Introducing Ping: Free AI Agent Notifications

We’re excited to introduce Ping — a free tool that lets AI coding agents notify you when long-running tasks complete. Install the plugin, and agents can immediately start sending you notifications. No signup, no authentication, no credit card required.

How Ping Works

Ping has two modes:

Free Mode (Local)

• No account needed - Works immediately after installation
• Local storage - Notifications saved to ~/Library/Application Support/strayfiles-ping/
• Same-machine only - Native macOS dialog windows, CLI, and TUI on the same computer
• Queue support - Pre-write auto-responses that work offline
• Perfect for: Single-machine workflows, trying Ping risk-free, privacy-focused users

Pro Mode (Cloud) - $10/month

• Cross-device sync - Notifications appear on all your devices
• Mobile push - iPhone, iPad, and Mac native app notifications
• Cloud queue - Auto-responses synced across devices
• Perfect for: Multi-device developers, mobile notification needs, working away from your desk

How It Works

That’s it! Ping works immediately in free mode. Tell Claude:

“Run the test suite and ping me when done”

Notifications appear as native macOS dialog windows on the same machine (also viewable in the TUI and CLI).

Optional: To enable Pro mode with cross-device sync:

strayfiles-ping auth

Technical Details

Ping detects your mode automatically:

• No stored credentials → Free mode (local files)
• Valid Pro credentials → Cloud mode (Supabase sync)

Free mode uses simple JSON files:

~/Library/Application Support/strayfiles-ping/
├── notifications.json    # Pending notifications
└── queue.json           # Auto-response queue

Pro mode stores everything encrypted in Supabase for cross-device access.

Why We Built Ping This Way

Long-running tasks (builds, tests, deployments) shouldn’t require babysitting your terminal. But we didn’t want to gate basic notifications behind a paywall.

With Ping you can:

1. Start using it immediately - No signup form, no payment details
2. Use it free forever - If single-machine notifications work for you
3. Upgrade when ready - Only pay if you need mobile/cross-device features

Queue Auto-Responses (Free!)

The queue feature works in both modes. Pre-write responses for autonomous agent work:

# Before lunch
strayfiles-ping queue add "continue"
strayfiles-ping queue add "yes proceed"
strayfiles-ping queue add "keep going"

# Tell Claude: "refactor the codebase and ping me for approval"
# Each time Claude asks, your queued responses auto-reply

Perfect for:

• Lunch break autonomous work
• Repetitive approval workflows
• Overnight long-running tasks

Get Started

# Install
claude plugin install https://github.com/titofebus/strayfiles-ping.git

# Test it (free mode)
strayfiles-ping queue add "test response"

# Start using
# In Claude: "ping me when the build finishes"

Read the full documentation at strayfiles.com/docs/pro/ping.

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Philosophy: AI coding tools should enhance your workflow without forcing you into payment plans. Ping’s free mode gives everyone access to basic agent notifications, and Pro mode is there when you need more.

Try it today. No account required.