clickwheel is a Python command-line tool for keeping a classic iPod loaded from a modern Mac. It indexes your local music library, lets you curate exactly what goes on the device, writes the iPod database directly (no iTunes/Music.app sync dance), and can scrobble what you listen to back to Last.fm. It also ships an optional MCP server, so you can drive your library and iPod conversationally from Claude — “what’s on my iPod?”, “add Big Thief”, “build a 45-minute late-night mix and sync it.”Documentation Index
Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://clickwheel.mintlify.app/llms.txt
Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
What it does
- Index your library into a fast local SQLite catalog (
scan). - Curate a subset for the iPod with an interactive picker (
select). - Sync that subset to the device, writing the iTunesDB + artwork directly
(
sync). - Repair metadata — album artist, year, cover art (MusicBrainz), and genres
(Last.fm) — in place, without moving your files (
fix). - Integrate with Plex/Plexamp, Apple Music, and Last.fm.
- Talk to Claude about all of the above via the MCP server.
Who it’s for
Anyone with a music library on a Mac and a classic iPod they still love. It’s single-tenant by design: your library and your iPod live on your machine, and clickwheel works with them in place.Quickstart
Install, index your library, and load your iPod in a few commands.
MCP server
Drive clickwheel from Claude — locally or from your phone.
CLI reference
Every command and flag (generated from the source).
Architecture
How the pieces fit, and why it’s Mac-as-source-of-truth.
clickwheel is open source: github.com/pdugan20/clickwheel.