6 ms·

A JavaScript IDE for the iPhone

127 points by blackmac 16y ago

mrspeaker 16y ago
I wrote a similar one for CoffeeScript: http://www.mrspeaker.net/2010/04/29/instant-coffeescript/ http://www.mrspeaker.net/2010/04/29/instant-coffeescript/ but it uses the HTML5 cache manifest stuff to let it work offline (kind of) like a native app. I wrote to the creator of the JS IDE saying "please do the same!" but actually, I really want it so I'm also doing it myself (and will post him the changes when I'm done).
- blackmac 16y ago
  I am definitely going to do that, plus I will add a way to save scripts to the local SQLite DB.
shawndumas 16y ago
I've been using (and loving) JsAnywhere [1] (iTunes link[2]) ----- [1]: http://jsany.org/ http://jsany.org/ [2]: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/javascript-anywhere/id363452277?mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/javascript-anywhere/id3634522...
- binarymax 16y ago
  I use and love jsanywhere but it is desperately in need of key shortcuts! switching key layouts every time I need ;(){}[]+-= is a killer.
asolove 16y ago
This is something I've wanted to do, so let me share the random ideas I had: - Horizontal space is at a premium, so don't show line numbers. When scrolling, show the line numbers hovering over the lines (so I can find my spot in a long file if I need to), but I don't need to see them while actually editing a line. - The big win on the iPhone is not so much writing as reading. Make it easy to download a GitHub repo of source I might want to read on my commute. And make it easy for a project to link to that. Then I can get familiar with the coding style and abilities of, say, backbone.js or some other new javascript thing, while standing on the Metro.
- cryptoz 16y ago
  Does the iPhone provide a way to download files like that? I'm running an older model (3G) so maybe that limitation is gone, but it's something that I find very lacking. Wow, though, being able to comfortably read js libraries - and write small tests, even - on a phone would be fantastic.
  - semanticist 16y ago
    iPhone Safari supports local storage and local SQLite databases. You could force some sort of offline access into it. There's no access to the filesystem in iOS Safari, no uploading or downloading files.
- binarymax 16y ago
  I've been mulling to do one as well, another idea is arrow keys to move the cursor about instead of trying to touch where you want it.
- blackmac 16y ago
  Implementing good scrolling with textareas not reacting to touch events is kind of hard. I will implement import of external files though, maybe not complete repos in the first step though
wmblaettler 16y ago
I tried it on my iPod Touch, OS version 3.1.2 and could not get the keyboard to come up or see any code from the samples appear in the textarea. Seems pretty cool in the iPhone Simulator though.
nene 16y ago
It's sad that this app doesn't work with a normal desktop browser - IMHO one shouldn't rely completely on touch events. It almost works with Android, except for the special-characters-menu, the tooltip of which gets hidden under textarea.
camtarn 16y ago
That's awesome - best part about it being a webapp is that it works beautifully on my Android phone too :)
PanMan 16y ago
Looks nice, but way to small on the iPad. I would guess with a few small CSS changes (relative instead of absolute positions) it would work well on both devices.
stefanvarga 16y ago
We did it as native app, for now Android.. iPhone to come. We have some cool features. Javascript will be supported in next official release, but for hacker news a preview version with JS - http://www.touchqode.com/downloads/experimental/MobileCodeEditor.apk http://www.touchqode.com/downloads/experimental/MobileCodeEd... ---- [http://www.touchqode.com/ http://www.touchqode.com/]
jot 16y ago
Another alternative worth checking out is JSConsole: Browser: http://jsconsole.com/ http://jsconsole.com/ iOS: http://jsconsole.com/app/ http://jsconsole.com/app/ Source Code: http://github.com/remy/jsconsole http://github.com/remy/jsconsole
Detect 16y ago
Can we make saving easier? Maybe Share/Email This?
- blackmac 16y ago
  The new version has email sharing. Thank you!
kleiba 16y ago
Great little tool, but of your list of possible features to add, I think syntax highlighting should move to the top. It improves readability and thus usability greatly.
charlief 16y ago
Now we can all code epic viruses on our phones just like in the pilot of the latest Doctor Who series.
8ren 16y ago
It's a little bit amazing having a touchscreen keyboard, in that if it's missing a certain key, you can just add it.
donohoe 16y ago
I'd like to use this as an opportunity to implore someone to write a JS/CSS/HTML editor for iPad, with option to sftp it remotely and simple syncing... a scaled down version of TextMate with simpler features. I would happily pay for this app.
- lukifer 16y ago
  I have a great idea for how to do one, but not nearly enough time to make it happen. :(
sp4rki 16y ago
This is almost as cool as the dreams I keep having of a Vim port for the iPad.
blackmac 16y ago
The first update with some of the most requested features is here. Have fun! http://webdesktoplife.com/post/1360939954/first-update-for-jscoder http://webdesktoplife.com/post/1360939954/first-update-for-j...
ryanwaggoner 16y ago
Awesome, but what's with the domain name? Might want to pick something easier to remember / type.
Raphael 16y ago
OK, hard mode: use standards so that it works on more than one platform.

