diff --git a/desktop/app/package.json b/desktop/app/package.json
index 4ec4fb27c..e150d1aad 100644
--- a/desktop/app/package.json
+++ b/desktop/app/package.json
@@ -24,6 +24,7 @@
   },
   "optionalDependencies": {},
   "devDependencies": {
+    "@types/node": "^15.12.5",
     "react-refresh": "^0.11.0"
   }
 }
diff --git a/desktop/app/src/electron/initializeElectron.tsx b/desktop/app/src/electron/initializeElectron.tsx
index 2dd1c921d..493e52750 100644
--- a/desktop/app/src/electron/initializeElectron.tsx
+++ b/desktop/app/src/electron/initializeElectron.tsx
@@ -179,7 +179,7 @@ export function initializeElectron(
     },
     flipperServer,
     async requirePlugin(path) {
-      return (window as any).electronRequire(path);
+      return global.electronRequire(path);
     },
     getStaticResourceUrl(relativePath): string {
       return (
diff --git a/desktop/flipper-server-core/package.json b/desktop/flipper-server-core/package.json
index 3905029d7..e918bebed 100644
--- a/desktop/flipper-server-core/package.json
+++ b/desktop/flipper-server-core/package.json
@@ -39,7 +39,9 @@
     "ws": "^8.2.3",
     "xdg-basedir": "^4.0.0"
   },
-  "devDependencies": {},
+  "devDependencies": {
+    "@types/node": "^15.12.5"
+  },
   "peerDependencies": {},
   "scripts": {
     "reset": "rimraf lib *.tsbuildinfo",
diff --git a/desktop/flipper-server-core/src/plugins/PluginManager.tsx b/desktop/flipper-server-core/src/plugins/PluginManager.tsx
index f9f7d7b86..0c7320848 100644
--- a/desktop/flipper-server-core/src/plugins/PluginManager.tsx
+++ b/desktop/flipper-server-core/src/plugins/PluginManager.tsx
@@ -45,7 +45,9 @@ const getTempDirName = promisify(tmp.dir) as (
 export class PluginManager {
   async start() {
     // This needn't happen immediately and is (light) I/O work.
-    (window.requestIdleCallback || setImmediate)(() => {
+    (typeof window !== 'undefined'
+      ? window?.requestIdleCallback
+      : setImmediate)(() => {
       cleanupOldInstalledPluginVersions(maxInstalledPluginVersionsToKeep).catch(
         (err) =>
           console.error('Failed to clean up old installed plugins:', err),
diff --git a/desktop/flipper-server/package.json b/desktop/flipper-server/package.json
index b2fbf8864..dc6a61454 100644
--- a/desktop/flipper-server/package.json
+++ b/desktop/flipper-server/package.json
@@ -22,6 +22,7 @@
   },
   "devDependencies": {
     "@types/express": "^4.17.13",
+    "@types/node": "^15.12.5",
     "metro": "^0.66.2",
     "nodemon": "^2.0.15",
     "ts-node": "^9.1.1",
@@ -32,7 +33,7 @@
     "reset": "rimraf lib *.tsbuildinfo",
     "build": "tsc -b",
     "prepack": "yarn reset && yarn build",
-    "start": "cross-env NODE_ENV=development nodemon --watch './src/**/*.tsx' --watch '../flipper-server-core/src/**/*.tsx' --exec 'yarn build && ../ts-node src/index.tsx'"
+    "start": "cross-env NODE_ENV=development nodemon --ext 'tsx' --watch './src/' --watch '../flipper-server-core/src/' --exec 'yarn build && ../ts-node src/index.tsx'"
   },
   "files": [
     "lib/**/*"
diff --git a/desktop/flipper-server/src/index.tsx b/desktop/flipper-server/src/index.tsx
index 46cecccf0..e79e927a2 100644
--- a/desktop/flipper-server/src/index.tsx
+++ b/desktop/flipper-server/src/index.tsx
@@ -39,7 +39,8 @@ async function start() {
 start()
   .then(() => {
     console.log(
-      `Flipper DEV server started at http://localhost:${PORT}/index.web.dev.html`,
+      'Flipper DEV server started at ' +
+        chalk.green(chalk.bold(`http://localhost:${PORT}/index.web.dev.html`)),
     );
   })
   .catch((e) => {
diff --git a/desktop/flipper-server/src/startWebServerDev.tsx b/desktop/flipper-server/src/startWebServerDev.tsx
index 6229b67eb..8cb7de413 100644
--- a/desktop/flipper-server/src/startWebServerDev.tsx
+++ b/desktop/flipper-server/src/startWebServerDev.tsx
@@ -16,6 +16,9 @@ import socketio from 'socket.io';
 import {getWatchFolders} from 'flipper-pkg-lib';
 import Metro from 'metro';
 import pFilter from 'p-filter';
+// provided by Metro
+// eslint-disable-next-line
+import MetroResolver from 'metro-resolver';
 
