Prompt 2 4+

Way cool and wonderfully functional

I am still getting used to the amazing concept of ssh-ing into a server on an iPad. The terminal emulation has so far proven to be faultless, and the interface works well. With a Bluetooth keyboard, it's as functional as a laptop. I was demonstrating how data were being written to a MySQL database by a balance, and being read and updated from a FileMaker database, all on my iPad. Amazing. You can even store a public key in a saved server, which in my case skips me around the two-factor authentication hassle.

Being bugged to switch back to Prompt to keep it connected is making me crazy. I have had to do that a number of times while writing this review, and the App Store app stops taking keyboard input when I switch out. Sigh. It's an unavoidable restriction imposed by Apple.

If the programmers at Panic are ever sitting around trying to think of a bone to throw us users, the ability to change screen colors (background, type, etc.) would be cool, or the ability to create themes (or even a few more themes) would be nice.

Does the job, does it well.

Perhaps the most crucial app on my iPad Mini. Deals with the space- and UI constraints in a sensible way. I actually love the way that I need to re-authN to the app each time I switch to it (and that biometric is an option for authN), and the fact that the devs took pains to prevent data leakage via app-switcher thumbnails. Just enough assignable keys to drag heavily-used symbols (pipe, underscore) up and out of where Apple buried them on the default keyboards. Finally, very pleased with Prompt 2’s (so far, fully-transparent) IPv6 support. I’d recommend it to anyone who needs SSH on the go. Kudos!

Review update

I wrote an earlier review that I cannot locate but stated only one issue with this app, the termination of sessions. The developer responded and provided an acceptable answer. The fault is not with the app but with Apple's regulations which force developers to comply with a ten minute background process limit. This should be a setting I can override. If I want a background app to run indefinitely, discharging my battery regardless, I should be able to.

Five stars for this app, best SSH client for iPhone and iPad.

Developer Response ,

Hey there! We’ve designed our apps to maintain server connections for as long as possible. iOS policies permit up to 10 minutes of background time after the app is suspended or the device is locked. In practice this time can vary, but we request as much time as the system will allow.

When you have a connection open in the background you should see a notification to re-open the app before the connection is terminated. If this isn’t being displayed, please check to make sure that notifications for the app are enabled in the Settings.app.