127 points by blackmac 16y ago

I wrote a similar one for CoffeeScript: http://www.mrspeaker.net/2010/04/29/instant-coffeescript/ http://www.mrspeaker.net/2010/04/29/instant-coffeescript/ but it uses the HTML5 cache manifest stuff to let it work offline (kind of) like a native app. I wrote to the creator of the JS IDE saying "please do the same!" but actually, I really want it so I'm also doing it myself (and will post him the changes when I'm done).

blackmac 16y ago
I am definitely going to do that, plus I will add a way to save scripts to the local SQLite DB.

shawndumas 16y ago

I've been using (and loving) JsAnywhere [1] (iTunes link[2]) ----- [1]: http://jsany.org/ http://jsany.org/ [2]: http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/javascript-anywhere/id363452277?mt=8 http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/javascript-anywhere/id3634522...

binarymax 16y ago
I use and love jsanywhere but it is desperately in need of key shortcuts! switching key layouts every time I need ;(){}[]+-= is a killer.

asolove 16y ago

This is something I've wanted to do, so let me share the random ideas I had: - Horizontal space is at a premium, so don't show line numbers. When scrolling, show the line numbers hovering over the lines (so I can find my spot in a long file if I need to), but I don't need to see them while actually editing a line. - The big win on the iPhone is not so much writing as reading. Make it easy to download a GitHub repo of source I might want to read on my commute. And make it easy for a project to link to that. Then I can get familiar with the coding style and abilities of, say, backbone.js or some other new javascript thing, while standing on the Metro.

cryptoz 16y ago
Does the iPhone provide a way to download files like that? I'm running an older model (3G) so maybe that limitation is gone, but it's something that I find very lacking. Wow, though, being able to comfortably read js libraries - and write small tests, even - on a phone would be fantastic.
- semanticist 16y ago
  iPhone Safari supports local storage and local SQLite databases. You could force some sort of offline access into it. There's no access to the filesystem in iOS Safari, no uploading or downloading files.
binarymax 16y ago
I've been mulling to do one as well, another idea is arrow keys to move the cursor about instead of trying to touch where you want it.
blackmac 16y ago
Implementing good scrolling with textareas not reacting to touch events is kind of hard. I will implement import of external files though, maybe not complete repos in the first step though

wmblaettler 16y ago

I tried it on my iPod Touch, OS version 3.1.2 and could not get the keyboard to come up or see any code from the samples appear in the textarea. Seems pretty cool in the iPhone Simulator though.

nene 16y ago

It's sad that this app doesn't work with a normal desktop browser - IMHO one shouldn't rely completely on touch events. It almost works with Android, except for the special-characters-menu, the tooltip of which gets hidden under textarea.

camtarn 16y ago

That's awesome - best part about it being a webapp is that it works beautifully on my Android phone too :)

PanMan 16y ago

Looks nice, but way to small on the iPad. I would guess with a few small CSS changes (relative instead of absolute positions) it would work well on both devices.

stefanvarga 16y ago

We did it as native app, for now Android.. iPhone to come. We have some cool features. Javascript will be supported in next official release, but for hacker news a preview version with JS - http://www.touchqode.com/downloads/experimental/MobileCodeEditor.apk http://www.touchqode.com/downloads/experimental/MobileCodeEd... ---- [http://www.touchqode.com/ http://www.touchqode.com/]

jot 16y ago

Another alternative worth checking out is JSConsole: Browser: http://jsconsole.com/ http://jsconsole.com/ iOS: http://jsconsole.com/app/ http://jsconsole.com/app/ Source Code: http://github.com/remy/jsconsole http://github.com/remy/jsconsole

Detect 16y ago

Can we make saving easier? Maybe Share/Email This?

blackmac 16y ago
The new version has email sharing. Thank you!

kleiba 16y ago

Great little tool, but of your list of possible features to add, I think syntax highlighting should move to the top. It improves readability and thus usability greatly.

charlief 16y ago

Now we can all code epic viruses on our phones just like in the pilot of the latest Doctor Who series.

8ren 16y ago

It's a little bit amazing having a touchscreen keyboard, in that if it's missing a certain key, you can just add it.

donohoe 16y ago

I'd like to use this as an opportunity to implore someone to write a JS/CSS/HTML editor for iPad, with option to sftp it remotely and simple syncing... a scaled down version of TextMate with simpler features. I would happily pay for this app.

lukifer 16y ago
I have a great idea for how to do one, but not nearly enough time to make it happen. :(

sp4rki 16y ago

This is almost as cool as the dreams I keep having of a Vim port for the iPad.

blackmac 16y ago

The first update with some of the most requested features is here. Have fun! http://webdesktoplife.com/post/1360939954/first-update-for-jscoder http://webdesktoplife.com/post/1360939954/first-update-for-j...

ryanwaggoner 16y ago

Awesome, but what's with the domain name? Might want to pick something easier to remember / type.

Raphael 16y ago

OK, hard mode: use standards so that it works on more than one platform.