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Play.js: The Node.js and React Native IDE for iPhone and iPad

145 points by ceeK 8y ago

isuckatcoding 8y ago
Cool but why though? I understand for those small percentage of iPad users this will be great.
- sudhirj 8y ago
  That’s precisely why. Took my money. Is great.
  - nodelessness 8y ago
    real image?
    - sudhirj 8y ago
      on HN nobody knows if you’re real.
- kn0tblind 8y ago
  You don’t need to know how to code to use it https://twitter.com/playdotjs/status/1098477904382578688?s=21 https://twitter.com/playdotjs/status/1098477904382578688?s=2...
  - jayvay 8y ago
    Very cool
peteforde 8y ago
Is there a hidden demographic of devs building React apps on iPads? This seems very, very niche.
- sudhirj 8y ago
  The iPad Pro is pretty great other than the development story, and this bridges that gap petty well, at least for React native.
- sorahn 8y ago
  I would love to run VSCode and a preview browser window on my iPad Pro.
  - toan3rd 8y ago
    Have you tried codesandbox.io? It is in my view the most sophisticated online editor with live preview and a huge load of starter templates to spare you the build configuration. It is my go-to solution for when i have an idea and just want to build it quickly anywhere. There is experimental support to use VSCode as the editor, togglable in the options.
    - sorahn 8y ago
      I have used it before, but didn't know about the VSCode option. I'll check that out. Thanks!
- baddox 8y ago
  Hidden? Probably more like latent. I build React apps all the times professionally and in my leisure time. I also use my iPad Pro a lot. I just don’t use my iPad Pro to make React apps, because I’ve never been aware of any feasible way to do so.
  - dkersten 8y ago
    I’m in a similar boat. I desperately want to be able to develop on my iPad, but just haven’t found a good way to do it yet. The best I’ve found so far is programming a micro:bit with the scratch-like environment. I’ll probably try this out, but what I really want is something like Max/MSP so is don’t have to type so much (although I do have a keyboard for my iPad, but it’s not something I like to type for long durations on)
nexuist 8y ago
I am incredibly excited for this. As a developer, all of my mobile devices excel at doing almost everything except....development. One step closer to a realized dream.
keyle 8y ago
Side note: I was expecting the background to be some really neat CSS trickery... Sadly just an image :'(
nurettin 8y ago
Anything similar for android people who have some time to kill while commuting?
- DennisAleynikov 8y ago
  Termux + Expo.io Or Samsung's Linux on DeX works well for app dev on your phone.
  - ramigb 8y ago
    How can you use DeX and commute?
    - DennisAleynikov 8y ago
      Linux on DeX works outside of the desktop in shell mode. you can start the app and test inside expo even on the go.
    - bergie 8y ago
      Theoretically you could use a portable HDMI screen and a battery pack, but that's quite clunky. The Galaxy Tab S4 supports DeX right on the tablet AFAIK.
      - DennisAleynikov 8y ago
        The Tab s4 and s5e both have DeX mode on screen and can be proto-laptops. Also there exist lapdock implementions by favorite being the HP Lapdock which even supports wireless pairing (Although DeX still needs to enable wireless projection mode)
kowdermeister 8y ago
I clicked the logo 3 times. It's not a video :)
- sambeau 8y ago
  Me too.
benjaminsuch 8y ago
I hate to brag but why can't you enlarge the screenshots on the App Store? Why is there no info or video what so ever to showcase the tool?
martin-adams 8y ago
The app is really slick. I'm surprised they were allowed to have their own window manager as Apple were very against that in the past. But I really like it. It actually is a nice take on a desktop environment on a tablet. I'm curious it being Node.js. It can run my js file on flight mode so isn't using a remote execution. But I didn't believe you could run node.js on an iPad due to the Apple restrictions (hopefully I'm wrong). That said, the whole ecosystem of Node.js is about bringing in modules. I can't see any mention of how to do that.
- kn0tblind 8y ago
  RE: Node modules. For now, it requires some prep with a laptop. You can use browserify --bare to squash all the dependencies into a file as they do here playdotjs://28816c75
  - cmmartin 8y ago
    NCC is a good tool for this too https://github.com/zeit/ncc https://github.com/zeit/ncc
- deleted 8y ago
  [deleted]
- dmitriid 8y ago
  > they were allowed to have their own window manager as Apple were very against that in the past. How is it a window manager when it's just an app with whatever screens it appropriate to display? It's no more a window manager than sketchbooks in drawing apps.
  - martin-adams 8y ago
    It's because they've recreated the internal menus, window snapping, ability to overlay windows and has a desktop. It looks like an OS. Apple were against this in the past because it doesn't align with their OS way of doing things. I never liked the rule so I'm excited to see that it looks like they've relaxed it in recent years.
kkarakk 8y ago
the video doesn't seem to play...
tempodox 8y ago
What Node modules does it download and how can I inspect them? What are the security implications?
andymacd 8y ago
Is this sandboxed to the device? I can't see a way to get existing projects in - github integration or similar would be nice
Fiahil 8y ago
Is there something similar that would allow me to use one of these on iPad Pro: - A fully featured linux desktop with Visual Studio Code and a terminal - A sandboxed terminal with persistent storage - A text editor and a rust compiler - A text editor I could always ssh into my raspberry pi while at home, which is my second best solution. But, if anyone has some ideas/solutions in mind that require even a large bit of tinkering, please tell me :)
- leesalminen 8y ago
  I just picked up a new 13” iPad Pro with the hopes as using it as a travel machine. Mostly for email/writing, but also for light development. Haven’t found a solution yet. I’m in web dev land currently, so node/npm/webpack and a local http server would be needed.
- Hippocrates 8y ago
  Here's how I do this: https://stephendotz.com/posts/pocket-dev/ https://stephendotz.com/posts/pocket-dev/ Originally I set it up on my iPhone, but now I use my iPad Pro "13 w/ the keyboard cover and it's really pleasant. I've written a ton of code on it. Front-end work is a little bit less fun because there aren't any browsers with dev tools for it.
  - robbevan 8y ago
    Inspect Browser: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/inspect-browser/id1203594958?mt=8 https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/inspect-browser/id1203594958...
    - Hippocrates 8y ago
      Amazing, thanks!
  - Fiahil 8y ago
    nice setup! I think I would go for a remote server instead of a local laptop in case I would opt for SSH’ing from the ipad. Thanks for suggesting Mosh !
harryf 8y ago
Cool would be if this app had some basic git(hub) support - currently seems only to support storing files locally or sharing to anything with a registered Sharing Extension (not aware of app that registers github sharing extension)
- jtth 8y ago
  You wouldn't do this. You'd expose the filesystem (Files app) and use Working Copy, which can mount repositories as though they were folders.
- kall 8y ago
  It already exposes it's document folder "On My iPad" so you can use the folder sync feature in Working Copy to work with github.
chendragon 8y ago
I bought this, it looks very nice and the UI has a very high level of polish to it. I'm trying to use this with WebViews to hack together a multi-window, multi-tab browser thing, not sure if this is something that exists already. The main issue with this is that it closes all of the windows when you switch away from this app, making it quite inconvenient at the moment.
etxm 8y ago
This is pretty cool. Just killed 30 minutes while in a waiting room. Couldn’t figure out how to add modules. Auto-prettier would be awesome.
seddin 8y ago
You will be much more productive on any Chromebook with a Linux distro than on a iPad.

