MeshCore, the mesh networking platform that’s rapidly gained adoption across Europe and beyond, is experiencing a significant split. The issue centers on trademark ownership, AI-generated code, and breakdown in team communication.
The Core Split: What Happened
Andy Kirby, a core MeshCore developer, has been rewriting portions of the MeshCore ecosystem using Claude AI code generation without team coordination. The companion app, mobile interface, web flasher, and configuration tools have incorporated AI-generated components. Kirby then applied for the MeshCore trademark in late March without informing other team members. When the team discovered this and attempted to discuss the situation, communication broke down entirely.
The result: the original MeshCore development team has launched a new official site at meshcore.io, while Kirby maintains control of the original meshcore.co.uk domain and Discord server. Community polls in the official Discord have shown significant concern about AI-generated code and trust issues.
Who’s “Official” Now?
Kirby claims ownership of the MeshCore brand through his trademark application and promotes his rewrite as the “official” version under MeshOS branding. The original development team argues that the GitHub repository represents the true source of collaborative development — where Kirby has not contributed code directly.
The situation became more complicated when Kirby copied the visual design of the new meshcore.io site using Claude, despite explicit requests from the team not to do so. For hobbyists and repeater operators relying on MeshCore firmware, this creates practical uncertainty about which codebase to trust.
The Impact on the Community
MeshCore has experienced significant growth since launch, building a substantial user base across Android and iOS platforms. The global mesh network shows thousands of active nodes providing real off-grid communication capabilities.
Regional community efforts have emerged across Europe, with dedicated groups in Portugal, Switzerland, and the UK. This grassroots momentum now faces uncertainty as users question which version they should be running on their devices.
What Happens Next
The official MeshCore team continues development at meshcore.io, with firmware updates and feature development tracked through the GitHub repository. The team has established blog.meshcore.io and docs.meshcore.io for release notes, technical documentation, and development guides.
Key contributors including Scott (Ripple firmware), Recrof (Map and Flasher developer), and Liam Cottle (app developer) are publishing updates through the official channels.
For anyone running repeaters or getting started with MeshCore, the guidance is clear: follow the official GitHub repository and meshcore.io resources. While the split creates confusion, the collaborative development process continues through established channels where code undergoes community review.