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 6.1.8
Fix preview of Sketch files.
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
Take my money!
Literally within the first 10 minutes of using this app I wanted to give this man my money. And I did. I was able to connect to my github account with ease and even create a PGP key in a few taps and I don’t even know what the heck a PGP key is except that it verifies my identity on github somehow when I push changes. I originally was looking for a markdown editor with source control capabilities and this app fits the bill. I was able to create some markdown and reference image files elsewhere in the repository and it all worked, and it even has a nifty markdown preview capability. I opened a second instance of the app side by side on my ipad and had one instance in editor mode and the other in preview mode, and although it’s not a live update, as soon as I tapped “Done” though the instance in preview mode reflected the changes immediately, which I more than I had hoped for from an app that wasn’t trying to be a markdown editor! I could still edit the markdown on the first instance too just by tapping on the text area again.
EDIT: I just noticed that the markdown preview refreshed about every 5 seconds or so, so even though it’s still not a live update, the auto refresh updates the preview fast enough!
Even if you don’t download the app just send the man your money anyways; he totally deserves it.
good but why have push pro only?
I find it stupid that pushing is a pro only feature. Because of that this app becomes useless after the trial forcing me back to the even more useless git2go because I cant zip up a repository that I cloned on my phone and transferred to my laptop to make changes and commited on to push it on my phone as the laptop has no internet as the wifi driver in 1803 and the latest windows insiders keeps disconnecting me. This is why I got this app to replace that trash app but with push being pro it makes this one trash too. Sorry but if you want people want to be able to use it without them being forced to buy pro or people like me who cannot get a job because of my mental stability and so I do open source to pass time. Please take this into consideration. I love the fact of gpg signing too something git2go does not have. Although I would like it if I could press some rebase button on a commit that asks me if I want to squash it into the previous commit and possibly ones after it or fixup the previous one using only the currently opened one to basically amend the one before it. Other than that keep up the good work. :wink: Even I would like to help with making this app if it itself was also open source.
Developer Response ,
I need to make push a pro feature to make the people seriously using the app pay for it. It can support the salary of one developer (me) and I work full time to improve it.
This is frustrating when it's too expensive, but the alternative would not be better for you.
I wouldn't have been able to spend much time developing a free app as it would be done after completing my paying day job and the result would not be close to the quality that Working Copy is now.
I'm working on ways to amend, squash and split commits.
Fantastic app by a fantastic developer that is definitely deserving of your support
I’ll preface by saying that I am not a developer, just a hobbyist. I really don’t use git a ton aside from cloning repositories for self hosted apps on my raspberry pi or digital ocean server etc. In fact, I use this developer’s other app, secure shellfish (also a fantastic app- best ssh client for iOS hands down), for all of that.
That being said, I have a good understanding of how git works and an appreciation for well developed apps. This one is outstanding. Both of this developer’s apps continue to amaze me with their ability to seemingly push the limits of what’s possible with iOS. I don’t think any other apps integrate so seamlessly with the iOS files app and are as feature rich as secure shellfish and working copy. The UIs are also extremely visually pleasing.
Although I can do everything (and more) that I need just from the free version, I felt compelled to pay for the pro features. As another reviewer said, give this guy your money. He definitely deserves it.
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, for example, based on the features you use or your age. Learn More
Information
- Seller
- Anders Borum
- Size
- 99.7 MB
- Category
- Developer Tools
- Compatibility
-
- iPhone
- Requires iOS 16.4 or later.
- iPad
- Requires iPadOS 16.4 or later.
- Apple Vision
- Requires visionOS 1.0 or later.
- Languages
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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 $14.99
- Pro Unlock trial $0.00
- Pro Unlock trial $0.00
- Pro Unlock trial $0.00
- Support Development $1.99
- Pro Upgrade $9.99
- Pro Upgrade $9.99
- Pro Upgrade $9.99
- Unlock transfer $0.00
- Unlock transfer $0.00
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.