a-Shell vs Working Copy
open-source
·freemium · one-time-license
Working Copy wins · 3–30 (7 drawn)
Agenticness — how well agents can access and operate the productAgenticness
How well agents can access and operate the product
Agent access
ai-native userPoint an agent at llms.txt or agent-oriented docs
weight 2 · round drawna-Shellnone0/10Probe of llms.txt returns 404 and no agent-oriented docs or API spec are found anywhere in the evidence pack; a-Shell provides only standard shell/vim/help docs.
- [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://holzschu.github.io/llms.txt”
- [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://holzschu.github.io/openapi.json, https://holzschu.github.io/swagger.json, https://holzschu.g…”
- [github] “For help, type `help` in the command line. `help -l` lists all the available commands. `help -l | grep command` will tell you if your favori…”
Working Copynone0/10Probes explicitly show no llms.txt, no markdown-accessible docs, and no OpenAPI spec exist for Working Copy; no evidence of any agent-oriented documentation format being provided.
ai-native userPlug MCP servers into this product so it can use their tools
weight 3 · round drawna-Shellnone0/10No evidence a-Shell supports MCP server integration; it is a mobile terminal/shell app with no mention of MCP protocol or plugin tool-use capability.
Working Copynone0/10Working Copy's docs describe a built-in 'Repository Agent' AI assistant but there is no evidence it supports plugging in external MCP servers or consuming third-party tools via MCP; automation is only via Shortcuts app actions, not MCP.
- [claimed-docs] “Repository Agent is an AI assistant that you interact with through conversation. Ask it to browse files, search content, read and modify fil…”
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports automation through the Shortcuts app where files and other data can flow between actions.”
ai-native userDrive the product through a documented public API
weight 3 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10a-Shell offers Apple Shortcuts integration and a CLI command set, but there is no documented public API (REST/OpenAPI/SDK) for programmatic control; explicit probes for llms.txt and OpenAPI specs both returned 404.
- [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://holzschu.github.io/llms.txt”
- [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://holzschu.github.io/openapi.json, https://holzschu.github.io/swagger.json, https://holzschu.g…”
- [github] “a-Shell is compatible with Apple Shortcuts, giving users full control of the Shell. You can write complex Shortcuts to download, process and…”
Working Copy documents automation via the Shortcuts app (docs-28) and a WebDAV server for file transfer (docs-27), which allow some programmatic/agentic control, but there is no documented REST/OpenAPI or general-purpose public API — probes confirm no openapi.json, no llms.txt, and no machine-readable docs endpoint. missing for 10: a documented REST/OpenAPI-style API, API reference/docs, and independent confirmation that AI agents can drive it beyond Shortcuts.
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports automation through the Shortcuts app where files and other data can flow between actions.”
- [claimed-docs] “a good way to get files into and out of Working Copy is the built-in WebDAV server.”
- [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://workingcopyapp.com/llms.txt”
- [probe] “PROBE docs-md: HTTP 404 at https://workingcopyapp.com/manual/.md”
- [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://workingcopyapp.com/openapi.json, https://workingcopyapp.com/swagger.json, https://workingcop…”
Agentic features
ai-native userGet AI-generated insights and suggestions from my data inside the product
weight 2 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10a-Shell is a terminal/shell app for iOS providing Unix commands, Python, Vim, and Shortcuts integration, but no evidence shows any AI-generated insights, suggestions, or data analysis features.
Working Copy documents two AI features: AI-suggested commit messages based on staged diffs (docs-5) and a conversational 'Repository Agent' that can browse, search, read/modify files, commit, pull and push (docs-29) — both surface AI-generated insight/suggestions from the user's repository data. However, evidence is entirely first-party docs with no independent/hands-on validation of quality or reliability, and no detail on depth of 'insights' beyond commit messages and agentic file actions. Missing for 10: independent/hands-on corroboration of the Repository Agent's real-world usefulness, and richer detail on what kinds of data insights (beyond commit suggestions) are generated.
- [claimed-docs] “includes the ability to suggest messages using artificial intelligence. These AI suggestions require sending staged differences to OpenAI”
- [claimed-docs] “Repository Agent is an AI assistant that you interact with through conversation. Ask it to browse files, search content, read and modify fil…”
ai-native userSet up automations that run autonomously in the background
weight 2 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10a-Shell is an iOS terminal app with no evidence of background execution, scheduling, or autonomous automation capability—Shortcuts integration allows manual triggering but not persistent background automation, and iOS sandboxing generally prevents apps like this from running unattended tasks.
Working Copy integrates with Apple's Shortcuts app for automation (docs-28) and has a conversational Repository Agent that can browse, edit, commit, pull and push (docs-29), but neither is documented as running autonomously in the background without user-triggered interaction — Shortcuts automations in this context appear action-chaining rather than scheduled/autonomous, and the Repository Agent is described as conversational (user-driven), not a background daemon. missing for 10: explicit documentation of scheduled/triggered background automations, evidence of autonomous unattended execution, and independent confirmation of background automation working.
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports automation through the Shortcuts app where files and other data can flow between actions.”
- [claimed-docs] “Repository Agent is an AI assistant that you interact with through conversation. Ask it to browse files, search content, read and modify fil…”
ai-native userDelegate tasks to a built-in AI assistant inside the product
weight 3 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10a-Shell is a terminal/shell app for iOS with Unix commands, Python, Vim, etc., but no evidence anywhere in the pack of a built-in AI assistant or any AI delegation capability.
Working Copy documents a built-in 'Repository Agent' AI assistant that users interact with conversationally to browse files, search content, read/modify files, commit, pull and push — directly matching the delegation story, alongside a separate AI commit-message suggestion feature. missing for 10: no independent/hands-on user reports confirming the Repository Agent's real-world reliability, and no detail on scope limits or setup requirements.
- [claimed-docs] “Repository Agent is an AI assistant that you interact with through conversation. