HN Explorer

Ask HN: Does Anyone Write Code With an iPad?

14 points by Toddward ↗ HN
Here's the situation - my main development machine (an early 2008 MacBook) is on its way out. It has served me well, but the wireless card is shot, there are stress fractures and missing bits in the case, and the display is just plain beat up. I've been mulling getting a MacBook Air or Pro (or an Ultrabook running ArchLinux), but I've also been considering one of the new LTE iPads.

I remember seeing an article on HN a few months back written by a guy who had started writing code on his VPS through an iPad. This is roughly the same setup I'm looking at. Has anyone else tried this? Would they recommend it? Am I just better off getting an actual computer?

Thanks, HN.

12 comments

[ 151 ms ] story [ 915 ms ] thread
kellyreid
I've tried. It just never goes well. I tried remotely accessing my desktop at home. nope. tried all the text editors on the iPad. Nope.

every attempt to code on it has ended in me saying "next time I'm buying a macbook".

so no, do not try. you want a laptop.

meepmorp
I've done it before, but it kinda sucks without an external keyboard. Even then, not optimal - having to switch between apps to view docs or test in a browser is kind of a pain.

Just get a computer.

Toddward
Yeah, the external keyboard would be a must. Thanks for your thoughts.
debacle
I've tried coding on my webOS... thing.

It's relatively easy but I don't think the tools are there yet. You'll definitely be more productive with an actual keyboard.

CyberFonic
I tried using just the iPad and the on-screen keyboard took up too much of the screen for my liking. Bought an Apple Bluetooth keyboard - it was better, but function keys, etc are not fully supported. Eventually went back to using a MacBook Pro. For me having a keyboard; not having to prop up the iPad; and being able to function without a wireless broadband connection dropping out, slowing down is a more productive experience. And ... I really prefer to have bigger screen. Sometimes use the iPad in a Logitech dock as a second screen with AirDisplay - now that is convenient - but not on the road.

In your situation I would seriously consider getting a MacBook Air.

nknight
I don't necessarily recommend coding on an iPad at this point in time, but if you're going to try and use the iPad as a laptop replacement, you're probably better off getting something like Kensington's KeyFolio case+keyboard units[1]. I've seen 'em in action and they seem to work pretty well.

[1] http://www.kensington.com/kensington/us/us/s/1615/keyboard-f...

zack12
i don't have an iPad, never even touched one:(
bnycum
I've attempted it. I use Panic's Prompt to SSH back into one of my machines and program from there. I do not have an external keyboard for the iPad, but using the on-screen keyboard is just a pain. You have to think how you are going to be switching between the different on-screen keyboards to find very frequent used keys like brackets, parens, semicolon, etc. This works in a pinch but not for long periods of time.

With having an external keyboard it's another pain to reach up and touch your screen to switch apps. Just stick with a laptop, you will thank yourself in the end.

[deleted]
(comment deleted)
[deleted]
(comment deleted)
chaosprophet
Writing code on an iPad would require an external keyboard and a propping mechanism - both of which have their problems.

When working with an iPad half the keys on the external keyboard are useless. And it just so happens that these 'useless' keys are the ones we hit a lot while programming.

The propping mechanism should be sturdy enough to not fall over since tasks such as alt-tabbing now require that you reach over and touch the screen, which should ideally be situated at a distance of 20inches from your eyes when typing. Shuffling between touch gesturing and typing wastes a lot of time.

For these reasons, an iPad would make a pathetic medium for coding. However, there was a link recently to an iPad IDE which focused on trying to get a lot of work done with as little typing as possible. I haven't tried it out yet, so can't comment on how useful that would be.