Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

iSH

The Linux shell on iOS.

iSH

iSH Reviews and Details

This page is designed to help you find out whether iSH is good and if it is the right choice for you.

Screenshots and images

  • iSH Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-12-05

Features & Specs

  1. Compatibility

    iSH allows users to run a Linux shell environment on iOS devices, offering compatibility across platforms and enabling the execution of a variety of Linux-based applications.

  2. User-friendly

    The app provides an intuitive interface that makes it easy for both beginners and experienced users to navigate and use Linux tools on their iOS devices.

  3. Offline Access

    iSH can be used without an internet connection, allowing users to run scripts and perform tasks without needing to be online.

  4. Portability

    By allowing Linux to run on an iOS device, iSH adds significant portability for developers and sysadmins who need shell access on-the-go.

  5. Open Source

    As an open-source application, iSH encourages community collaboration and transparency, allowing users to contribute or modify the code.

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Videos

In-depth-ish review of the RS3M 2020 (NEW MAIN!?!?)

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Black-ish AF: Review

Social recommendations and mentions

We have tracked the following product recommendations or mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you see what people think about iSH and what they use it for.
  • GPT 5.6
    iSH for iPhone: https://ish.app Free, OSS, pretty great for ssh via VPN => tmux a => codex/claude I set up Codex to send a notification when done over Pushover (https://pushover.net). With this setup, you can just ssh into a Mac or Linux box either way. - Source: Hacker News / 23 days ago
  • What About iOS? Or, How a $30 Android Phone Embarrasses a $1000 iPad
    No, you cannot run Jenkins on iOS. The closest thing to Termux on iOS is iSH (Alpine Linux via x86 emulation), but Java is fundamentally broken on it. The only theoretically viable path involves running a full Linux VM on a $1000+ iPad Pro, and nobody has ever documented actually doing it. A $30 used Android phone does natively what a $1000 iPad can barely do in a virtual machine. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • ๐ŸŽต On the 12 Days of Christmas, Amazon Developer gave to me... ๐ŸŽ„
    ๐ŸŽต On the 9th day of Christmas, Amazon Developer gave to meโ€ฆ AWS Lightsail! ๐ŸŽต I need a secure cloud box to run Kiro CLI, Codex, Claude Code, and batch scripts without exposing my home network. Lightsail from Amazon Web Services (AWS) was able to get me up and running in minutes for under $5/month Here's my workflow: ๐Ÿ“ฑ iSH (https://ish.app/) โ€“ SSH terminal for iOS ๐Ÿ“‚ Textastic (https://lnkd.in/gKee8EC5) โ€“ secure... - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
  • Obsidian Bases
    Obsidian has a git plugin that works on all platforms I tried it on (Windows, Linux, Mac and iOS). So I just have a private repo that syncs all the devices through git. For iOS, the "hard" part is getting the initial git clone, but after that whenever you open the app you can pull/push any changes or set it to automatically do that on a schedule. To setup a git repo on an iOS device you need iSH[1] but you can... - Source: Hacker News / 12 months ago
  • Show HN: Lume โ€“ OS Lightweight CLI/API for macOS/Linux VMs on Apple Silicon
    You can, with ish (https://ish.app). It is a bit slow though and doesn't support the newest releases. (Well and by default it runs Alpine instead of Debian). - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Poll: When will we see full Linux distros as official iPhone apps?
    I'm a happy daily iSH [1] user, it's an amazing technical project, but I really pine for the day when `apt get blah` will be a reality, using an app available from the official App Store. Be it a paid or free app. CLI only, or with graphics. For concreteness, let's say a Debian-based distro in your iPhone upon tapping Get on Apple's App Store, independently of your location. It is pretty sad that, if... - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • Apple downgrades new M2 iPad Air, 9-core GPU instead of 10-core
    > in software side of Ipad IOS, that is the biggest innovation in years That would be iSH, slow but functional Alpine Linux emulation for iOS. https://ish.app. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • Apple must open iPadOS to sideloading within 6 months, EU says
    > Just imagine how much more versatile the iPad Pro would be if only you could run Linux VMs on it After installing https://ish.app for Alpine Linux emulation on iPad, one immediately comes up with use cases, even though it's excruciatingly slow. Hopefully Apple opens up the imminent M3 iPad Pros to run macOS and Linux VMs. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • How to copy a file between devices?
    Android: install termux, `pkg install openssh`, and preferably run `termux-setup-storage` to give it access to storage folders. iOS: I think https://ish.app/ ? - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • How Virtualisation came to Apple Silicon Macs
    This of course hasn't been true for years, eg: http://omz-software.com/pythonista/index.html And you can run a C compiler (or anything) inside https://ish.app/ too. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Windows is now an app for iPhones, iPads, Macs, and PCs
    There is an x86 virtual machkne running Linux available on the App Store now. https://ish.app/ Now would Apple allow a full blown Windows VM is a different question. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Stop EU Chat Control
    There are plenty of solutions for running Python in an IDE on the iPad. There is an even an x86 emulator and a Linux terminal built on top of it in the App Store. https://ish.app/ It can run anything that you can run on an x86 in user mode. I downloaded the AWS CLI (which requires Python) to run some tests By the way, you were completely wrong about VSCode being written in .Net. > That's just compiling the code... - Source: Hacker News / almost 3 years ago
  • My 24 year old HP Jornada can do things your modern iPhone still can't do
    Not fair comparison but iSH https://ish.app/ had helped me to overcome challenges like running web-servers and other linux system related stuff. - Source: Hacker News / about 3 years ago
  • I really didn't know how to react to this, other than to post it here...
    Or just use the iSH app for a local linux distro. You can even mount iOS file system. I have it with zsh,ssh installed. Source: about 3 years ago
  • iMessage and OpenGraph for Fun and Profit
    I wonder if it works the same if httpd runs in iSH and is reachable as 127.0.0.1. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Is there a way to run an appleScript on an iPhone?
    iSH โ€” by far the best terminal available for iOS. It runs ash shell by default, which is as piss poor as you'd expect. But apt install bash fish zsh gets you all the goodies. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Help compiling decompiling some Code
    Ok I just realized you said you dont have a computer. So my previous message will probably make no sense to you. You can actually probably accomplish everything in there from your phone if you use something like iSH. Or you can just use online tools. Just remember you need to gunzip the .csstoredump file first if you want to read it as raw data. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Emacs on an iPad
    Ish.app is very underrated, it runs a native shell offline without needing ssh or VPS etc. I use it a lot with tmux and vim to write my blog posts. https://ish.app/. - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
  • me and the bois installing debian on a school pc
    Can confirm, am envious. I wonder if you can go full h4x0r with iSH and neovim. Source: almost 4 years ago
  • Ask HN: Is it possible to setup a VPN server on iOS?
    You can run Linux on iOS, so I guess it's possible, but the performance would suck I think. Of course, you would need a dynamic DNS as your IP would change all the time. If you connect to local WIFI, that might be blocking your server. https://ish.app/ Set up a VPN server at home instead. You could buy a cheap Raspberry Pi or a secondhand computer. It will be much more practical and stable. - Source: Hacker News / almost 4 years ago
  • What type of app did you wish existed for your iPad/pro?
    You may be interested in https://ish.app/. Source: almost 4 years ago

