ViSH vs Astra Shell

ViSH turns your iPad into a portable, local ARM64 Linux workspace. Run Alpine Linux or Ubuntu 24.04 in a touch-friendly terminal, use AI coding CLIs, manage project files, or connect to remote servers over SSH. Your local Linux environment runs without a remote server. ViSH requires an auto-renewing subscription (yearly or monthly) and offers a 7-day free trial. All features described below require an active subscription. AI coding wherever you are Install terminal tools such as Claude Code and Codex to explore code, write scripts, and refactor projects on iPad. Bring your own account or API key and configure your environment with guided setup. Use apk on Alpine Linux or apt on Ubuntu 24.04. Install Git, OpenSSH, Node.js, npm, pnpm, nano, ripgrep, tmux, and common build tools as needed. Manage files beside your terminal The session file browser lets you browse local Linux or SSH server directories, view file details, import files and folders, create directories, and delete multiple items. Insert selected file paths directly into the terminal to save typing. Keep multiple Linux filesystems, download supported systems or import your own archives, and switch which one boots. Each filesystem retains its login user, boot command, and setup state. Export tar.gz archives or browse all filesystems from a single ViSH location in the Files app. Flexible SSH connections and protected keys Save SSH servers with password or key authentication, jump hosts, port forwarding, keep-alive, and automatic tab reconnection. On supported devices, create Secure Enclave SSH keys whose private keys stay inside secure hardware. Optionally require Face ID, Touch ID, or your device passcode when using a key. You can also import existing keys. Secure Enclave keys remain on the device where they were created. Built for terminal work on iPad Use multiple terminal tabs and long-press + to choose a local or SSH tab. Side panels bring files, shortcut keys, appearance, voice input, and SSH tools beside your main terminal workspace. Make it your own with a phosphor-amber interface, 505 terminal themes with live previews, and coding fonts with glyph previews. Pinch to resize text, pin the shortcut bar, use sticky modifiers and command snippets, mirror the terminal in Picture in Picture, and open Linux links in Safari. Connect serial hardware Connect compatible Bluetooth serial adapters to Linux with modem controls and optional local RFC 2217 access. Settings includes device compatibility information and guidance for an ESP32 bridge to help you choose a connection method. Notes All app features require an active ViSH subscription after the 7-day free trial. Some Linux features are limited by the iOS sandbox. Third-party tools such as Claude Code and Codex require your own account or API key with those services and may require a separate paid plan purchased outside ViSH. Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://vishapp.dev/privacy

Astra Shell is a native terminal client designed for persistent remote work. Traditional remote terminals are tied to the current device and network. When a client restarts, the network disconnects, or you switch devices, you often need to reconnect and find your place again. Astra Shell keeps shells running on a remote host you control, so your Mac, iPhone, and iPad can return to the same terminal and continue from the existing context. Key features: • Persistent remote shells Remote shells and their tasks continue running after the client disconnects. Reconnect to return to an existing terminal. • Continue across devices Open the same shell from Mac, iPhone, or iPad to keep viewing and entering commands. • Native terminal experience Supports common terminal modes, colors, wide characters, alternate screens, mouse input, paged history, and copy and paste. • Remote files Browse remote directories, upload and download files, preview text, view transfer progress, and inspect Git status. • Astra and SSH hosts Connect to a self-hosted Astra service over QUIC/TLS, or use standalone SSH/SFTP mode with a standard server. • Private-key security SSH private keys are stored in Keychain. Host configurations and credentials can synchronize through iCloud Keychain when enabled. Astra mode requires the open-source astrad service on a host you own or manage, with an authorized public key configured. Standard SSH hosts do not require astrad. Installation instructions are available on the support website. Astra Shell contains no advertising or behavioral analytics. It does not send terminal commands, remote files, or SSH private keys to the developer.