I generally use iSH[1] for my iPhone to Linux needs. Specifically, I like it because it's a standard Linux distribution with OpenSSH. Meaning all the things work like sftp, ssh, tunnels, and local clients like `mysql` tunneled through ssh
I use iSH too and love that I have all my standard CLI tools available, or can just install ones I want.
But using the ssh client in iSH to interact with TUI interfaces is a less than optimal experience. Many nice UI affordances that something like Terminus provides are lacking. Like using swipes as input, key management tools, or using location monitoring as a trick to keep it running in the background. Definitely excited to check out this new Echo client.
I also love iSH. However, I haven't been able to run agents directly from my phone on it like I would hope.
I spent a few hours trying to get GitHub Copilot CLI or Claude Code installed only to discover that the version of Node is pegged to 14, which prohibits installation of several of these tools via NPM.
Has anyone had success with this? I'd love to see the packages updated to support later versions
This is pretty awesome, and at a $3 price point is an auto purchase for me!
As someone else said though, hardware keyboard support on iOS is something that I would really want as I regularly use ShellFish on my iPhone with a USB-C keyboard.
Something that actually matters more to me is font support. I use nerd fonts for my zsh prompt, so an app that doesn't support them is a hard sell. Are custom fonts supported, or at least on the roadmap?
Additionally I just want clarification on your business model. Once I pay now I will get all future updates for free or might I have to pay for them?
EDIT: (Since Ghostty supports it) Does this also support showing images in the terminal via the kitty protocol?
Neat, it's staggering that there hasn't been a good non-subscription option for a simple utility like this for iOS. I've used Termius for a while, but it pushes a subscription and AI features pretty hard.
I think this really needs the ability to generate SSH keys on the secure enclave, like Secretive[1] does on macOS.
There used to be a couple non-subscription ones. I’m still using Prompt 2, but of course it’s been superseded by the subscription-bound Prompt 3 on the App Store for some time now.
+1 in the same boat here. Only subscription I'm paying now is Signal backups, I simply can't justify the one-time price of 100$ they charge for Prompt 3
- I want my iPhone terminal to be built for use w/ external keyboard.
- While I really like pay-once a use-often app like a terminal you really want to try before you buy. But maybe Apples general refund-if-not-satisfied is still a thing and enough?
In the App Store it says it requires iOS 26.2 or later. Any reason it couldn't be made to run on iOS 18?
I only ask because I don't wanna upgrade to Liquid Glass!
- In Secure Shellfish, I love that if iOS suspends it and I reopen it, it just does `tmux attach` on the last host automatically. Echo has the "startup command", but seems I still have to manually click on the last host I used to resume. Perhaps we can get an option to auto-reconnect to the last host? (My work firewall blocks Mosh so I need to do the ssh-and-attach dance when iOS kills the app.)
- When using Emacs on iOS, it would be great to be able to save keychords like `C-x C-s` or `M-x` somewhere, for example on the virtual keyboard top row. (I would be ecstatic if I could use the volume buttons as Ctrl and Meta, but I guess that’s more complicated to do.)
thanks that's great feedback. currently thinking and working right now on the best way to handle customisability of the keyboard (without making it a chore to configure or a horrendous ui). hadn't considered "chords" yet but it's one we'll consider as we approach this
I'd love the ability to run a command on connection to a server (like "tmux attach -t main") and also a way to create my own buttons in the UI to send things like tmux commands (next window, create window, etc) to make it easier use from my phone.
Also, and I'll probably just buy it to test, but how does it handle copy/paste and STT? Especially with coding agents I use speech-to-text to explain something and that's always hit or miss in terminal apps on iOS in my experience.
Oh, very interesting, I wasn't even aware this was a thing. I mean, I guess it's obvious but after trying third-party keyboards years ago (and finding them too buggy) I never really kept up with them. I'll check that out!
Very cool! I've been using Termius for a while. Overall positive, but my one complaint is that the interactions can be pretty tedious using it with TUIs like Claude Code. I like the gesture-based movement, excited to try that in practice.
I use Tailscale SSH, so one very small bit of feedback is that it took me a second to realize I just needed to put a dummy password in to actually get to the connection.
Readit News
[1] https://apps.apple.com/us/app/ish-shell/id1436902243
But using the ssh client in iSH to interact with TUI interfaces is a less than optimal experience. Many nice UI affordances that something like Terminus provides are lacking. Like using swipes as input, key management tools, or using location monitoring as a trick to keep it running in the background. Definitely excited to check out this new Echo client.
I spent a few hours trying to get GitHub Copilot CLI or Claude Code installed only to discover that the version of Node is pegged to 14, which prohibits installation of several of these tools via NPM.
Has anyone had success with this? I'd love to see the packages updated to support later versions
As someone else said though, hardware keyboard support on iOS is something that I would really want as I regularly use ShellFish on my iPhone with a USB-C keyboard.
Something that actually matters more to me is font support. I use nerd fonts for my zsh prompt, so an app that doesn't support them is a hard sell. Are custom fonts supported, or at least on the roadmap?
Additionally I just want clarification on your business model. Once I pay now I will get all future updates for free or might I have to pay for them?
EDIT: (Since Ghostty supports it) Does this also support showing images in the terminal via the kitty protocol?
Deleted Comment
I think this really needs the ability to generate SSH keys on the secure enclave, like Secretive[1] does on macOS.
[1] https://secretive.dev/
Two problems for me:
- I want my iPhone terminal to be built for use w/ external keyboard.
- While I really like pay-once a use-often app like a terminal you really want to try before you buy. But maybe Apples general refund-if-not-satisfied is still a thing and enough?
A few requests:
- In Secure Shellfish, I love that if iOS suspends it and I reopen it, it just does `tmux attach` on the last host automatically. Echo has the "startup command", but seems I still have to manually click on the last host I used to resume. Perhaps we can get an option to auto-reconnect to the last host? (My work firewall blocks Mosh so I need to do the ssh-and-attach dance when iOS kills the app.)
- When using Emacs on iOS, it would be great to be able to save keychords like `C-x C-s` or `M-x` somewhere, for example on the virtual keyboard top row. (I would be ecstatic if I could use the volume buttons as Ctrl and Meta, but I guess that’s more complicated to do.)
Also, and I'll probably just buy it to test, but how does it handle copy/paste and STT? Especially with coding agents I use speech-to-text to explain something and that's always hit or miss in terminal apps on iOS in my experience.
https://x.com/usetalkieapp/status/2024342996322283734/photo/...
I use Tailscale SSH, so one very small bit of feedback is that it took me a second to realize I just needed to put a dummy password in to actually get to the connection.