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docs: simplify README, remove REST API examples and dev section, polish SKILL.md

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@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<img src="assets/logo.png" width="150" alt="helios-remote logo" />
</p>
**AI-first remote control tool** — a relay server + Windows client written in Rust. Lets an AI agent (or any HTTP client) take full control of a remote Windows machine via a lightweight WebSocket relay.
**AI-first remote control tool** — a relay server + Windows client written in Rust. Lets an AI agent take full control of a remote Windows machine via a lightweight WebSocket relay.
## Quick Connect
@ -26,79 +26,50 @@ irm https://raw.githubusercontent.com/agent-helios/helios-remote/master/scripts/
---
## Architecture
```
helios-remote/
├── crates/
│ ├── common/ # Shared protocol types, WebSocket message definitions
│ ├── server/ # Relay server (REST API + WebSocket hub)
│ └── client/ # Windows client
├── remote.py # CLI wrapper for the REST API
├── Cargo.toml # Workspace root
└── README.md
```
### How It Works
## How It Works
```
AI Agent
│ REST API (X-Api-Key)
▼
helios-server ──WebSocket── helios-client (Windows)
│ │
POST /devices/:label/screenshot │ Captures screen → base64 PNG
POST /devices/:label/exec │ Runs command in persistent shell
│
▼ remote.py CLI
helios-server ──WebSocket── helios-client (Windows)
```
1. The **Windows client** connects to the relay server via WebSocket and sends a `Hello` with its device label.
2. The **AI agent** calls the REST API using the device label to issue commands.
3. The relay server forwards commands to the correct client and streams back responses.
1. The **Windows client** connects to the relay server via WebSocket and registers with its device label.
2. The **AI agent** uses `remote.py` to issue commands — screenshots, shell commands, window management, file transfers.
3. The relay server forwards everything to the correct client and streams back responses.
### Device Labels
Device labels are the sole identifier. Only one client instance can run per device.
Device labels are the **sole identifier** for connected clients. Labels must be:
- **Lowercase** only
- **No whitespace**
- Only `a-z`, `0-9`, `-`, `_` as characters
---
Labels are set during first-time client setup. Examples: `moritz_pc`, `work-desktop`, `gaming-rig`
## remote.py CLI
### Single Instance
```bash
python remote.py devices # list connected devices
python remote.py screenshot <device> screen # full-screen screenshot → /tmp/helios-remote-screenshot.png
python remote.py screenshot <device> <window_label> # screenshot a specific window
python remote.py exec <device> <command...> # run shell command (PowerShell)
python remote.py exec <device> --timeout 600 <command...> # with custom timeout (seconds)
python remote.py windows <device> # list visible windows
python remote.py focus <device> <window_label> # focus a window
python remote.py maximize <device> <window_label> # maximize and focus a window
python remote.py minimize-all <device> # minimize all windows
python remote.py prompt <device> "Please click Save" # show MessageBox, blocks until user confirms
python remote.py prompt <device> "message" --title "Title" # with custom dialog title
python remote.py run <device> <program> [args...] # launch program (fire-and-forget)
python remote.py clipboard-get <device> # get clipboard text
python remote.py clipboard-set <device> <text> # set clipboard text
python remote.py upload <device> <local> <remote> # upload file to device
python remote.py download <device> <remote> <local> # download file from device
python remote.py version <device> # compare relay/remote.py/client commits
python remote.py logs <device> # fetch last 100 lines of client log
python remote.py logs <device> --lines 200 # custom line count
```
Only one helios-remote client can run per device. The client uses a PID-based lock file to enforce this.
