PixelClaw

Built PixelClaw because I got bored waiting for Claude Code. It’s a tiny pixel crab that lives on your Dock, sleeps, wakes on click, and chases apples you drop.

Quick Install

Homebrew:

brew install masasron/tap/pixelclaw

That downloads and opens the latest DMG from GitHub. Then drag PixelClaw.app into Applications.

Direct download:

curl -fL https://github.com/masasron/PixelClaw/releases/download/v1.0.0/PixelClaw.dmg -o PixelClaw.dmg
open PixelClaw.dmg

Requirements

• macOS 12 or later
• Swift 5.9+ toolchain or Xcode with Swift Package Manager support

Build

make

To run the app:

make run

To build a launchable macOS app bundle:

make app
open Dist/PixelClaw.app

To build a release zip:

make zip

To build a DMG for distribution:

make dmg

To launch with debug logging enabled:

make debug

You can also build directly with Swift Package Manager:

swift build
swift run PixelClaw --debug

Permissions

PixelClaw uses Accessibility access to read your Dock position and respond to clicks. The first time you launch it, macOS may ask for permission. If your pet is not lining up with the Dock correctly, check System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility.

Controls

• Option+F: drop an apple
• Click your pet while it is awake: make it hop in place
• Click your pet while it is sleeping: wake it up
• Click an apple: toss it again

Project Layout

• Package.swift: Swift Package Manager manifest
• Sources/PixelClaw/Support: constants, sprite data, shared models, Dock geometry helpers
• Sources/PixelClaw/Views: AppKit drawing code for the crab, apples, and floor shadow
• Sources/PixelClaw/App: application state, animation loop, interaction logic, and entry point
• Docs/ARCHITECTURE.md: high-level structure for contributors

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.