Ask HN: How to do remote pair programming?

3 points by avodonosov ↗ HN

8 comments

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In case you like console: How about sharing a tmux session with Vim/Emacs in it? The remote peer will connect to your machine through SSH.
Try zoom.us. Also has remote control. Used it for this very purpose several times.
Google hangouts or Skype are ordinary tools people use to get started. Generating ongoing mutual interest and habits in pairing might be harder than picking a tool.
Screen sharing doesn't allow to switch keyboard. Or hangouts and skype allow to control editor for both participants?
If the code lives in a shared repository such as Github, there's no need to share a keyboard. When switching roles, the driver commits the changes from their local machine. The navigator updates their local copy.
Have you tried that?

In my experience we switch more often, and codi is not in a shape to be committed - it wont even compile.

Yes. The code was on its own branch. It was part of a simple protocol for all remote pairing. The hard part of pairing is often social issues such as the way Git is used. Technology isn't really the critical factor. I mean remote pairing requires a change to the way people interact. Using Git differently is a change to the way people interact. The key is that people are interested in making it work. If they aren't, it doesn't matter what technology you choose.

The nice thing about using Git and hangouts or skype is that I can use Emacs and you can use Vim and someone else can use Sublime text.