Summary of the public mentions of iSH

The iSH app, a Linux terminal emulator for iOS devices, has garnered a diverse range of opinions among users in recent discussions and articles. As an application that emulates an Alpine Linux environment, it appeals to tech enthusiasts looking to leverage a Linux shell on iPhones and iPads. This capability highlights iSH's niche within the product categories of terminal tools, emulators, and server management.

Key Highlights of Public Opinion:

  1. Functionality and Versatility:

    • Users appreciate iSH for providing a local Linux environment on iOS devices, effectively bridging a gap in the Apple ecosystem, which traditionally limits such functionalities. This is particularly noticeable in comments emphasizing the appโ€™s utility in running shell scripts, managing files, and performing various Linux-based operations directly on iOS.
  2. Technical Limitations:

    • Despite its utility, iSH is frequently critiqued for performance issues, notably its slow speed. The reliance on an emulated 32-bit x86 architecture contributes to this limitation, as highlighted in several user comments mentioning its sluggish nature when running more demanding operations.
  3. Distribution and Accessibility:

    • Notably, iSH is available on the Apple App Store, which is significant given Apple's restrictions on terminal applications. This accessibility has been praised, as it permits users to install and use the app without needing alternative app distribution methods like AltStore.
  4. Comparisons with Competitors:

    • In discussions around terminal tools for mobile devices, iSH is often compared to alternatives such as Termux, UserLAnd, and Blink Shell. While competitors like Termux on Android are noted for more robust features and better performance due to platform differences, iSH maintains a unique position due to its iOS availability.
  5. Community Engagement and Innovation:

    • The app's presence in various technology forums and discussions reflects a strong community interest. Its experimental nature is praised, indicating user excitement about the potential for more advanced Linux capabilities on iOS. However, there's also discussion about the limitations imposed by Appleโ€™s ecosystem, hinting at a collective desire for future developments that might increase the functionality of apps like iSH.
  6. Use Cases and Practical Applications:

    • Users have shared a wide array of practical applications for iSH, ranging from running web servers and utilizing SSH, to integrating CLI tools like AWS CLI. Its ability to facilitate remote server management and development tasks on-the-go is frequently highlighted as a core benefit.

In summary, iSH is recognized as a valuable tool for integrating Linux capabilities into the otherwise restricted iOS environment. While performance limitations are noted, its role in expanding the functionality of iOS devices is well-acknowledged, marking it as a commendable innovation for tech-savvy users. The prospect of future advancements in this area continues to generate interest and optimism in the community.

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Is iSH good? This is an informative page that will help you find out. Moreover, you can review and discuss iSH here. The primary details have not been verified within the last quarter, and they might be outdated. If you think we are missing something, please use the means on this page to comment or suggest changes. All reviews and comments are highly encouranged and appreciated as they help everyone in the community to make an informed choice. Please always be kind and objective when evaluating a product and sharing your opinion.