145 points by ceeK 8y ago

isuckatcoding 8y ago

Cool but why though? I understand for those small percentage of iPad users this will be great.

sudhirj 8y ago
That’s precisely why. Took my money. Is great.
- nodelessness 8y ago
  real image?
  - sudhirj 8y ago
    on HN nobody knows if you’re real.
kn0tblind 8y ago
You don’t need to know how to code to use it https://twitter.com/playdotjs/status/1098477904382578688?s=21 https://twitter.com/playdotjs/status/1098477904382578688?s=2...
- jayvay 8y ago
  Very cool

peteforde 8y ago

Is there a hidden demographic of devs building React apps on iPads? This seems very, very niche.

sudhirj 8y ago
The iPad Pro is pretty great other than the development story, and this bridges that gap petty well, at least for React native.
sorahn 8y ago
I would love to run VSCode and a preview browser window on my iPad Pro.
- toan3rd 8y ago
  Have you tried codesandbox.io? It is in my view the most sophisticated online editor with live preview and a huge load of starter templates to spare you the build configuration. It is my go-to solution for when i have an idea and just want to build it quickly anywhere. There is experimental support to use VSCode as the editor, togglable in the options.
  - sorahn 8y ago
    I have used it before, but didn't know about the VSCode option. I'll check that out. Thanks!
baddox 8y ago
Hidden? Probably more like latent. I build React apps all the times professionally and in my leisure time. I also use my iPad Pro a lot. I just don’t use my iPad Pro to make React apps, because I’ve never been aware of any feasible way to do so.
- dkersten 8y ago
  I’m in a similar boat. I desperately want to be able to develop on my iPad, but just haven’t found a good way to do it yet. The best I’ve found so far is programming a micro:bit with the scratch-like environment. I’ll probably try this out, but what I really want is something like Max/MSP so is don’t have to type so much (although I do have a keyboard for my iPad, but it’s not something I like to type for long durations on)

nexuist 8y ago

I am incredibly excited for this. As a developer, all of my mobile devices excel at doing almost everything except....development. One step closer to a realized dream.

keyle 8y ago

Side note: I was expecting the background to be some really neat CSS trickery... Sadly just an image :'(

nurettin 8y ago

Anything similar for android people who have some time to kill while commuting?

