a-Shell mini
Local Unix terminal (with ssh)
Free
1.14.0for iPhone, iPad and more
9.1
76 Ratings
Nicolas Holzschuch
Developer
366.4 MB
Size
Apr 19, 2024
Update Date
#45
in Developer Tools
17+
Age Rating
Age Rating
a-Shell mini Screenshots
About a-Shell mini
a-Shell mini is a complete local terminal emulator, allowing to run most Unix commands on you iOS device. You can transfer files using scp and curl, edit them with vim and ed, process them using grep, awk and sed. Work with git repositories using lg2.
Most commands are compiled for iOS native Arm64 format, making them fast and well integrated with iOS underlying BSD Unix.
a-Shell mini includes Python, Lua, JavaScript and webAssembly for programming and scripting. It also includes native ffmpeg and convert for fast image and video conversion.
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 mini 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 mini uses iPadOS 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.
a-Shell mini is a minimalist terminal, designed to have a very small footprint (less than 250 MB). If you need more commands, please consider a-Shell, which has more Python packages, more JavaScript modules, Perl, make, a C and C++ compiler and TeX.
Most commands are compiled for iOS native Arm64 format, making them fast and well integrated with iOS underlying BSD Unix.
a-Shell mini includes Python, Lua, JavaScript and webAssembly for programming and scripting. It also includes native ffmpeg and convert for fast image and video conversion.
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 mini 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 mini uses iPadOS 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.
a-Shell mini is a minimalist terminal, designed to have a very small footprint (less than 250 MB). If you need more commands, please consider a-Shell, which has more Python packages, more JavaScript modules, Perl, make, a C and C++ compiler and TeX.
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What's New in the Latest Version 1.14.0
Last updated on Apr 19, 2024
Old Versions
- no big changes, this version is mostly to keep the version in sync with a-Shell
- fixed an issue that prevented running more than 1278 commands in-extension, or more than 852 commands in-app.
- fixed an issue where the app would sometimes run through command history instead of scrolling vertically
- fixed an issue with cursor position in editors when using tabs or spaces
- added the option "--reset" to jsc
- fixed an issue that prevented running more than 1278 commands in-extension, or more than 852 commands in-app.
- fixed an issue where the app would sometimes run through command history instead of scrolling vertically
- fixed an issue with cursor position in editors when using tabs or spaces
- added the option "--reset" to jsc
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Version History
1.14.0
Apr 19, 2024
- no big changes, this version is mostly to keep the version in sync with a-Shell
- fixed an issue that prevented running more than 1278 commands in-extension, or more than 852 commands in-app.
- fixed an issue where the app would sometimes run through command history instead of scrolling vertically
- fixed an issue with cursor position in editors when using tabs or spaces
- added the option "--reset" to jsc
- fixed an issue that prevented running more than 1278 commands in-extension, or more than 852 commands in-app.
- fixed an issue where the app would sometimes run through command history instead of scrolling vertically
- fixed an issue with cursor position in editors when using tabs or spaces
- added the option "--reset" to jsc
1.13.0
Mar 12, 2024
Although a-Shell is designed first to allow you to run commands locally on your phone, it also has the "ssh" command to let you connect to other computers.
Version 1.13 focuses on improvements for ssh:
- added the "ssh -J" option to connect through jump hosts.
- added "ssh-copy-id" command.
- added "ssh-agent" and "ssh-add" commands.
- upgraded the version of OpenSSL (1.1.1w) and libssh2 (1.11.0) for compatibility with other platforms.
Version 1.1.3.0 also adds the "isForeground" command, to run specific actions only if the app is in the foreground.
Version 1.13 focuses on improvements for ssh:
- added the "ssh -J" option to connect through jump hosts.
- added "ssh-copy-id" command.
- added "ssh-agent" and "ssh-add" commands.
- upgraded the version of OpenSSL (1.1.1w) and libssh2 (1.11.0) for compatibility with other platforms.
Version 1.1.3.0 also adds the "isForeground" command, to run specific actions only if the app is in the foreground.
1.12.9
Feb 2, 2024
Everything from version 1.12.6:
- the way a-Shell uses the window is now a user-defined Settings (great with StageManager)
- multiple bug fixes (dash, pico, env...)
- 3 new editors: Ace, Codemirror, Monaco (available with "pkg").
Plus bug fixes in the JavaScript interpreters (jsc and jsi), text selection is much improved, tlmgr, webAssembly execution and a cause of crash in subprocess removed.
- the way a-Shell uses the window is now a user-defined Settings (great with StageManager)
- multiple bug fixes (dash, pico, env...)
- 3 new editors: Ace, Codemirror, Monaco (available with "pkg").
Plus bug fixes in the JavaScript interpreters (jsc and jsi), text selection is much improved, tlmgr, webAssembly execution and a cause of crash in subprocess removed.
