

Show HN: My 1-year project, iPad IDE with GitHub and Heroku integration - donny
http://worqshop.com/

======
donny
Hi HN,

I've been implementing it since July last year. I'm still developing /
improving it. Well, Apple just approved the latest version.

Well, it's not LightTable, but with it, you can commit to GitHub and deploy to
Heroku, StackMob, or AppHarbor from your iPad.

~~~
josephcooney
No, it's not lighttable, it's real working software that you can buy/use now,
not slideware. Kudos to you.

------
fcoury
What I really miss in this one is a key helper like the one Textastic brings:
<http://www.textasticapp.com/images/screenshot2.png>. This feature alone made
me buy the app.

~~~
vilya
Thanks for posting that! I've been using Textastic for a while but didn't know
about that feature.

------
donny
Most probably after this, I'll add server side execution (since Apple doesn't
allow execution of downloaded code on iPad)

Thus, you can run Python, Ruby, etc from the iPad. Worqshop will transfer the
code to server, execute, and bring the results back to the iPad. Seamlessly
and transparently.

~~~
jwarzech
I think that would a huge addition. Only thing is how could you handle
execution of web apps (not just services)?

~~~
donny
Oh, I need to clarify. In my mind, it's like a shell, eg Python shell or Ruby
shell. And execution here refers to the traditional execution of programs /
scripts. I don't plan to become a PaaS like Heroku that handles web apps
execution.

------
veyron
Is there a custom keyboard like with iSSH: <http://www.zinger-
soft.com/support_g_3.html>

The problem is that certain punctuation symbols (: . { }) are used often and
they require a modal change to input them. I point to iSSH because the ability
to reconfigure the keyboard makes it easy to type large blocks of code.

~~~
donny
Hmm.. Not at the moment. I need to think about it. I'm a bit wary to add
additional keys. On landscape, the text window becomes a bit too small to my
liking. But. I'll think about it.

~~~
cubicle67
Have you seen Codea (nee Codify)? It implements what looks like the standard
keyboard with an extra row on top containing things like parenthesis, quotes,
tab and left/right cursor keys. Screenshot here
[http://www.twolivesleft.com/Codea/Talk/discussion/206/progre...](http://www.twolivesleft.com/Codea/Talk/discussion/206/progress-
update%3A-new-tab-bar/p1)

~~~
shawndumas
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Heq16nJvTKA>

the next version codea supports hooper selection

------
terhechte
The one thing I always miss on iPad editors is VIM Binding support: Especially
on the iPad, where making selections with your finger is a pain, it is so
relieving to be able to do a shift-b, 5j to select a piece of code, copy it
and paste it somewhere else.

On normal computers, the existence of a trackpad or mouse makes navigating
code possible. But on the iPad, I see a huge need for the kind of editing that
VIM (or Emacs) enabled where you don't need to move your fingers from the
keyboard to navigate. Sadly, the only way to have that on the iPad, right now,
is running VIM in iSSH (needs server connection) or the ported VIM which
doesn't run correctly on my iPad 3.

~~~
Derbasti
I have this vision of a custom Vim keyboard for the iPad where every key is
labelled according to its function. Hence, in normal mode, 'd' would be
labelled 'del' and 't' would be 'goto'. Then press 'd' once, and 'd' is
labelled 'line' and 't' is labelled 'upto'. In insert mode, it would display
characters, of course.

A keyboard like this (for Vim or otherwise) could seriously change the game
for text editing.

Have a special 'keyboard' for entering snippets. Have one for navigation. Have
one for actions. Combine them like you combine Vim motions/actions.

Now that is something I look forward to. Maybe that Logitech keyboard with
little screens on each character was indeed a glimpse into a better future.

~~~
shawndumas
kickstarter?

~~~
Derbasti
I'm not American.

