Documentation

Artemis lets you build mobile apps and websites by describing them in natural language. It uses AI to generate code, sets up a live preview, and deploys to your phone from a chat interface.

Installation

Install Artemis on your machine with a single command:

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+
• Git for version control
• An Anthropic API key (Claude)

What the installer does

1. Checks your system for prerequisites
2. Installs the Artemis server
3. Sets up the backend (app scaffolding, server management)
4. Generates a secure auth token
5. Optionally sets up a Cloudflare tunnel for remote access
6. Prints connection details for the Artemis mobile app

Manual Setup

# Install the Artemis server
cd server && npm install

# Start the server
ANTHROPIC_API_KEY=sk-ant-... node bin/cli.js --port 18789

# Or with all options
artemis-server \
  --api-key sk-ant-... \
  --port 18789 \
  --auth-token your-secret-token \
  --apps-dir ~/artemis-apps

Quick Start

1. Install the Artemis app on your phone
2. Open the app and sign in
3. Choose "Self Hosted" and enter your server URL and token
4. Tap "New App" and describe what you want to build
5. Watch the AI build your app in real-time
6. Open the preview link on your phone

Project Files

Artemis uses .artemis.json files to define project configuration. Place this at the root of any project to make it importable.

Schema

{
  "name": "My App",
  "slug": "my-app",
  "type": "expo | website | node",
  "version": "1.0.0",
  "description": "A brief description",

  "deployment": {
    "platform": "artemis-cloud | self-hosted",
    "url": "https://...",
    "env": { "API_KEY": "..." }
  },

  "git": {
    "remote": "https://github.com/user/repo",
    "branch": "main",
    "autoSync": true
  },

  "codebase": {
    "entry": "App.js",
    "srcDir": "src/",
    "buildCmd": "npm run build",
    "startCmd": "npm start",
    "testCmd": "npm test"
  },

  "artemis": {
    "model": "claude-sonnet-4-20250514",
    "agentInstructions": "Custom AI instructions...",
    "context": ["README.md", "ARCHITECTURE.md"]
  }
}

Fields

Self-Hosting Guide

Running Artemis on your own machine gives you full control over your data and infrastructure.

Requirements

• CPU: 2+ cores recommended
• RAM: 4GB minimum (each app uses ~200-400MB)
• Disk: 10GB+ for app storage
• Network: Stable internet for AI API calls

Remote Access

To access your Artemis instance from your phone, set up a tunnel:

# Using Cloudflare Tunnel (recommended)
cloudflared tunnel --url http://localhost:18789

# The tunnel URL is your server URL in the app

Environment Variables

Collaboration

Share your apps with others by inviting collaborators.

Cloud-Hosted

Use the built-in invite system. Share a link and collaborators get instant access.

Self-Hosted

Push your app to a Git repo and share the URL. Collaborators import it via the project import feature.

Architecture

Artemis is a multi-layer system connecting your phone to an AI-powered development environment.

Data Flow

1. You describe an app in the Artemis mobile app
2. The message travels via WebSocket through a tunnel to the Artemis server
3. The server runs a Claude agent with tool access (file I/O, shell commands)
4. The agent scaffolds the app, writes code, and starts a dev server
5. A tunnel URL is returned for live preview on your phone

Components

Manager API

The Artemis Manager runs on port 3100 and provides a REST API for app lifecycle management.

Configuration

The Artemis server accepts configuration via CLI flags or environment variables.

# Start with all options
artemis-server \
  --port 18789 \
  --api-key sk-ant-... \
  --auth-token your-secret-token \
  --apps-dir ~/artemis-apps \
  --model claude-sonnet-4-20250514

Custom Agent Instructions

Place an ARTEMIS_AGENT.md file in your apps directory to customize the AI agent's behavior. The server loads it automatically on startup.

FAQ

Troubleshooting