 const uiSourceDirs = [
   'flipper-ui-browser',
@@ -24,6 +27,53 @@ const uiSourceDirs = [
   'flipper-common',
 ];
 
+const stubModules = new Set([
+  'fs',
+  'path',
+  'crypto',
+  'process',
+  'os',
+  'util',
+  'child_process',
+  'assert',
+  'adbkit', // TODO: factor out!
+  'zlib',
+  'events',
+  'fs-extra',
+  'archiver',
+  'graceful-fs',
+  'stream',
+  'url',
+  'node-fetch',
+  'net',
+  'vm',
+  'debug',
+  'lockfile',
+  'constants',
+  'https',
+  'plugin-lib', // TODO: we only want the types?
+  'flipper-plugin-lib',
+  'tar',
+  'minipass',
+  'live-plugin-manager',
+  'decompress-tar',
+  'readable-stream',
+  'archiver-utils',
+  'metro',
+  'decompress',
+  'temp',
+  'tmp',
+  'promisify-child-process',
+  'jsdom',
+  'extract-zip',
+  'yauzl',
+  'fd-slicer',
+  'envinfo',
+  'bser',
+  'fb-watchman',
+  // TODO fix me
+]);
+
 // This file is heavily inspired by scripts/start-dev-server.ts!
 export async function startWebServerDev(
   app: Express,
@@ -84,8 +134,27 @@ async function startMetroServer(
     resolver: {
       ...baseConfig.resolver,
       resolverMainFields: ['flipperBundlerEntry', 'browser', 'module', 'main'],
-      blacklistRE: /\.native\.js$/,
+      blacklistRE: [/\.native\.js$/],
       sourceExts: ['js', 'jsx', 'ts', 'tsx', 'json', 'mjs', 'cjs'],
+      resolveRequest(context: any, moduleName: string, ...rest: any[]) {
+        if (stubModules.has(moduleName)) {
+          // console.warn("Found reference to ", moduleName)
+          return {
+            type: 'empty',
+          };
+        }
+        // if (moduleName.includes('pluginPaths')) {
+        //   console.error('got ' + moduleName, rest);
+        // }
+        return MetroResolver.resolve(
+          {
+            ...context,
+            resolveRequest: null,
+          },
+          moduleName,
+          ...rest,
+        );
+      },
     },
     watch: true,
     // only needed when medling with babel transforms
diff --git a/desktop/flipper-ui-browser/src/global.ts b/desktop/flipper-ui-browser/src/global.ts
index cdf2b8b5b..54b3f5d59 100644
--- a/desktop/flipper-ui-browser/src/global.ts
+++ b/desktop/flipper-ui-browser/src/global.ts
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
  * @format
  */
 
-import {RenderHost} from 'flipper-ui-core';
+import type {RenderHost} from 'flipper-ui-core';
 
 declare global {
   interface Window {
diff --git a/desktop/flipper-ui-browser/src/index.tsx b/desktop/flipper-ui-browser/src/index.tsx
index 3456edbd0..acd14bdb7 100644
--- a/desktop/flipper-ui-browser/src/index.tsx
+++ b/desktop/flipper-ui-browser/src/index.tsx
@@ -14,6 +14,13 @@ import {createFlipperServer} from './flipperServerConnection';
 document.getElementById('root')!.innerText = 'flipper-ui-browser started';
 
 async function start() {
+  (global as any).electronRequire = function (path: string) {
+    console.error(
+      `[decapitate] Tried to electronRequire ${path}, this module is not available in the browser and will be stubbed`,
+    );
+    return {};
+  };
+
   const logger = createDelegatedLogger();
   setLoggerInstance(logger);
 
