The AI stack on Linux.

SSH is how you reach a server from your own computer — you type into a terminal on your laptop and it runs on the server. apt is the built-in app installer on Ubuntu and Debian; it downloads and installs software with one line, so you never hunt for download buttons.

Why this first: every tool below installs through the terminal over SSH. Get connected and updated, and the rest is copy-paste.

Open a terminal on your own PC or Mac and connect. Replace the IP with your droplet's address (and use your sudo user instead of root if you've made one):

ssh root@YOUR-SERVER-IP

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y
sudo apt install -y curl git build-essential

This adds the official NodeSource repository, then installs the current LTS version:

curl -fsSL https://deb.nodesource.com/setup_lts.x | sudo -E bash -
sudo apt install -y nodejs

Confirm it's there:

node --version
npm --version

Anthropic's AI coding agent — the same kind of assistant that built this page. It lives in your terminal, reads and edits real files, and runs commands for you.

Why you want it: it does actual multi-step work (build a site, fix a script, organize files), not just chat — and it's right at home on a server.

The simplest, most reliable way is through npm (which you just installed with Node):

npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

There's also a native one-line installer if you prefer:

curl -fsSL https://claude.ai/install.sh | bash

Go into any folder you want to work in, then launch:

claude

On a headless server there's no browser, so the first run prints a URL. Copy that link, open it in the browser on your laptop or phone, sign in to your Anthropic account, and you're authorized. After that, just type what you want in plain English.

OpenAI's command-line coding agent. Same idea as Claude Code, different brain — handy as a second opinion or when you've used up one tool's quota.

Why you want it: variety. Different models are stronger at different things; having both means you're never stuck.

npm install -g @openai/codex

codex

First run lets you sign in with your ChatGPT/OpenAI account (or an API key). On a server it prints a link to copy into your browser, same as Claude.

Google's command-line AI agent. Notable for a very generous free tier and an enormous memory (context window) for long documents.

Why you want it: free headroom. Great for big, sprawling tasks before you spend on the others.

npm install -g @google/gemini-cli

gemini

First run signs you in with a Google account. On a server it uses the same URL-based login — it prints a link, you open it in your browser to authorize. The free tier is large, so you likely won't pay anything to start.

A coding agent from Nous Research — "the agent that grows with you." Same idea as Claude Code, Codex, and Gemini, with two twists: it's self-improving (it learns your preferences over time), and it's model-agnostic — you point it at whichever brain you want (Nous, OpenAI, Anthropic, OpenRouter, and more).

Why you'd add it: it's a fourth tool in the rotation and the most model-flexible of the bunch — handy for staying un-locked-in (see the future-proofing principles).

On Linux it installs natively — just run the one-line installer, which sets up everything it needs (Python, Node.js, ripgrep, ffmpeg):

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent/main/scripts/install.sh | bash

pip install hermes-agent
hermes postinstall

hermes setup        # configure it the first time
hermes --tui        # start it (modern terminal UI, recommended)

During setup it asks how you want to sign in — an API key, or an OAuth login via hermes setup --portal. It works with the Nous Portal, OpenAI, Anthropic, OpenRouter, and others, so you can reuse an account you already have.

A private network (a "mesh VPN") that connects all your devices to each other securely — your droplet, your PCs, your Macs, your phone, your NAS — as if they were in the same room, from anywhere in the world.

Why you want it: this is the glue. Once your server is on Tailscale, you can reach it privately from any device — and even SSH into it without exposing any public port.

curl -fsSL https://tailscale.com/install.sh | sh

sudo tailscale up

This prints a URL. Open it in your browser and sign in with the same Tailscale account you use on your other devices, so they all join one private network.

This lets you SSH into this box over Tailscale from any of your devices — no public port needed:

sudo tailscale up --ssh

Runs AI models on the server itself instead of the cloud — free, private, and works offline. Good for chat, summarizing, and coding help without a subscription.

Why you want it: no per-use cost, nothing leaves your machine, and combined with Tailscale (Step 5) the server can serve models to your phone and every other device.

curl -fsSL https://ollama.com/install.sh | sh

Pull a small, capable model and start chatting:

ollama run llama3.2

The first run downloads the model (a couple of GB), then you can chat right in the terminal. Type /bye to leave.