1.12.8
Jan 29, 2024
Everything from version 1.12.6:
- the way a-Shell uses the window is now a user-defined Settings (great with StageManager)
- multiple bug fixes (dash, pico, env...)
- 3 new editors: Ace, Codemirror, Monaco (available with "pkg").
Plus bug fixes in the JavaScript interpreters (jsc and jsi), text selection is much improved, and a cause of crash in subprocess removed.
- the way a-Shell uses the window is now a user-defined Settings (great with StageManager)
- multiple bug fixes (dash, pico, env...)
- 3 new editors: Ace, Codemirror, Monaco (available with "pkg").
Plus bug fixes in the JavaScript interpreters (jsc and jsi), text selection is much improved, and a cause of crash in subprocess removed.
1.12.7
Jan 24, 2024
Everything from version 1.12.6:
- the way a-Shell uses the window is now a user-defined Settings (great with StageManager)
- multiple bug fixes (dash, pico, env...)
- 3 new editors: Ace, Codemirror, Monaco (available with "pkg").
Plus fixing a bug in "jsc" and "jsi".
- the way a-Shell uses the window is now a user-defined Settings (great with StageManager)
- multiple bug fixes (dash, pico, env...)
- 3 new editors: Ace, Codemirror, Monaco (available with "pkg").
Plus fixing a bug in "jsc" and "jsi".
1.12.6
Jan 18, 2024
- the way a-Shell uses the window is now a user-defined Settings (great with StageManager)
- multiple bug fixes (dash, pico, env...)
- 3 new editors: Ace, Codemirror, Monaco (available with "pkg").
- multiple bug fixes (dash, pico, env...)
- 3 new editors: Ace, Codemirror, Monaco (available with "pkg").
1.12.5
Dec 21, 2023
- several fixes so the app also works on Arm Macs
- multiple bug fixes to the internalbrowser
- added IPv6 to ifconfig
- the webAssembly engine will restart itself after an error
- improved JavaScript engine.
- multiple bug fixes to the internalbrowser
- added IPv6 to ifconfig
- the webAssembly engine will restart itself after an error
- improved JavaScript engine.
1.12.4
Dec 6, 2023
- fixed an issue with yt-dlp
- improved the internalbrowser command (keyboard control comes back, better explanation (using Tips) on iOS 17)
- a-Shell uses more screen space at the bottom
- fixes ctags/readtags
- JavaScript files can be commands if they start with "#! jsc"
- bug fixes: fixed an issue with font encoding in Python, fixed an issue in jsc.writeFile(), fixed an issue with WebAssembly execution and ^D.
- improved the internalbrowser command (keyboard control comes back, better explanation (using Tips) on iOS 17)
- a-Shell uses more screen space at the bottom
- fixes ctags/readtags
- JavaScript files can be commands if they start with "#! jsc"
- bug fixes: fixed an issue with font encoding in Python, fixed an issue in jsc.writeFile(), fixed an issue with WebAssembly execution and ^D.
1.12.3
Dec 5, 2023
- improved the internalbrowser command (keyboard control comes back, better explanation (using Tips) on iOS 17)
- a-Shell uses more screen space at the bottom
- fixes ctags/readtags
- JavaScript files can be commands if they start with "#! jsc"
- bug fixes: fixed an issue with font encoding in Python, fixed an issue in jsc.writeFile(), fixed an issue with WebAssembly execution and ^D.
- a-Shell uses more screen space at the bottom
- fixes ctags/readtags
- JavaScript files can be commands if they start with "#! jsc"
- bug fixes: fixed an issue with font encoding in Python, fixed an issue in jsc.writeFile(), fixed an issue with WebAssembly execution and ^D.
1.12.2
Oct 20, 2023
- new "internal" web browser for when you need to run a web server locally (command: "internalbrowser")
- updated Python modules
- updated Curl to version 8.1.2
- fixed an issue with font picker on iOS 17
- "Put file" action in Shortcuts can now handle multiple files
- lg2 reports success or failure for pull and merge actions
- fixed an issue with "sh -c" and WebAssembly commands
- updated Python modules
- updated Curl to version 8.1.2
- fixed an issue with font picker on iOS 17
- "Put file" action in Shortcuts can now handle multiple files
- lg2 reports success or failure for pull and merge actions
- fixed an issue with "sh -c" and WebAssembly commands
1.12.0
May 23, 2023
- a lot of bug fixes.
1.11.3
Apr 19, 2023
- fixes a bug with Shortcuts introduced in version 1.11.1
- fixes a bug where a-Shell is unresponsive the first time you open the app
- added helper functions for jsc (both inside the app and for in-extension Shortcuts)
- fixes a bug where a-Shell is unresponsive the first time you open the app
- added helper functions for jsc (both inside the app and for in-extension Shortcuts)
1.11.2
Apr 17, 2023
- fixed the issue with StageManager (finally!)