@@ -28,10 +35,11 @@ async function start() {
   // before starting the rest of the Flipper process.
   // This prevent issues where the render host is referred at module initialisation level,
   // but not set yet, which might happen when using normal imports.
-  // eslint-disable-next-line import/no-commonjs
-  // TODO: replace
+  // TODO: remove
   window.flipperShowError?.('Connected to Flipper Server successfully');
-  // TODO:  require('flipper-ui-core').startFlipperDesktop(flipperServer);
+  // eslint-disable-next-line import/no-commonjs
+  require('flipper-ui-core').startFlipperDesktop(flipperServer);
+  window.flipperHideError?.();
 }
 
 start().catch((e) => {
diff --git a/desktop/flipper-ui-browser/src/initializeRenderHost.tsx b/desktop/flipper-ui-browser/src/initializeRenderHost.tsx
index 8751e7932..816aa95e3 100644
--- a/desktop/flipper-ui-browser/src/initializeRenderHost.tsx
+++ b/desktop/flipper-ui-browser/src/initializeRenderHost.tsx
@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
  */
 
 import {FlipperServer, FlipperServerConfig} from 'flipper-common';
-import {getRenderHostInstance, RenderHost} from 'flipper-ui-core';
+import {RenderHost} from 'flipper-ui-core';
 
 export function initializeRenderHost(
   flipperServer: FlipperServer,
@@ -63,10 +63,7 @@ export function initializeRenderHost(
     flipperServer,
     async requirePlugin(path) {
       // TODO: use `await import(path)`?
-      const source = await getRenderHostInstance().flipperServer.exec(
-        'plugin-source',
-        path,
-      );
+      const source = await flipperServer.exec('plugin-source', path);
       // eslint-disable-next-line no-eval
       return eval(source);
     },
diff --git a/desktop/flipper-ui-core/package.json b/desktop/flipper-ui-core/package.json
index 0c9770ced..78be73f92 100644
--- a/desktop/flipper-ui-core/package.json
+++ b/desktop/flipper-ui-core/package.json
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@
     "@types/archiver": "^5.1.1",
     "@types/uuid": "^8.3.1",
     "adbkit": "^2.11.1",
-    "adbkit-logcat": "^2.0.1",
     "antd": "4.16.8",
     "archiver": "^5.0.2",
     "async-mutex": "^0.3.2",
diff --git a/desktop/flipper-ui-core/src/global.ts b/desktop/flipper-ui-core/src/global.ts
index 188b501f3..5d5c06c31 100644
--- a/desktop/flipper-ui-core/src/global.ts
+++ b/desktop/flipper-ui-core/src/global.ts
@@ -20,10 +20,6 @@ declare global {
       | undefined
       | (StoreEnhancerStoreCreator & StoreEnhancerStateSanitizer);
 
-    Flipper: {
-      init: () => void;
-    };
-
     FlipperRenderHostInstance: RenderHost;
   }
 }
diff --git a/desktop/flipper-ui-core/src/utils/fbEmployee.tsx b/desktop/flipper-ui-core/src/utils/fbEmployee.tsx
index 8dbc644b6..c1bd3df1e 100644
--- a/desktop/flipper-ui-core/src/utils/fbEmployee.tsx
+++ b/desktop/flipper-ui-core/src/utils/fbEmployee.tsx
@@ -9,20 +9,21 @@
 
 import util from 'util';
 import {exec as execImport} from 'child_process';
-const exec = util.promisify(execImport);
 
 const cmd = 'klist --json';
 const endWith = '@THEFACEBOOK.COM';
 
 export async function isFBEmployee(): Promise<boolean> {
-  return exec(cmd).then(
-    (stdobj: {stderr: string; stdout: string}) => {
-      const principal = String(JSON.parse(stdobj.stdout).principal);
+  return util
+    .promisify(execImport)(cmd)
+    .then(
+      (stdobj: {stderr: string; stdout: string}) => {
+        const principal = String(JSON.parse(stdobj.stdout).principal);
 
