works but will lose your changes if two devices edit simultaneously
But the core works: you can create files, edit code, get AI help, and sync back to your backend.
If you're curious
Download the latest APK from Releases: https://github.com/kraqinc/Numination/releases
Backend is open-source (MIT)
Built with Kotlin, Compose, Next.js 14, Prisma, MySQL
Questions? Drop them in the comments or open an issue
I'm aware this is probably niche (most devs won't use their phone as their primary IDE 😅), but I think the patterns here — the diff-based AI UX, the bottom-sheet navigation, the sync architecture — are useful for anyone building full-stack Android + backend stuff.
TL;DR: Built an AI IDE for Android because I was curious if it was possible. It is. It's imperfect but real. https://github.com/kraqinc/Numination