- customizable keyboard, toolbar and topbar color.
- new URL scheme, "ashellmini://", in addition to "ashell://"
- customizable keyboard, toolbar and topbar color.
- new URL scheme, "ashellmini://", in addition to "ashell://"
1.11.1
Apr 2, 2023
- fixed an issue with Shortcuts and iOS 16.4
- fixed an issue introduced by version 1.11.0 with Vim and WebAssembly commands (including ctags)
- fixed an issue with ffmpeg and "pipe:" input/output
- fixed an issue introduced by version 1.11.0 with Vim and WebAssembly commands (including ctags)
- fixed an issue with ffmpeg and "pipe:" input/output
1.11.0
Mar 25, 2023
- activates ligatures in fonts that have them, like Fira Code (can be turned off with "config -l")
- you can now pipe WebAssembly commands into each other
- lg2 config now stores key position using "~", so it remains valid when the app is updated
- for files that begin with "#! command", the command can now be a webAssembly command (so "#! gawk" works).
- new commands: id, stty
- updated awk to version 20200816 (the same as OSX)
- fixed lots of issues with dash, pipes and awk.
- you can now pipe WebAssembly commands into each other
- lg2 config now stores key position using "~", so it remains valid when the app is updated
- for files that begin with "#! command", the command can now be a webAssembly command (so "#! gawk" works).
- new commands: id, stty
- updated awk to version 20200816 (the same as OSX)
- fixed lots of issues with dash, pipes and awk.
1.10.7
Feb 14, 2023
- multiple bug fixes, including three introduced by version 1.10.4.
- everything that was already there in 1.10.4:
- ffmpeg updated to version 5.1.2
- new commands: "call" and "text" to start a phone call or a text message.
- improved autocomplete: includes suggestions from history, uses most frequently used directories for "cd"
- new command: "z", will change directories using fuzzy matching and most frequently used directories. "z D/vi" will change to "~/Documents/.vim". It also works with auto-complete.
- \u in prompt definition will also take the environment variable $USERNAME.
- everything that was already there in 1.10.4:
- ffmpeg updated to version 5.1.2
- new commands: "call" and "text" to start a phone call or a text message.
- improved autocomplete: includes suggestions from history, uses most frequently used directories for "cd"
- new command: "z", will change directories using fuzzy matching and most frequently used directories. "z D/vi" will change to "~/Documents/.vim". It also works with auto-complete.
- \u in prompt definition will also take the environment variable $USERNAME.
1.10.6
Feb 10, 2023
- multiple bug fixes, including two introduced by version 1.10.4.
- everything that was already there in 1.10.4:
- ffmpeg updated to version 5.1.2
- new commands: "call" and "text" to start a phone call or a text message.
- improved autocomplete: includes suggestions from history, uses most frequently used directories for "cd"
- new command: "z", will change directories using fuzzy matching and most frequently used directories. "z D/vi" will change to "~/Documents/.vim". It also works with auto-complete.
- \u in prompt definition will also take the environment variable $USERNAME.
- everything that was already there in 1.10.4:
- ffmpeg updated to version 5.1.2
- new commands: "call" and "text" to start a phone call or a text message.
- improved autocomplete: includes suggestions from history, uses most frequently used directories for "cd"
- new command: "z", will change directories using fuzzy matching and most frequently used directories. "z D/vi" will change to "~/Documents/.vim". It also works with auto-complete.
- \u in prompt definition will also take the environment variable $USERNAME.
1.10.5
Feb 8, 2023
- multiple bug fixes, including one from 1.10.4.
- everything that was already there in 1.10.4:
- ffmpeg updated to version 5.1.2
- new commands: "call" and "text" to start a phone call or a text message.
- improved autocomplete: includes suggestions from history, uses most frequently used directories for "cd"
- new command: "z", will change directories using fuzzy matching and most frequently used directories. "z D/vi" will change to "~/Documents/.vim". It also works with auto-complete.
- \u in prompt definition will also take the environment variable $USERNAME.
- everything that was already there in 1.10.4:
- ffmpeg updated to version 5.1.2
- new commands: "call" and "text" to start a phone call or a text message.
- improved autocomplete: includes suggestions from history, uses most frequently used directories for "cd"
- new command: "z", will change directories using fuzzy matching and most frequently used directories. "z D/vi" will change to "~/Documents/.vim". It also works with auto-complete.
- \u in prompt definition will also take the environment variable $USERNAME.
1.10.4
Feb 7, 2023
- multiple bug fixes
- ffmpeg updated to version 5.1.2
- new commands: "call" and "text" to start a phone call or a text message.