-      return principal.endsWith(endWith);
-    },
-    (_err: Error) => {
-      return false;
-    },
-  );
+        return principal.endsWith(endWith);
+      },
+      (_err: Error) => {
+        return false;
+      },
+    );
 }
diff --git a/desktop/package.json b/desktop/package.json
index 69a927869..e9f771c86 100644
--- a/desktop/package.json
+++ b/desktop/package.json
@@ -95,7 +95,6 @@
     "@types/lodash.debounce": "^4.0.6",
     "@types/mkdirp": "^1.0.2",
     "@types/mock-fs": "^4.13.1",
-    "@types/node": "^15.12.5",
     "@types/npm-packlist": "^1.1.2",
     "@types/promise-retry": "^1.1.3",
     "@types/react": "17.0.34",
@@ -234,7 +233,7 @@
     "fix": "eslint . --fix --ext .js,.ts,.tsx",
     "lint": "yarn lint:eslint && yarn lint:tsc && yarn tsc-plugins",
     "lint:eslint": "eslint . --ext .js,.ts,.tsx",
-    "lint:tsc": "tsc --noemit",
+    "lint:tsc": "tsc -p tsc-root/tsconfig.json --noemit",
     "list-plugins": "./ts-node scripts/list-plugins.ts",
     "open-dist": "open ../dist/mac/Flipper.app --args --launcher=false --inspect=9229",
     "postinstall": "patch-package && ./ts-node scripts/gen-type-index.ts && yarn --cwd plugins install --mutex network:30331 && yarn build:tsc && ./ts-node scripts/generate-plugin-entry-points.ts && yarn build:themes",
diff --git a/desktop/plugin-lib/src/pluginInstaller.ts b/desktop/plugin-lib/src/pluginInstaller.ts
index 9d43f5786..0ab96bdae 100644
--- a/desktop/plugin-lib/src/pluginInstaller.ts
+++ b/desktop/plugin-lib/src/pluginInstaller.ts
@@ -32,8 +32,6 @@ import pmap from 'p-map';
 import semver from 'semver';
 import {notNull} from './typeUtils';
 
-const getTmpDir = promisify(tmp.dir) as () => Promise<string>;
-
 function providePluginManagerNoDependencies(): PM {
   return new PM({ignoredDependencies: [/.*/]});
 }
@@ -43,7 +41,7 @@ async function installPluginFromTempDir(
 ): Promise<InstalledPluginDetails> {
   const pluginDetails = await getInstalledPluginDetails(sourceDir);
   const {name, version} = pluginDetails;
-  const backupDir = path.join(await getTmpDir(), `${name}-${version}`);
+  const backupDir = path.join(await promisify(tmp.dir)(), `${name}-${version}`);
   const destinationDir = getPluginVersionInstallationDir(name, version);
 
   if (pluginDetails.specVersion == 1) {
@@ -99,7 +97,7 @@ export async function getInstalledPlugin(
 }
 
 export async function installPluginFromNpm(name: string) {
-  const tmpDir = await getTmpDir();
+  const tmpDir = await promisify(tmp.dir)();
   try {
     await fs.ensureDir(tmpDir);
     const plugManNoDep = providePluginManagerNoDependencies();
@@ -118,7 +116,7 @@ export async function installPluginFromNpm(name: string) {
 export async function installPluginFromFile(
   packagePath: string,
 ): Promise<InstalledPluginDetails> {
-  const tmpDir = await getTmpDir();
+  const tmpDir = await promisify(tmp.dir)();
   try {
     const files = await decompress(packagePath, tmpDir, {
       plugins: [decompressTargz(), decompressUnzip()],
diff --git a/desktop/plugins/public/reactdevtools/index.tsx b/desktop/plugins/public/reactdevtools/index.tsx
index 7adcc42b3..8dc2fab99 100644
--- a/desktop/plugins/public/reactdevtools/index.tsx
+++ b/desktop/plugins/public/reactdevtools/index.tsx
@@ -92,7 +92,9 @@ export function devicePlugin(client: DevicePluginClient) {
   let metroReloadAttempts = 0;
 
