Which of these code editors would you recommend?

[doktorwho]

Hi, I am looking to buy a code editor for my iphone so i can code on it. I don't know any of these but they are most if not all paid and i was thinking of asking for your help in choosing one of them. I would like it to be a python editor but it should also support other languages. It is also necessary and great if it has the run option to see the result of the code. I am going to list some of them to make it easier for you just to evaluate some of them and recommend.. :-)
- Buffer Editor
-CodeToGo
-Textastic
-Pythonista 3
These are just the ones i found, if you have a suggestion please share with me :-)

 

[jim mcnamara]

Taking a more general approach - Steve McConnell in 'Code Complete ...'

https://www.amazon.com/dp/0735619670/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Lists a series of requirements for an editor used for code development, anything more is pure personal choice. I have the first edition, so I'm not sure where the list is in the edition you most likely can find.

Among the important ones:
macro definitions that support a complex series of keystrokes
Langauge specific syntax highlighting, with automatic recognition based on file type.
A method to check the balance of start and end terminator constructs for a given language
regex searches
Hex editor
Extensive help

So instead of the usual inane badinage of 'my dog is better than your dog' kinds of favoritisms, try doing a tad of reading and make a decision you can live with.
All editors have a learning curve.

 

[Mark44]

Hi, I am looking to buy a code editor for my iphone

Personally I wouldn't try using a phone to write code, but if that's all you have to work with, I guess it will have to do.

As far as an editor is concerned, you don't really need anything special. When I was teaching myself Python last year, I used Notepad, that comes with Windows. Another text editor that's more useful is Notepad++, a free download, although I'm not sure there's a version for iPhone.

 

[Svein]

The most useful code editor I have ever used was Brief - but that was essentially a DOS editor. Somebody converted it to Windows ("CodeWright") and it was very good. Then Codewright was bought by Borland and disappeared.

I currently use SlickEdit. It is as good as Codewright ever was.

Then you have the favorite of old UNIX hackers - EMACS. You can do anything with it, but the learning curve is really steep.

If you want to do things the really hard way - the descendants of vi can also do editing but it will drive you mad trying to keep track of what mode you are in.

 

[Ibix]

I like vi

 

[FactChecker]

I like vi

This reminds me of the Christians in ancient Rome, gathering in little groups and talking in whispers to avoid persecution and torture.

 

[Mark44]

@doktorwho, did you ever get your Python code to work -- the problem of pulling a URL out of some XML for a web page?

 

[Ibix]

This reminds me of the Christians in ancient Rome, gathering in little groups and talking in whispers to avoid prosecution and torture.

I was just being a bit silly in response to Svein's "drive you mad" comment, which apparently passed the mods by. I do like vi, largely because pretty much everything is (or can be) keyboard driven with fairly few keystrokes. I don't know how useful this is on a phone.

On the one hand, I actually have trouble selecting text precisely on my phone, and the ability to type 23h to move 23 characters left would be useful. Also copy-paste without mucking around with long presses would be handy.

On the other hand, my phone keyboard is fairly clumsy and typing 23h isn't as easy to type as it might be. Also, the on-screen keyboard means that you wouldn't be task switching between keyboard and mouse in the same way as with a desktop so some advantage is lost.

Swings and roundabouts, I suppose. Try it and see. Note that, as with Emacs, the learning curve is brutal.

 

[doktorwho]

@doktorwho, did you ever get your Python code to work -- the problem of pulling a URL out of some XML for a web page?

Yeah i did, i rewrote it this morning and it is simpler and it works. And to reply to all that i bought a program the i really like. Its the last one, Pythonista 3, its the best Python editor for a phone that i could find. You can check it out at:
https://itunes.apple.com/au/app/pythonista-3/id1085978097?mt=8
Its pricey but it think itll pay off.. :-)

 

[rbelli1]

Its pricey

$9.99 is "Pricey"?

BoB

 

[doktorwho]

$9.99 is "Pricey"?

BoB

Its 13.74$ in my country and compared to the rest it is.