Security

Build a dead man's switch so your clients aren't stranded

After losing his business during a 2012 hospital stay, web developer Peter Bishop wrote a detailed spec and had Claude Code build Death Plan Switch, a self-hosted, MIT-licensed dead man's switch that tells the right people if he goes missing or dies, so his business can keep running for his clients. It passed 42 unit tests and he has used it for weeks.

Agent(s): Claude Code
Source: Hacker News post (2026-10-20)
Verified: 2026-10-20

Try it yourself

Prompt idea: “Help me set up a self-hosted dead man's switch: if I don't check in for [number] days, it should notify [people] and give them [specific instructions or access]. Walk me through what to store, how to keep it secure, and how to test it.”