   function getGlobalDevToolsModule(): ReactDevToolsStandaloneType {
-    const required = global.electronRequire(globalDevToolsPath.get()!).default;
+    const required = (global as any).electronRequire(
+      globalDevToolsPath.get()!,
+    ).default;
     return required.default ?? required;
   }
 
diff --git a/desktop/static/index.web.dev.html b/desktop/static/index.web.dev.html
index 1be12bf67..29f370150 100644
--- a/desktop/static/index.web.dev.html
+++ b/desktop/static/index.web.dev.html
@@ -63,11 +63,6 @@
       (function() {
         // FIXME: needed to make Metro work
         window.global = window;
-        global.electronRequire = function(path) {
-          console.error("[decapitate] Tried to electronRequire: " + path);
-          return {};
-        };
-
         let suppressErrors = false;
 
         const socket = io(location.origin);
@@ -81,6 +76,7 @@
           suppressErrors = true;
         });
 
+
         function openError(text) {
           if (suppressErrors) {
             return;
@@ -89,6 +85,7 @@
           const box = document.querySelector('.__infinity-dev-box-error');
           box.removeAttribute('hidden');
           box.textContent = text;
+          box.appendChild(closeButton);
         }
         window.flipperShowError = openError;
         window.flipperHideError = () => {
@@ -96,6 +93,10 @@
           box.setAttribute('hidden', true);
         }
 
+        const closeButton = document.createElement('button');
+        closeButton.addEventListener('click', window.flipperHideError);
+        closeButton.textContent = 'X';
+
         // load correct theme (n.b. this doesn't handle system value specifically, will assume light in such cases)
         try {
           if (window.flipperConfig.theme === 'dark') {
diff --git a/desktop/types/flipperGlobals.d.ts b/desktop/types/flipperGlobals.d.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..278d88cda
--- /dev/null
+++ b/desktop/types/flipperGlobals.d.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,16 @@
+/**
+ * Copyright (c) Facebook, Inc. and its affiliates.
+ *
+ * This source code is licensed under the MIT license found in the
+ * LICENSE file in the root directory of this source tree.
+ *
+ * @format
+ */
+
+declare const __REVISION__: string | undefined;
+declare const __VERSION__: string;
+declare const electronRequire: {
+  (name: string): any;
+  resolve: (module: string) => string;
+  cache: {[module: string]: any};
+};
diff --git a/desktop/types/index.d.ts b/desktop/types/index.d.ts
index 7e73a0b7b..4091692b7 100644
--- a/desktop/types/index.d.ts
+++ b/desktop/types/index.d.ts
@@ -16,6 +16,7 @@
 /// <reference path="decompress-targz.d.ts" />
 /// <reference path="decompress-unzip.d.ts" />
 /// <reference path="download-tarball.d.ts" />
+/// <reference path="flipperGlobals.d.ts" />
 /// <reference path="jest-extensions.d.ts" />
 /// <reference path="json-format-highlight.d.ts" />
 /// <reference path="line-replace.d.ts" />
diff --git a/desktop/types/nodejs.d.ts b/desktop/types/nodejs.d.ts
index 80251e075..4f741e6dd 100644
--- a/desktop/types/nodejs.d.ts
+++ b/desktop/types/nodejs.d.ts
@@ -9,13 +9,6 @@
 
 declare module NodeJS {
   interface Global {
-    __REVISION__: string | undefined;
-    __VERSION__: string;
-    electronRequire: {
-      (name: string): any;
-      resolve: (module: string) => string;
-      cache: {[module: string]: any};
-    };
     window: Window | undefined;
     WebSocket: any;
     fetch: any;