Tags: Developers Editors
Codeanywhere is a code editor in a browser with an integrated ftp client, and all popular web formats are supported (HTML, PHP, JavaScript, CSS, and XML).
We aren't using our grandfathers web browsers any longer, that is the modern web browser is becoming a powerful application platform, rather than just a frame within which to display hypertext/HTML/images/links. With that in mind, can software developers shift from coding in a desktop application to an app running in a web browser, or on a mobile device.
CodeAnywhere is an excellent code editor that supports a wide range of code file formats, and can edit files on a long (but not comprehensive) list of remote file stores.
One accesses CodeAnywhere via their website, and it's free to sign up and one can quickly start using it to edit code. The service is funded through a freemium model where, yes, you can sign up for free and edit code for free, but to access certain useful services - like SFTP access to your files - requires paying a subscription fee. The fee is modest but large enough that I don't yet know if it's worth the $5/month.
The free version can access files on Dropbox or Github or on the small sandbox provided by CodeAnywhere. The subscription fee lets you access remote file systems on an FTP or SFTP server.
The editor features are:
- Syntax highlighting
- Code folding
- Smart indentation
- Full internationalization
- Unlimited undo/redo (now handled on client (browser) side, no more waiting for server response)
- Unlimited tabs
- Find and replace feature
- Displays line number
- Code indention (TAB key)
- Word wrap
The FTP/SFTP/SSH client portion of CodeAnywhere makes remote file systems appear as files in the file explorer. I've done this with other editors, and it's really cool. This is very different from services that run on the server, letting you edit files on that server. The editor is running in your browser, accessing remote files using one of these remote file access protocols. CodeAnywhere gives you these features over remote connections.
- Navigate and browse your SFTP and FTP servers.
- Create and rename files and folders.
- Delete files and folders (recursively).
- Copy and move files and folders (even between servers).
- Use CHMOD to adjust the permissions of files and folders on your server.
- Upload and download your files to your servers.
- Use SSL to work securely.
In addition to accessing remote files over FTP/SFTP/SSH, CodeAnywhere gives you access to repositories in your github account. Unfortunately this doesn't support any git repository, only github.
The performance is very good - as good as any desktop application IDE. The syntax coloring is good, though I find the choice of dark grey for comments, on the dark background used in the application, to be very difficult to read.
The version of CodeAnywhere for mobile devices is available on iOS (iPhone, iPad), Android, and Blackberry Playbook's. For testing I'm running it on my Chromebook, and they have an app in the Chrome application store. That app appears to be a simple wrapper redirecting you to the CodeAnywhere website, rather than running offline.
Pricing
CodeAnywhere is free for some uses, and costs $5/month to unlock its full abilities.
Buy/get/purchase
Chrome App Store -
https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/codeanywhere/ndcfkjjcjfpmmhdedhnbkknbehiadgjg?utm_source=chrome-app-launcher
iTunes App Store -
https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/codeanywhere/id436736239?mt=8
Google Play Store (Android) -
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.codeanywhere
Manufacturer
