Many people think that programming and software development must be done sitting in front of a computer, opening a PC or laptop. But this approach can sometimes be too cumbersome, and sometimes these conditions cannot be met. In fact, modern mobile phone performance is powerful enough that we can write code anytime, anywhere on our phones.
Several Ways to Program on Mobile Phones
1. Online Website Programming (Suitable for Beginners)
If you are a programming beginner, the easiest way is to use online programming websites. Write and run code directly in the browser without installing any software. For example, Replit, Glitch, CodeSandbox, etc., can all be used directly in mobile browsers.
2. GitHub Web Programming (Suitable for Experienced Developers)
For professional programmers, GitHub's web version can actually meet the needs for lightweight code modification and submission. You can directly edit files and commit changes on the web page, and with GitHub Actions automated workflows, you can achieve code compilation, building, and deployment.
The benefit of this approach is: all operations are completed in the browser, no additional tools need to be installed, and as long as there is internet access, you can complete the entire development process.
Offline Programming: Writing Code Locally on Mobile Phones
For professional developers who want to develop offline without relying on the internet, it is recommended to use more powerful code editors and Git version management tools to get a more immersive programming experience.
ACode Code Editor
ACode is a very powerful Android phone code editor that supports:
- Code auto-completion and highlighting
- Offline editing of local files
- Script and command-line support
- GitHub plugin for managing versions in local projects
Even without internet access, you can modify code in ACode and then use PuppyGit to commit it.
You can download the ACode editor APK installation package from Github: https://github.com/acode-foundation/acode
PuppyGit Version Management
PuppyGit is a Git tool suitable for mobile use that supports:
- Committing code
- Pushing to remote repositories
- Cloning code repositories
You can download the PuppyGit version management app APK installation package from Github: https://github.com/catpuppyapp/PuppyGit.
ACode and PuppyGit are both open-source software and free. You can get their code repositories on Github and also download their APK installation packages.
For more mobile Git tools, please refer to:Mobile Git Tool Recommendations.
Cloud Automated Compilation and Building (CI/CD)
Using GitHub Actions or GitLab CI/CD, you can easily achieve automatic completion of the entire process of compilation, building, packaging, and publishing after pushing code.
Whether you are developing Android, iOS, Windows, Mac, or Linux applications, you can specify the build system through configuration files. For example:
- Specify
windows-latest,macos-latest, orubuntu-latestin GitHub Actions - Define .gitlab-ci.yml file in GitLab CI/CD to achieve similar automatic building
These cloud services will automatically allocate a complete virtual machine to perform build tasks, and in most cases, the free quota is sufficient for individual developers.
Why Cloud Building Is More Efficient
Many people think that writing code requires high-performance computers, but in fact, what really consumes performance is the compilation and building process. This part of the work can be handed over to the cloud.
Through GitHub Actions or GitLab CI/CD, you can complete the entire development process with an ordinary phone: write code → push → cloud automatic compilation → automatic deployment.
Cloud building has more advantages:
- Error logs are traceable, and historical records are easy to check
- Build artifacts (such as installation packages, executable programs) can be stored for long periods
- You can download historical build results anytime, anywhere, even when changing computers or traveling
Whether you are developing Android apps, iOS apps, websites, Windows exe, Mac apps, or Linux programs, GitHub Actions can handle it. It will start a complete machine for you, and you can choose your desired operating system in the code configuration: Windows, MacOS, Linux, etc.
You can also enjoy pre-built automated build environments without setting up complex compilation environments yourself.
Using these cloud services, whether you have an iPhone, iPad, Android phone, or even a Raspberry Pi, you can complete code writing, compilation, building, and deployment.
Moreover, without installing complex apps on your phone, you can do various programming languages. Whether it's Python, Java, C++, Swift, Kotlin, JavaScript, TypeScript, Go, Rust, Node.js, etc., you can find corresponding build and compilation environments in Github Actions, which is very convenient.
The development of modern development tools has made "programming on mobile phones" no longer a fantasy. With just an editor (like ACode) and a version management tool (like PuppyGit), combined with GitHub Actions or GitLab CI/CD, you can write code, submit versions, and build and publish anywhere. Even the cheapest phone can complete the development and deployment of large projects through the cloud.
With these tools, you can code in a beach tent, and even while hiking or traveling, you can write code in your spare time.
The website you are now viewing was partially programmed by me on my mobile phone, and some articles were also written on my phone, sometimes in the park, sometimes in the car on my way to and from work.
There are many benefits to learning programming on mobile phones:
- Anytime, anywhere, you can write code no matter where you are
- No need to rely on computers, saving time and costs. For programming enthusiasts in Africa or rural areas, even those with very poor family conditions can realize their programming dreams through mobile programming
- Very low cost, no additional money needed if you already have a phone
- Lower expenses, as mobile phones are much cheaper than laptops or PCs. In many countries, you can buy a fully functional phone for less than $100