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Petal has been presented on Show HN as a free, open-source desktop app for pair programming and collaborative screen sharing. Its website describes shared windows, remote mouse and keyboard input, persistent rooms and three deployment options; Linux support is listed as coming later.
Petal has been presented on Show HN as a free, open-source app for pair programming and collaborative screen sharing, offering remote mouse and keyboard control alongside shared windows. The project says users can access the service through Petal Cloud, connect the desktop app to their own LiveKit server, or fork and build the software themselves; the site lists downloads for Mac and Windows, with Linux support still to come.
Petal’s website describes a desktop experience in which a participant’s shared windows appear as separate, movable and resizable windows on another user’s desktop, rather than as tiles in a grid. It says shared windows are high resolution and low latency, and that other participants can use remote mouse and keyboard input. The site also describes labeled user cursors and says multiple people can share windows at the same time.
The service offers three ways to run it. Petal Cloud uses the project’s LiveKit video infrastructure and is presented as the option requiring no configuration beyond installing the desktop app and joining. A self-hosted option uses the same app with a LiveKit server operated by the user, with setup described as one Docker Compose file and a server URL. A third option lets users fork and build the app and use their own stack.
Petal also advertises persistent rooms, with examples such as “eng-sync,” that participants can join without sending a meeting link or scheduling a session. The website calls the product free and links to source code on GitHub. The supplied material does not include independent tests, pricing details beyond the free claim, or technical documentation verifying performance and security.
A Choice of Hosting Models
Petal’s main distinction, based on its own product description, is that it combines interactive screen sharing with choices about where the video service runs. Teams that want a managed setup can use Petal Cloud, while organizations seeking more control over media traffic can run a LiveKit server themselves. Developers can also inspect and modify the app through its open-source code.
That range may matter to teams with different needs around setup, data control and customization. But the claims should be treated as product descriptions rather than independently established results: the available source does not provide latency measurements, a security review, or comparisons against other screen-sharing products. Readers evaluating Petal will need to confirm whether its behavior and operational requirements fit their workflows.
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How Petal Describes Its Setup
The Show HN item frames Petal as an open-source alternative in the space associated by its title with CoScreen and ScreenHero. The supplied material does not establish a formal relationship with either product, nor does it explain the project’s development history. The product website instead focuses on its screen-sharing features and deployment choices.
Petal’s cloud and self-hosted routes both rely on LiveKit video infrastructure, according to the site. The cloud option uses Petal’s infrastructure; the self-hosted option points the app at a server run by the customer. The build-your-own route offers broader control, though the site does not provide further setup or maintenance details in the supplied text. Mac and Windows downloads are listed, while Linux support is marked as forthcoming.
““Real windows””
— Petal website
collaborative desktop app for pair programming
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Performance and Linux Timing
The supplied material does not state when Petal was first released or provide a dated roadmap for Linux support. It also does not identify the open-source license, describe what source code or components are available, or specify whether any features differ between cloud and self-hosted use.
Claims about low latency, high resolution and instant input come from Petal’s own website; no benchmarks or independent assessments are included. The source also does not detail encryption, access controls, data retention, server requirements, supported operating-system versions, or the full pricing terms for the cloud service. Those points remain open for prospective users to verify.
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Check Releases and Deployment Details
Readers interested in trying Petal can use the Mac or Windows downloads listed on its website or review the source through the linked GitHub project. Teams considering self-hosting can check the project’s setup instructions and confirm what running the LiveKit server requires. The project has not specified a date for Linux availability, so users on that platform will need to watch for an announcement or release.
Further information that would clarify the launch includes a dated release history, the project’s license, supported platform versions, security and privacy documentation, and measured performance results. Until those details are available, Petal’s feature and performance descriptions remain claims made by the project.
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Key Questions
What is Petal?
Petal is presented as a free, open-source desktop app for collaborative screen sharing and pair programming, with shared windows and remote mouse and keyboard input.
Which operating systems are supported?
The website lists downloads for Mac and Windows. It says Linux support is coming, but gives no release date.
Can teams host Petal themselves?
Yes. Petal describes a self-hosted setup using the desktop app with a LiveKit server run by the user. It also offers a route to fork and build the app with a user’s own stack.
Is Petal’s performance independently verified?
The supplied source includes Petal’s own descriptions of low-latency, high-resolution sharing, but no independent tests or benchmarks.
Source: hn
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