plainhub/plain-app

★ 4,706KotlinAudience · generalComplexity · 2/5Setup · easy

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((plain-app))
    What it does
      Local web dashboard
      File browsing
      SMS and call logs
      Screen mirroring
    Built-in tools
      Markdown notes
      RSS reader
      Pomodoro timer
      Media player
    Privacy features
      No cloud required
      Encrypted connection
      No third-party servers
    Getting started
      Google Play or F-Droid
      Open browser on laptop
      Type phone local address

mindmap root((plain-app)) What it does Local web dashboard File browsing SMS and call logs Screen mirroring Built-in tools Markdown notes RSS reader Pomodoro timer Media player Privacy features No cloud required Encrypted connection No third-party servers Getting started Google Play or F-Droid Open browser on laptop Type phone local address

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Things people build with this

USE CASE 1

Browse and transfer files between your Android phone and laptop over Wi-Fi without cables or cloud storage.

USE CASE 2

Send and read SMS text messages from your computer keyboard using your phone's connection.

USE CASE 3

Mirror your phone screen to a browser in real time for presentations or remote troubleshooting.

USE CASE 4

Cast videos stored on your Android phone to a Chromecast or DLNA TV without internet.

Tech stack

KotlinAndroidWebSocketHTTPSDLNAChromecast

Getting it running

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

Install from Google Play or F-Droid, open the app, and visit the displayed local address from any browser on the same Wi-Fi network.

In plain English

PlainApp is a free, open-source Android app that turns your phone into a small local server, letting you manage it from any web browser on the same Wi-Fi network. There is no account to create, no cloud service involved, and no subscription. You open a browser on your computer, type in the phone's local address, and get a dashboard where you can browse files, view photos and videos, read SMS messages, check call logs, send texts from your keyboard, and mirror your screen in real time. All data stays on your local network. The connection between your phone and browser is encrypted, so traffic cannot be read if someone else is on the same network. The README emphasizes that nothing is sent to any third-party server, which distinguishes it from similar tools that route data through their own infrastructure. Beyond the browser dashboard, PlainApp also works as a standalone Android app with several built-in tools. It includes a markdown note editor, an RSS reader, a media player with playlist support, a Pomodoro timer for focused work sessions, a sound level meter, a TV casting feature for DLNA and Chromecast-compatible televisions, and peer-to-peer file sharing and chat between devices without a central server. The app requires Android 9.0 or later and is available on Google Play, F-Droid, and directly from GitHub releases. Because it is open-source, anyone can read the code, build their own version, or contribute changes. The project accepts donations to support continued development. The README includes a build guide for developers who want to compile the app themselves, covering how to generate a signing keystore and set up the required properties file. Documentation and FAQ live on the project's own website.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1

How do I set up PlainApp on my Android phone so I can access its files from my laptop browser over Wi-Fi?

Prompt 2

Does PlainApp encrypt the connection between my phone and the browser, and how does that encryption work?

Prompt 3

How do I build PlainApp from source in Android Studio with my own signing keystore?

Prompt 4

Can I use PlainApp to send and read SMS from my computer, and which Android versions does it support?

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