------
frou_dh
Cool. Is there or is there plans for a darker theme? A fair number of people
don't like big expanses of white on backlit screens.

~~~
darkmethod
I have several apps on my iPad where I prefer white text on black. Within the
general settings, I set my "Triple-click Home" button to toggle White/Black.
Not perfect, but helpful.

------
cpenner461
This looks awesome! I've been casually looking for/thinking about something
like this so that I could take my iPad and Bluetooth keyboard when traveling
but still be able to get some coding done. Heading to the app store now...

------
clintjhill
I know the future might be LightTable ... maybe. But for now I'm happy to see
that it's becoming fashionable to have your IDE "small" and "thin". Not only
in the hardware that you use it on, but also in the features and
functionality. Even the idea of distributing the execution of scripts is
appealing. Sometimes it does feel as though I want my laptop to just deal with
the text (format, highlight, modify with ease) and have some other device take
care of the execution and simply ping me when things are going well/bad.

Right now our world it text based. And efforts like this make that
circumstance better IMO.

------
alecperkins
I've been looking forward to a proper editor with GitHub integration, if only
for writing notes and documentation into a git repo. (PlainText is great for
doing so to Dropbox, but I miss the power of git.)

Downside, trying Worqshop out and it crashes as soon as I enter my credentials
when creating a new project. Consistently. I really hope this gets fixed
quickly. (I'm on a 3rd gen iPad, the "new" one, and am using a bluetooth
keyboard. Edit: though it crashes without the keyboard on, too. Fully up-to-
date and everything.)

~~~
donny
Hi Alec, I'm sorry about this. Could you please send me an email. There is a
bug where Worqshop crashes if you have empty projects on GitHub. It's a known
issue and I'm fixing it at this very minute. Thanks. Donny

~~~
alecperkins
Thanks for the quick reply. I deleted the empty repos and it's working
wonderfully. I look forward to the update. Being able to create entirely new
repos from the iPad would be a big plus.

------
abstractwater
Nice job! Just shared it with people at my job.

One minor comment: the text in the screenshots is very hard to read without
enlarging, and looks blurry at least in iTunes on my mac. I would make the
font a little bigger, perhaps like Textastic or even slightly bigger.

Also, the bright green for the comments is a little too... bright.

This is minor stuff but it affects the first impression a perspective customer
might have. An easy fix though. =)

~~~
donny
Thanks. Yup, an easy fix. I've spent months doing the Heroku and GitHub
integration; at the expense of better editor. Will improve the editor soon :)

------
benwerd
This looks lovely! Nicely done.

Big question that I couldn't see an answer to in the screenshots: how do you
tab?

Also, is there any chance of custom syntax highlighting for people like me who
need to code in languages like (say it quietly) PHP from time to time?

~~~
donny
Thanks. Well, just tap the files and the tabs will open automatically. Send me
an email. Syntax highlighting can be done quickly.

~~~
biot
How do you _type_ a tab into the text editor?

------
theone
How does it compares with textastic [http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/textastic-
code-editor/id38357...](http://itunes.apple.com/us/app/textastic-code-
editor/id383577124?mt=8)

~~~
cpenner461
At a glance (not having used either one yet) it looks like textastic has more
connectivity options (sftp, WebDAV) but lacks deployment integration like this
one has. IOW it seems like you could use worqshop for the complete life cycle
of your app from dev to deployment.

~~~
fcoury
In my opinion the biggest win Textastic has is the amazing key helpers atop of
the keyboard: <http://www.textasticapp.com/images/screenshot2.png>. This is
the killer feature of Textastic in my opinion.

------
joshstrange
This looks awesome and with it (when it gets a few more languages for syntax
highlighting) I will really have to reconsider buying an iPad + bluetooth
keyboard for on-the-road/on-vacation times when I need to make minor edits
online for work. Also I would order an iPad today if it also included an ssh
terminal. That would seal it for me! Also maybe some way to connect through
sftp and edit files directly on a server would be great

~~~
cpenner461
I've just recently started using Prompt
(<http://panic.com/prompt/support.html>) for an ssh app. Using it is what has
pushed me to start looking for something like this app to do light development
(as in having ssh on my iPad/iPhone has opened the possibilities of getting
"real" work done when needed).

~~~
mark_l_watson
Prompt is really useful.

I use it to keep track of my servers while travelling. Doing Java homework for
a class was OK also: ssh xterm emacs Makefile - really worked OK.

