Developer builds open-source phone-to-laptop remote control with no cloud or accounts

A developer created LapDeck, an open-source Node.js tool that turns a smartphone into a remote control for a Windows laptop over a local Wi-Fi network. The project was motivated by the inconvenience of existing remote desktop solutions, which the developer found overly complex for simple tasks like pausing a movie. LapDeck runs as a console process on Windows 10/11 with Node.js 20 or higher, requires no cloud services, account sign-ups, or build steps, and is launched with a single npm start command. The phone connects via a QR code and interacts through a Progressive Web App that communicates with the laptop using WebSockets and an MJPEG screen stream. Security is handled through a locally generated 256-bit token, constant-time authentication, and optional Tailscale integration for encrypted remote access beyond the home network.