Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Working Copy VS darcs

Compare Working Copy VS darcs and see what are their differences

Working Copy logo Working Copy

The powerful Git client for iOS

darcs logo darcs

Darcs is an advanced revision control system, for source code or other files.
  • Working Copy Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-23
  • darcs Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-23

Working Copy features and specs

  • User Interface
    Working Copy features an intuitive and user-friendly interface that makes navigating through repositories, committing changes, and pushing updates seamless even for beginners.
  • File Management
    It offers robust file management capabilities, allowing users to easily view, edit, and manage files directly within the app, a crucial feature for developers on the go.
  • Integration
    Working Copy integrates well with other iOS apps and services, enabling smooth workflow transitions between different tools and platforms.
  • Support for Multiple Repositories
    The app supports multiple repositories, which is beneficial for developers who work on various projects simultaneously.
  • Offline Capabilities
    Working Copy allows users to work offline with local repositories, syncing changes when back online, enabling productivity in environments without internet access.
  • SSH Key Management
    It includes robust SSH key management, ensuring secure and streamlined authentication for remote repository access.

Possible disadvantages of Working Copy

  • Cost
    While the basic features are free, some advanced functionalities require a paid subscription, which might be a drawback for budget-conscious users.
  • Learning Curve
    Despite its user-friendly interface, the abundance of features can be overwhelming for new users, leading to a steep learning curve.
  • Limited Platform
    The app is available exclusively for iOS, which restricts accessibility for developers who use other platforms like Android or Windows.
  • Performance with Large Repositories
    Some users report performance issues when handling very large repositories, affecting the app's efficiency in such scenarios.
  • Editing Capabilities
    While it offers basic editing functionalities, Working Copy lacks some of the more advanced code editing features found in dedicated code editors.

darcs features and specs

  • Interactive Workflow
    Darcs allows users to interactively choose which patches to apply, amend, or record, enabling a more fine-grained control over changes. This feature is beneficial for developers who prefer to review patches as they manage them.
  • Patch-based System
    Darcs is based on a powerful patch theory which offers a flexible way to handle changes, making it easier to manage complex merge scenarios and re-organize change history.
  • Simple and Intuitive Interface
    The command interface of Darcs is straightforward, providing simplicity for users in common version control tasks.
  • Peer-to-peer Capabilities
    With Darcs, each repository is complete with its own history, which allows for efficient peer-to-peer collaboration without the need for a central server.

Possible disadvantages of darcs

  • Performance Issues
    Darcs can exhibit slower performance, especially with very large repositories or a massive number of patches, which could be limiting compared to newer version control systems like Git.
  • Limited User Base
    The user base for Darcs is relatively small compared to more popular systems like Git, leading to less community support, fewer third-party tools, and potentially slower development of new features.
  • Complex Concepts
    The underlying patch theory and some of the advanced features can be complex, which might overwhelm new users who are used to traditional snapshot-based systems.
  • Limited Integrations
    Darcs lacks extensive integrations with popular development tools and services compared to other version control systems, which might impact its usability for some development workflows.

Analysis of Working Copy

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Working Copy is considered a good app for developers who need a mobile solution for managing Git repositories. Its reliability and feature set make it a vital tool for those who prefer or need to work from iOS devices.

Why this product is good

  • Working Copy is highly regarded for its robust Git support on iOS devices, offering a wide range of features that facilitate efficient version control. It supports various Git operations like cloning, committing, pushing, and pulling straight from an iPhone or iPad. The app is praised for its intuitive user interface, seamless integration with cloud services, and its efficient use of device capabilities, making it a powerful tool for developers who need to manage their repositories on the go.

Recommended for

  • Developers who frequently work on Git repositories and need mobile access.
  • iOS users who require a robust version control tool.
  • Teams that collaborate on projects remotely and move between desktop and mobile environments.