---
## Server
### REST API
All endpoints (except `/version` and `/ws`) require the `X-Api-Key` header.
| Method | Path | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `GET` | `/devices` | List all connected devices |
| `POST` | `/devices/:label/screenshot` | Full screen screenshot (base64 PNG) |
| `POST` | `/devices/:label/exec` | Execute a shell command |
| `GET` | `/devices/:label/windows` | List visible windows (with labels) |
| `POST` | `/devices/:label/windows/minimize-all` | Minimize all windows |
| `POST` | `/devices/:label/windows/:window_id/screenshot` | Screenshot a specific window |
| `POST` | `/devices/:label/windows/:window_id/focus` | Focus a window |
| `POST` | `/devices/:label/windows/:window_id/maximize` | Maximize and focus a window |
| `POST` | `/devices/:label/prompt` | Show a MessageBox (blocks until OK) |
| `POST` | `/devices/:label/run` | Launch a program (fire-and-forget) |
| `GET` | `/devices/:label/clipboard` | Get clipboard contents |
| `POST` | `/devices/:label/clipboard` | Set clipboard contents |
| `GET` | `/devices/:label/version` | Get client version/commit |
| `POST` | `/devices/:label/upload` | Upload a file to the client |
| `GET` | `/devices/:label/download?path=...` | Download a file from the client |
| `GET` | `/devices/:label/logs` | Fetch client log tail |
| `GET` | `/version` | Server version/commit (no auth) |
### WebSocket
Clients connect to `ws://host:3000/ws`. The first message must be a `Hello` with the device label.
### Running the Server
## Server Setup
```bash
HELIOS_API_KEY=your-secret-key HELIOS_BIND=0.0.0.0:3000 cargo run -p helios-server
@ -106,87 +77,11 @@ HELIOS_API_KEY=your-secret-key HELIOS_BIND=0.0.0.0:3000 cargo run -p helios-serv
| Variable | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| `HELIOS_API_KEY` | `dev-secret` | API key for REST endpoints |
| `HELIOS_API_KEY` | `dev-secret` | API key |
| `HELIOS_BIND` | `0.0.0.0:3000` | Listen address |
| `RUST_LOG` | `helios_server=debug` | Log level |
### Example API Usage
```bash
# List devices
curl -H "X-Api-Key: your-secret-key" http://localhost:3000/devices
# Take a full-screen screenshot
curl -s -X POST -H "X-Api-Key: your-secret-key" \
http://localhost:3000/devices/moritz_pc/screenshot
# Run a command
curl -s -X POST -H "X-Api-Key: your-secret-key" \
-H "Content-Type: application/json" \
-d '{"command": "whoami"}' \
http://localhost:3000/devices/moritz_pc/exec
```
## remote.py CLI
The `remote.py` script provides a CLI wrapper around the REST API.
### Commands
```bash
python remote.py devices # list connected devices
python remote.py screenshot <device> screen # full-screen screenshot → /tmp/helios-remote-screenshot.png
python remote.py screenshot <device> google_chrome # screenshot a specific window by label
python remote.py exec <device> <command...> # run shell command (PowerShell)
python remote.py exec <device> --timeout 600 <command...> # with custom timeout (seconds)
python remote.py windows <device> # list visible windows (with labels)
python remote.py focus <device> <window_label> # focus a window
python remote.py maximize <device> <window_label> # maximize and focus a window
python remote.py minimize-all <device> # minimize all windows
python remote.py prompt <device> "Please click Save" # ask user to do something manually
python remote.py prompt <device> "message" --title "Title" # with custom dialog title
python remote.py run <device> <program> [args...] # launch program (fire-and-forget)
python remote.py clipboard-get <device> # get clipboard text
python remote.py clipboard-set <device> <text> # set clipboard text
python remote.py upload <device> <local> <remote> # upload file
python remote.py download <device> <remote> <local> # download file
python remote.py version <device> # compare relay/remote.py/client commits
python remote.py logs <device> # fetch last 100 lines of client log
python remote.py logs <device> --lines 200 # custom line count
```
### Window Labels
Windows are identified by human-readable labels (same format as device labels: lowercase, no whitespace). Use `windows` to list them:
```bash
$ python remote.py windows moritz_pc
Label Title
----------------------------------------------------------------------
google_chrome Google Chrome
discord Discord
visual_studio_code Visual Studio Code
```
Then use the label in `screenshot`, `focus`, or `maximize`:
```bash
python remote.py screenshot moritz_pc google_chrome
python remote.py focus moritz_pc discord
```
## Development
```bash
# Build everything
cargo build
# Run tests
cargo test
# Run server in dev mode
RUST_LOG=debug cargo run -p helios-server
```
---
## License