mim/PRODUCT.md

PRODUCT.md

Product thesis

mim is a mobile-first terminal code editor for SSH sessions from an iPhone. It runs as one server-side binary and is designed around narrow viewports, QWERTZ/thumb input, source patching, and real coding workflows rather than desktop Vim compatibility.

User job

A capable developer SSHing into a machine from an iPhone needs to inspect a repo, edit code, navigate files, run builds/tests, read diagnostics, use LSP, check git state, and recover from mistakes without fighting full-keyboard assumptions.

Current alternative

The user opens Vim or Neovim over SSH and tolerates bindings, ex commands, splits, plugin/config systems, and punctuation-heavy workflows designed for a desktop keyboard and wider screen.

Mechanism

mim is protocol-first: the editor core owns buffers, selections, panels, jobs, diagnostics, and session state behind a local socket, while the terminal UI is the first thin client over that protocol. The UI provides a thumb-native leader-key command grammar, transient panels instead of desktop splits, UTF-8-aware editing, Tree-sitter highlighting, built-in LSP, git, file search/tree, project text search, build output, terminal, and optional Pi assistant integration. The socket path is exported in the session environment so trusted local tools like pi can inspect editor state or send explicit commands through the same small protocol. Defaults live in source and are changed by patching and rebuilding, not runtime config files.

Feature-complete boundary

Feature-complete means good enough to be the default tool for real small-to-medium code changes over SSH from an iPhone. It includes: protocol/socket + mimctl, deterministic replay, UTF-8/cell-width-correct editing, mobile leader/symbol input, narrow transient panels, file tree/search, read-only git workbench, build/test output, terminal escape hatch, Tree-sitter, LSP diagnostics/navigation/actions, and local Pi/tool context through the socket.

Build shape

Use layered source plus a few named build targets, not runtime config and not a public feature-flag matrix:

• mim-min: core editor, socket, replay, TUI, mobile input, open/edit/save/quit.
• mim-code: mim-min plus files/search/git/build, Tree-sitter, and LSP.
• mim-full: mim-code plus Pi/local tool bridge.

If the cuts are wrong, patch the source profile table and rebuild.

Refusals

• No runtime config files, plugin system, package manager, or hidden installers.
• No obligation to preserve Vim default hotkeys or ex-command workflows.
• No desktop split-first UI on narrow terminals.
• No remote network control plane; the session socket is local and scoped.
• No native iOS/Android app, custom mobile keyboard, cloud sync, telemetry, collaborative editing, or tmux replacement until the SSH terminal editor proves it needs them.
• No public matrix of per-feature compile-time flags.

First useful slice

Build the smallest replayable vertical slice: zig build produces mim-min; it opens a file, edits, saves, renders correctly in a narrow terminal, exposes a local socket, and can replay the session deterministically.

Proof / learning boundary

The thesis is validated when the user chooses mim over their normal Neovim setup for small real fixes from an iPhone over SSH.