Working Copy videos

Using Git on iPad with Textastic and Working Copy

More videos:

  • Review - Obsidian: Capture on iOS with Drafts and Working Copy - Effective Remote Work

darcs videos

Darcs Destiny Review (Re-uploaded)

More videos:

  • Review - DARC SPORT MARCH 2022 LAUNCH TRY ON/REVIEW #darcsport #tryonhaul #gymclothes #gymfavorites
  • Review - P & DARCS CLUB : AIRCRAFT AIRSHOW

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Working Copy and darcs)
Git
69 69%
31% 31
Code Collaboration
62 62%
38% 38
Development
100 100%
0% 0
Git Tools
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using Working Copy and darcs. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Working Copy should be more popular than darcs. It has been mentiond 18 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Working Copy mentions (18)

  • 37signals Introduces Once – One time payment software
    Even better is the licensing model where you can keep using the version as-is after the subscription ends. You just don't get any new features. It's even possible to do on iOS, as Working Copy [0] is doing it. (You also get all the bug fixes and stuff, only new features are behind a flag that requires you to purchase another year of updates. I would also argue that Working Copy specifically is too cheap, but I... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • How I set up an almost fully automatic free Sync between Win, Android, iOS using Git.
    Yeah, Working Copy is a proper Git front-end which helps do safe syncing, via features such as:. Source: over 2 years ago
  • [Newbie] How could I prevent git conflicts and make this system better?
    So I have a laptop and a iPhone. On laptop I have the Obsidian.md desktop app, on iPhone I have the app and Working Copy app too. This is all for syncing my notes. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Show HN: Jot: Rapid note management for the terminal, inspired by Obsidian
    > It uses the same format of storage as Obsidian... Can Obsidian and Jot co-mingle in the same vault? I use Obsidian and am very happy with the git plugin[0] and Working Copy(iOS)[1] for keeping things automatically synced between my phone and desktop(s). Often I find myself dumping notes into random places from the terminal; feeding markdown via pipes. But I then have to remember to collect these artifacts and... - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Are there any good git viewers/browsers for iOS?
    This is the only one I've heard people use: https://workingcopyapp.com/. Source: almost 3 years ago
View more

darcs mentions (4)

  • Introduction to Loro's Rich Text CRDT
    Darcs [0] patch theory was a predecessor to OTs/CRDTs (and a predecessor to git as well; in some ways it is the "smart" to which git was named "dumb"). When it works and performs well it is still sometimes version control magic. Pijul [1] is an interesting experiment to watch, trying to keep the patch theory flag flying and also trying to bring in updates from OTs and CRDTs as it can. [0] https://darcs.net [1]... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: Can we do better than Git for version control?
    Perforce. As for DVCS, the best one I've used is Darcs: https://darcs.net/ There are some sticky wickets (specifically, exponential-time conflict resolution) that hindered its adoption. Thankfully, there's Pijul, which is like Darcs but a) solves that problem; and b) is written in Rust! The perfect DVCS, probably! https://pijul.org/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Is it time to look past Git?
    Well technically one alternative I am going to bring up predates Git by several years, and that's DARCS. Fans of DARCS have written plenty of material on Git's perceived weaknesses. While DARCS' Haskell codebase apparently had some issues, its underlying "change" semantics have remained influential. For example, Pijul is a Rust-based contender currently in beta. It embraces a huge number of the paradigms,... - Source: dev.to / almost 3 years ago
  • Quite excited by [Pijul beta] tbh. Git feels like the "C of version control" - ubiquitous, reliable, but old and not very user friendly. I'm hoping we'll get the "Rust of version control" soon enough! :D
    We already have the "haskell of version control", darcs, i.e. Nobody uses it. Source: over 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Working Copy and darcs, you can also consider the following products

CodeHub - CodeHub is the most complete, unofficial, client for GitHub on the iOS platform.

Git - Git is a free and open source version control system designed to handle everything from small to very large projects with speed and efficiency. It is easy to learn and lightweight with lighting fast performance that outclasses competitors.

Git2Go - The Git client for iPhone and iPad you always wanted

Mercurial SCM - Mercurial is a free, distributed source control management tool.

Git Flow - Git Flow is a very self-explanatory free software workflow for managing Git branches.

Pijul - Pijul is a free and open source distributed version control system based on a sound theory of...