DennisAleynikov 8y ago
Termux + Expo.io Or Samsung's Linux on DeX works well for app dev on your phone.
- ramigb 8y ago
  How can you use DeX and commute?
  - DennisAleynikov 8y ago
    Linux on DeX works outside of the desktop in shell mode. you can start the app and test inside expo even on the go.
  - bergie 8y ago
    Theoretically you could use a portable HDMI screen and a battery pack, but that's quite clunky. The Galaxy Tab S4 supports DeX right on the tablet AFAIK.
    - DennisAleynikov 8y ago
      The Tab s4 and s5e both have DeX mode on screen and can be proto-laptops. Also there exist lapdock implementions by favorite being the HP Lapdock which even supports wireless pairing (Although DeX still needs to enable wireless projection mode)

kowdermeister 8y ago

I clicked the logo 3 times. It's not a video :)

sambeau 8y ago
Me too.

benjaminsuch 8y ago

I hate to brag but why can't you enlarge the screenshots on the App Store? Why is there no info or video what so ever to showcase the tool?

martin-adams 8y ago

The app is really slick. I'm surprised they were allowed to have their own window manager as Apple were very against that in the past. But I really like it. It actually is a nice take on a desktop environment on a tablet. I'm curious it being Node.js. It can run my js file on flight mode so isn't using a remote execution. But I didn't believe you could run node.js on an iPad due to the Apple restrictions (hopefully I'm wrong). That said, the whole ecosystem of Node.js is about bringing in modules. I can't see any mention of how to do that.

kn0tblind 8y ago
RE: Node modules. For now, it requires some prep with a laptop. You can use browserify --bare to squash all the dependencies into a file as they do here playdotjs://28816c75
- cmmartin 8y ago
  NCC is a good tool for this too https://github.com/zeit/ncc https://github.com/zeit/ncc
deleted 8y ago
[deleted]
dmitriid 8y ago
> they were allowed to have their own window manager as Apple were very against that in the past. How is it a window manager when it's just an app with whatever screens it appropriate to display? It's no more a window manager than sketchbooks in drawing apps.
- martin-adams 8y ago
  It's because they've recreated the internal menus, window snapping, ability to overlay windows and has a desktop. It looks like an OS. Apple were against this in the past because it doesn't align with their OS way of doing things. I never liked the rule so I'm excited to see that it looks like they've relaxed it in recent years.

kkarakk 8y ago

the video doesn't seem to play...

tempodox 8y ago

What Node modules does it download and how can I inspect them? What are the security implications?

andymacd 8y ago

Is this sandboxed to the device? I can't see a way to get existing projects in - github integration or similar would be nice

Fiahil 8y ago

Is there something similar that would allow me to use one of these on iPad Pro: - A fully featured linux desktop with Visual Studio Code and a terminal - A sandboxed terminal with persistent storage - A text editor and a rust compiler - A text editor I could always ssh into my raspberry pi while at home, which is my second best solution. But, if anyone has some ideas/solutions in mind that require even a large bit of tinkering, please tell me :)

leesalminen 8y ago
I just picked up a new 13” iPad Pro with the hopes as using it as a travel machine. Mostly for email/writing, but also for light development. Haven’t found a solution yet. I’m in web dev land currently, so node/npm/webpack and a local http server would be needed.
Hippocrates 8y ago
Here's how I do this: https://stephendotz.com/posts/pocket-dev/ https://stephendotz.com/posts/pocket-dev/ Originally I set it up on my iPhone, but now I use my iPad Pro "13 w/ the keyboard cover and it's really pleasant. I've written a ton of code on it. Front-end work is a little bit less fun because there aren't any browsers with dev tools for it.
- robbevan 8y ago
  Inspect Browser: https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/inspect-browser/id1203594958?mt=8 https://itunes.apple.com/gb/app/inspect-browser/id1203594958...
  - Hippocrates 8y ago
    Amazing, thanks!
- Fiahil 8y ago
  nice setup! I think I would go for a remote server instead of a local laptop in case I would opt for SSH’ing from the ipad. Thanks for suggesting Mosh !

harryf 8y ago

Cool would be if this app had some basic git(hub) support - currently seems only to support storing files locally or sharing to anything with a registered Sharing Extension (not aware of app that registers github sharing extension)

jtth 8y ago
You wouldn't do this. You'd expose the filesystem (Files app) and use Working Copy, which can mount repositories as though they were folders.
kall 8y ago
It already exposes it's document folder "On My iPad" so you can use the folder sync feature in Working Copy to work with github.

chendragon 8y ago

I bought this, it looks very nice and the UI has a very high level of polish to it. I'm trying to use this with WebViews to hack together a multi-window, multi-tab browser thing, not sure if this is something that exists already. The main issue with this is that it closes all of the windows when you switch away from this app, making it quite inconvenient at the moment.

etxm 8y ago

This is pretty cool. Just killed 30 minutes while in a waiting room. Couldn’t figure out how to add modules. Auto-prettier would be awesome.

seddin 8y ago

You will be much more productive on any Chromebook with a Linux distro than on a iPad.