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Working Copy - Git client 4+
for GitHub, GitLab and more
Anders Borum
-
- Free
- Offers In-App Purchases
Screenshots
Description
Access Git repositories on the go. Clone, edit, commit and push while allowing other apps access to repositories.
Git is a important part of our work-life and iOS can take part in this. The ability to commit even when offline has added utility on a device that moves in and out of network coverage. Cloning repositories gets you a local copy on your iOS device with commits for all branches. You can browse the content from within the app and make changes. Other applications supporting the Files app, WebDAV or x-callback-url has access to these files. Changes made can be committed and the commits can in turn be pushed back to the remote.
The idea of doing significant programming on iOS might seem far fetched when you are used to a large screen, a physical keyboard and a full IDE. But just as it turned out that not every email is serious prose, then not everything that goes on in Git is significant programming. Sometimes you just want to update a TODO file or make adjustments to your Jekyll site. Sometimes you just need to add a file the designer sent after hours.
If you ever make reminders about small things to do with the code-base, then you should give Working Copy a try. You will spend less time moving stuff around and you will get much better commit messages when you write them for fixes that are still fresh in your mind. You won't be leaving your computer behind any time soon, but sometimes it is faster to just fix things with the device in your hand.
When you do need to perform real work on iOS, Working Copy is a powerful tool. Editor has syntax highlighting for more than 50 programming languages and a built-in color picker. Preview images, Markdown and HTML files with a Javascript console pointing to errors in your code. Create new branches and merge or rebase them back, with a brilliant merge-tool for handling conflicts. If you need to automate your work there are Working Copy actions in the Shortcuts app for most operations.
Even if you never edit a line of code on iOS, Working Copy is a great companion for reviewing and discussing code. Repositories are cross indexed and with powerful fuzzy search you can quickly jump from a symbol to the declaration or reverse from the declaration to all usages. A graph of your commits lets you zoom out for a overview of the commit tree or zoom in for specifics about each commit, with speed and beauty you won’t find in desktop Git applications. Review the changes your files have gone through with a diff viewer that is great for text and images. There is even hex-dump mode for that obscure occasion.
Working Copy is a free download but you need to unlock pro features such as the ability to push commits and manage more than 5 repositories. There is no venture capital, large company or ads funding development and your support through in-app purchase directly sustains development. Try out pro features with a 10 day free trial.
When you pay to unlock you get permanent access to all pro features at the time of purchase as well as any added the next year. When 12 months have passed you keep all existing pro features but any new ones introduced are locked until you renew your unlock.
What’s New
Version 6.1.1
Fix such that links inside Working Copy open correctly on iOS 18.
Includes improvements from 6.0.7:
Amend the latest commit from the Commit dialog instead of creating a new commit.
You will only be able to push as part of an amend if the original commit hasn’t been pushed previously or is at the head of the remote branch. These conditions are checked when enabling both Amend & Push.
Commit amend is a pro feature available to users who have purchased or upgraded their Pro Unlock within the last 12 months.
Shortcuts actions to Commit can be configured to fail without stopping Shortcut itself.
Ratings and Reviews
Extremely powerful- but I’m spooked
It’s so good that Microsoft should just purchase this app! HOWEVER I can’t use it anymore although I liked it. I feel quite scared with the level of control on my github account this app needs. Dear developer- if not for individuals like me, at least for Enterprise use cases, please allow the ability to host this app’s Oauth backend ‘on-premise’ on user’s cloud. Most of your IP is on the frontend anyway! Distribute the backend as a binary package if you want- I can run a firewall rule to Ensure it’s only talking to Github that way. For now I’m leaving ☹️
Developer Response ,
If you do not feel safe authenticating Working Copy to access all of GitHub on your behalf, you can still use the classic Git client features of the app.
A possibility is to configure deploy keys on specific repositories such that a ssh key inside Working Copy allows pushing to this one repository.
There is no practical way to distribute a backend for Working Copy as the app speaks directly with GitHub (and the other hosting providers) without going through any Working Copy servers. There is no backend to distribute.
Best iOS Git tool I have tried
I tried a whole bunch of git tools on my iPad. This is the best one so far. My favorite feature is being able to have another app (Textastic) access / edit permissions to the git repositories on Working Copy. The one missing feature that I would look most forward to would be multiple Github accounts.
Developer Response ,
Thank you for the kind words. Regarding multiple GitHub accounts the trick is to create a hosting provider for each of your accounts. You can read about this in section 2.7 of the Users' Guide.
https://workingcopy.app/manual/hosting-provider
Solid app
Works great, nice icon and easy to use interface
In-App Purchases
App Privacy
The developer, Anders Borum, indicated that the app’s privacy practices may include handling of data as described below. For more information, see the developer’s privacy policy.
Data Not Linked to You
The following data may be collected but it is not linked to your identity:
- Usage Data
Privacy practices may vary based on, for example, the features you use or your age. Learn More
Information
- Provider
- Anders Borum
- Size
- 101.5 MB
- Category
- Developer Tools
- Compatibility
-
- iPhone
- Requires iOS 16.5 or later.
- iPad
- Requires iPadOS 16.5 or later.
- Apple Vision
- Requires visionOS 1.0 or later.
- Languages
-
English
- Age Rating
- 4+
- Location
- This app may use your location even when it isn’t open, which can decrease battery life.
- Copyright
- © 2014-2024 Anders Borum
- Price
- Free
- In-App Purchases
-
- Working Copy Pro Unlock S$ 29.98
- Pro Unlock trial S$ 0.00
- Pro Unlock trial S$ 0.00
- Pro Unlock trial S$ 0.00
- Pro Upgrade S$ 19.98
- Support Development S$ 0.98
- Pro Upgrade S$ 19.98
- Unlock transfer S$ 0.00
- Working Copy Pro Unlock S$ 34.98
- Pro Upgrade S$ 19.98
Supports
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Family Sharing
Some in‑app purchases, including subscriptions, may be shareable with your family group when Family Sharing is enabled.