------
geon
How did you integrate it with github? Do you have a git client in the app, or
are you only using the github api?

------
tibbon
Buying and trying now. I'm hopeful. I've been thinking that this is an app
that clearly needs to happen and (while I'm glad you're charging less) I'd
easily pay $99 for if it was perfect.

If this is good, I'm going to buy a bluetooth keyboard for the iPad tomorrow.

------
simonrobb
There's no mention of FTP - is it possible to deploy to a server other than
Heroku? The iPad IDEs I've tried are all lacking an integrated FTP client
which provides a decent workflow for web dev, if you provided this in worqshop
I'd adopt it in a heartbeat!

------
donny
I've been developing Heroku and GitHub integration for months, at the expense
of a better editor. But what people want is a better editor: themes, vim
keybinding, extra keyboard, etc :) I'll try to do it after I finish with the
server side code execution.

------
molossus
While I applaud the effort, I do not understand the motivation. When I want to
develop something, I use a desktop or a notebook, and I'm never away from one
long enough that I would have no choice but to work on a mobile device.

~~~
DeepDuh
Think about students in CS classes who already have their textbooks on their
iPads but need to lug around a notebook just for some trivial coding. IMO this
might be an interesting target group. HOWEVER the current language support
does not really do that group justice. Add at least C, C++, Java and maybe
Pascal and Basic (high school CS classes) syntax highlighting to cover a good
portion of CS classes.

~~~
pjmlp
I would advise any CS student against tablets for the classroom.

A laptop is much more productive:

\- A proper keyboard

\- Ability to install whatever applications required for the classes

\- No need of internet connection for software development

\- Proper office like tooling for school reports

------
gurkendoktor
Pardon my shallowness, but the bright green on white on the home page
screenshots screams all over the rest of the page for me (in a bad voice). The
pills below the screenshots are also hard to click with a trackpad.

------
chriseidhof
Awesome!

Just a very small issue with the website: I wanted to click on the screenshot
on the homepage, but it didn't work. I expected it to be clickable and do the
slideshow.

------
plg
What about C? If not remote compilation/execution, then at least syntax
highlighting?

I guess the obvious thing otherwise would be iSSH to your own GNU/Linux box
and Emacs

------
ryancarson
This looks really exciting. I know that coding will be done on iPads but the
model has always been clunky. This looks like a good start in the right
direction.

------
mdkess
That looks excellent, I really like it.

Could you talk a bit about how you did the text rendering? Basically my
question is, how do you render nice text?

------
jaems33
Sidenote: Annoying how simple slide animations like that on the homepage that
I assume are using jquery are super laggy on the iPad itself.

------
crowhack
So I'm all for IDE's on the ipad, but why would you want to code on an ipad?

but regardless of my question, looks good man

------
christiangenco
Awesome! A fantastic step in the right direction for iPad development.

Feature request: hooper selection.

------
geekfactor
Does this work with any Git repo or just GitHub? I've been using BitBucket
recently for free private repos.

------
codeodor
What kind of sales are you getting with $7.99 as the price point? Have you
considered increasing it?

------
thomasfl
Apps like this make the iPad+keyboard a useful development tool.

------
molecule
nice, looks handy. any plans for coffeescript support?

~~~
bergie
With CoffeeScript, this might be the tool to get me off a laptop and using
tablets for real work.

All our code is already on GitHub, with hosted Continuous Integration (Travis
for the Open Source parts), and Heroku for deployment of the new Node.js
projects. So migrating to a tool like this ought to be feasible.

------
tferris
How does it compare to Cloud9?

------
nerdfiles
Crashes on iOS 5.1 after I successfully log in to github.

------
hanswesterbeek
Poor you, it is obvious that one needs a real keyboard to code, any
touchscreen just won't let you type quick enough.

The iPad is no good for any kind of authoring. I own one, love it but can
hardly make myself even type a 3 sentence email on it, let alone code.

I'm afraid you've waisted a year.

~~~
uvTwitch
[http://ipad.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/ipad-keyboard-
doc...](http://ipad.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/ipad-keyboard-dock-
image-1.jpg)

~~~
rjh29
Also known as a 'laptop'

