Mode Guide
Use the mode that matches where your research lives.
DraftPilot is the same editor in every mode. The choice is only about where the server runs and how you open it.
Recommended paths
Local CLIUse when paper and codebase paths are visible on the same machine. It is the most predictable public release path.
VM CLIUse when files live on a remote Linux machine. The remote binary runs next to the files; the local binary creates the SSH tunnel.
Desktop AppUse for local folders when a launcher feels nicer than a terminal. Desktop packaging is preview and shares the same runtime as CLI.
Agent JSONUse from Codex or scripts with
--json. It avoids screen scraping and gives agents stable URLs, ports, status, and logs.Fast checks
draftpilot doctor --paper /path/to/paper --codebase /path/to/code
draftpilot launch --paper /path/to/paper --codebase /path/to/code --open
draftpilot launch --host user@vm.example.com --paper /remote/paper --codebase /remote/codeTrust model
Your manuscript, codebase, generated PDFs, comments, highlights, TODOs, logs, and support bundles stay on the machine running DraftPilot unless you explicitly export or share them. Anonymous telemetry can be turned off from Settings/About or with DRAFTPILOT_TELEMETRY=0.