Comparison

a vs JavaScript Coding

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

a

Run a full Unix-like terminal environment on your iOS device. Execute a wide range of commands, edit files, and even program using included interpreters and compilers. Supports multitasking and integration with Shortcuts.

Highlights
  • Local Unix terminal emulator
  • SSH client
  • File transfer (scp, curl)
  • Text editing (vim, ed)
  • Scripting languages (Python, Lua, Perl, JS)
  • C/C++ compiler
  • TeX distribution
Features
Read full description

a-Shell is a complete local terminal emulator, allowing to run most Unix commands on your iOS device. You can transfer files using scp and curl, edit them with vim and ed, process them using grep, awk and sed. You can work with git repositories using lg2.  Most commands are compiled for iOS native Arm64 format, making them fast and well integrated with the BSD Unix that powers iOS/iPadOS. a-Shell includes Python, Lua, Perl, JavaScript, C, C++ for programming and TeX (texlive 2025, with Tikz and LuaTeX) for text processing. There are also multiple network utilities: nslookup, ping, whois, ifconfig... Type help for help, help -l to get the full list of commands. a-Shell can be controlled from Shortcuts: run commands in order, process files in a-Shell, get the results as text or files, transfer files to other apps... a-shell uses iOS 13+ “multiple windows” ability, so you can run multiple shells at the same time, with different commands, in different directories. You can edit a file in one window with vim and process it in the other with python. Compile your C or C++ programs to webAssembly using clang or clang++, and execute the resulting binary. A complete webAssembly SDK is included (WASI-libc). a-Shell is the complete version. If you need a smaller app, and you don't need a C compiler, a TeX engine, or numpy and matplotlib, there is a-Shell mini.

About

JavaScript Coding

Features
Read full description

JavaScript Coding — Learn, Practice & Run JavaScript A complete JavaScript learning environment right on your device. Write and run code instantly with a professional editor, interactive console, step-by-step tutorials, hands-on coding challenges, and built-in Chart.js for data visualization. Code Editor & Console • Full-featured editor with syntax highlighting and autocomplete • Interactive JS Console (REPL) for instant experimentation • Run code directly on your device — no server needed • Customizable themes, font size, and editor settings 60+ Step-by-Step Tutorials • JavaScript Basics — variables, loops, functions, arrays, objects • DOM & Browser — selectors, events, forms, fetch API • Async & Promises — callbacks, async/await, error handling • ES6+ Features — destructuring, generators, proxies, symbols • Algorithms — sorting, searching, stacks, linked lists, hash tables • Chart.js — bar charts, line charts, pie/doughnut, styling, dynamic updates 30+ Coding Challenges • Practice with real coding exercises at Easy, Medium, and Hard levels • Categories: JavaScript, Arrays & Objects, Strings, Functions, Algorithms • Automated test verification — get instant feedback on your solutions Chart & Visual Output • Built-in Chart.js — create bar, line, pie, and doughnut charts instantly • Render Canvas graphics and DOM elements directly in the output panel • No setup needed — Chart.js is bundled and always available Library Manager • 25+ popular JavaScript libraries: lodash, axios, D3, p5.js, mathjs, and more • Chart.js built-in — no download required • Libraries are downloaded for offline use • Use them directly in your code with global variables File Manager & Examples • Create, organize, and manage your JavaScript files • Import files from your device • Ready-to-run code examples to get started quickly Built for Learning • Progress tracking across tutorials and challenges • Dark mode support throughout the app • Works offline — write and run code anywhere • Keep screen awake while coding Whether you're a beginner learning JavaScript for the first time, visualizing data with Chart.js, or an experienced developer practicing algorithms — JavaScript Coding gives you everything you need to code on the go. Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase. Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period. Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal. Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase. Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable. Terms of use https://septudio.com/terms-of-use and privacy policy https://septudio.com/privacy-policy

Screenshots

a4 screens
JavaScript Coding4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: a at none against JavaScript Coding's 2. a also leads on chart position (#18 vs #196). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.

Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. JavaScript Coding sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.99 per year. a asks for nothing beyond the download.

Scorecard2 real differences · 9 level
a versus JavaScript Coding: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameteraJavaScript Coding
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (553 ratings) — better—
Positive reviews78.6% of reviews—
Number of ratings553 — better—
Update frequencyMonthly—
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationPaid—
Best chart rank#18 — better#196
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPodiPhone, iPad, iPod
Requires iOS14.0 — better15.1
Further details — not scored
Size1.9 GB32 MB
Age rating17+4+
DeveloperNicolas Holzschuch婉媚 邵

Bugs and requests

a

Reported bugs

3 issues
  • Toolbar buttons not accessible in portrait mode on some devices
  • Pasting from clipboard can insert unexpected characters
  • Sourcing certain script files causes crashes

Requested features

5 requests
  • Add support for package managers like Homebrew or APT
  • Implement more advanced shell features like job control and better tab completion
  • Integrate Git for version control
  • Allow installing additional packages and libraries
  • Improve clipboard and file management integration

JavaScript Coding

Not enough reviews yet to summarise bugs or requests.

In-app purchases

None

a

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

JavaScript Coding

Subscriptions1
  • JavaScript Coding Pro7 Days trial$2.991 Year
One-time1
  • JavaScript Coding Pro$9.99

Questions

Is a free?
a is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is JavaScript Coding free?
JavaScript Coding is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Do a or JavaScript Coding have ads?
Neither a nor JavaScript Coding shows ads.
Which is more popular, a or JavaScript Coding?
a currently peaks at #18 in the App Store charts, and JavaScript Coding at #196. Chart position reflects recent download velocity rather than total install base.

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