- improved autocomplete: includes suggestions from history, uses most frequently used directories for "cd"
- new command: "z", will change directories using fuzzy matching and most frequently used directories. "z D/vi" will change to "~/Documents/.vim". It also works with auto-complete.
- \u in prompt definition will also take the environment variable $USERNAME.
- ffmpeg updated to version 5.1.2
- new commands: "call" and "text" to start a phone call or a text message.
- improved autocomplete: includes suggestions from history, uses most frequently used directories for "cd"
- new command: "z", will change directories using fuzzy matching and most frequently used directories. "z D/vi" will change to "~/Documents/.vim". It also works with auto-complete.
- \u in prompt definition will also take the environment variable $USERNAME.
1.10.3
Jan 20, 2023
- auto-repeat on external keyboards, compatible with accented letters.
- new commands: sha1 and sha256
- customizable toolbar: type "config -t" and follow instructions
- full emoji support
- dash can be kept running across sessions
- new commands: sha1 and sha256
- customizable toolbar: type "config -t" and follow instructions
- full emoji support
- dash can be kept running across sessions
1.10.2
Jan 11, 2023
- customizable toolbar: type "config -t" and follow instructions
- full emoji support
- Multiple bug fixes, including password entering in lg2, password entering in ssh, preventing changes of font size with StageManager...
- dash can be kept running across sessions
- full emoji support
- Multiple bug fixes, including password entering in lg2, password entering in ssh, preventing changes of font size with StageManager...
- dash can be kept running across sessions
1.10.1
Dec 11, 2022
- Everything from 1.10.0, plus fixing a bug in the interactive version of dash:
- new toolbar option for iPads, using iOS styling (you can switch to it using Settings).
- updated Python to version 3.11, Vim to version 8.2, Lua to version 5.4.4
- a-Shell (including Vim) now works with Scribble (character recognition using Apple pencil)
- options to customize cursor shape (config -k)
- new command: multimarkdown, to convert Markdown files to other formats (including TeX)
- keyboard commands to change the font size: command +, command - (and control + / control - too)
- new option (in Settings) to not restore windows content when the app restarts.
- many bug fixes: long scrolling does not reset to the beginning randomly, font size remains the same when going to the background, the app keeps keyboard focus, Vim plugins can execute dash commands...
- new toolbar option for iPads, using iOS styling (you can switch to it using Settings).
- updated Python to version 3.11, Vim to version 8.2, Lua to version 5.4.4
- a-Shell (including Vim) now works with Scribble (character recognition using Apple pencil)
- options to customize cursor shape (config -k)
- new command: multimarkdown, to convert Markdown files to other formats (including TeX)
- keyboard commands to change the font size: command +, command - (and control + / control - too)
- new option (in Settings) to not restore windows content when the app restarts.
- many bug fixes: long scrolling does not reset to the beginning randomly, font size remains the same when going to the background, the app keeps keyboard focus, Vim plugins can execute dash commands...
1.10.0
Dec 10, 2022
- new toolbar option for iPads, using iOS styling (you can switch to it using Settings).
- updated Python to version 3.11, Vim to version 8.2
- a-Shell (including Vim) now works with Scribble (character recognition using Apple pencil)
- options to customize cursor shape (config -k)
- new command: multimarkdown, to convert Markdown files to other formats (including TeX)
- keyboard commands to change the font size: command +, command - (and control + / control - too)
- new option (in Settings) to not restore windows content when the app restarts.
- many bug fixes: long scrolling does not reset to the beginning randomly, font size remains the same when going to the background, the app keeps keyboard focus, Vim plugins can execute dash commands...
- updated Python to version 3.11, Vim to version 8.2
- a-Shell (including Vim) now works with Scribble (character recognition using Apple pencil)
- options to customize cursor shape (config -k)
- new command: multimarkdown, to convert Markdown files to other formats (including TeX)
- keyboard commands to change the font size: command +, command - (and control + / control - too)
- new option (in Settings) to not restore windows content when the app restarts.
- many bug fixes: long scrolling does not reset to the beginning randomly, font size remains the same when going to the background, the app keeps keyboard focus, Vim plugins can execute dash commands...
1.9.9
Oct 5, 2022
Fixes the "crash immediately after the first command" issue experienced on iOS 14 and 15.
1.9.8
Sep 26, 2022
- fixes an issue with touch-based scrolling.
a-Shell mini FAQ
a-Shell mini is available in regions other than the following restricted countries:
Russia
a-Shell mini supports English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Spanish
Click here to learn how to download a-Shell mini in restricted country or region.
Check the following list to see the minimum requirements of a-Shell mini.
iPhone
Requires iOS 14.0 or later.
iPad
Requires iPadOS 14.0 or later.
iPod touch
Requires iOS 14.0 or later.
