Getting Started

Author: yakiro

With Loopback, you can run shell commands directly from messaging applications like Telegram, Whatsapp, Discord, etc.

It is handy for cases where you are connecting through a limited network, for example, during flights or while roaming, and whenever you need a terminal, but you are not near a computer.

The basics

* If you want to connect your own machine follow the instructions here: Loopbackd

• The first command starts a new virtual machine
• The content of the virtual machine persisted between the different commands
• After 15 minutes of inactivity the machine stops automatically (Longer idle time is available in our paid plans)
• /destroy stops the machine and erases all the data
• /ctrlc and /ctrld are available for terminating long running processes
• Subsequent commands after /stop or /destroy resume the virtual machine automatically
• Uploading files is possible by sending a file in the chat, files are automatically stored in /tmp/[file name]
• Downloading files from the virtual machine with /download [file path]

Usage Examples

Python playground

Find yourself in the need for a quick coding session? you can start a python interpreter easily.

$ python3
>>> print("Hello World!")
>>> quit()

Running docker

Docker can also be used on the VM.

$ sudo apt -q -y install docker.io
$ sudo docker run hello-world

Access remote database with psql

Need to run a quick sql query on your server? no problem.

$ sudo apt -q -y install postgresql-client
$ psql postgres://reader:NWDMCE5xdipIjRrp@hh-pgsql-public.ebi.ac.uk:5432/pfmegrnargs << EOF
$ select dbid, created, last from xref limit 5;
$ EOF

Basic text editing

Let's say that you need to update a configuration file on the go, and you don't have access to any computer.

$ sudo apt -q -y install git
$ git clone https://github.com/loopbackai/example-scripts.git
$ sed -i 's/Good-bye./goodbye/g' example-scripts/eliza.py

Download configuration file from S3

Accessing AWS resources is possible with awscli.

$ curl -s "https://awscli.amazonaws.com/awscli-exe-linux-x86_64.zip" -o "awscliv2.zip"
$ sudo apt -q -y install unzip && unzip -q awscliv2.zip
$ sudo ./aws/install
$ aws s3 cp s3://somebucket/configuration.txt configuration.txt

Serve a file or directory over https with Ngrok

Very simple python-based HTTP server for demonstration purposes.

$ curl -s https://ngrok-agent.s3.amazonaws.com/ngrok.asc | sudo tee /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/ngrok.asc >/dev/null && echo "deb https://ngrok-agent.s3.amazonaws.com buster main" | sudo tee /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ngrok.list && sudo apt update && sudo apt install ngrok
$ mkdir test_server
$ cd test_server && echo "Hello World" >> index.html
$ python3 -m http.server 8080 &
$ ngrok -log=stdout 8080 > /dev/null &

Setup tailscale to access a remote machine via ssh

Tailscale is a "zero config" VPN service, Tailscale is pre-installed on the VM, so you just need to start it and you are ready to go

$ sudo tailscale up
$ tailscale ssh someuser@somehost

Cowsay

$ sudo apt -q -y install cowsay
$ cowsay hello Loopback.ai

Wake On Lan

Waking up a remote machine.

$ sudo apt -y -q wakeonlan
$ wakeonlan -i [remote ip] [NIC mac address]

Dig

$ sudo apt -y -q dnsutils
$ dig www.google.com

Run a python script from Github

python3 <(curl -s https://raw.githubusercontent.com/loopbackai/example-scripts/master/eliza.py)

Share with us your examples, at our Discord channel.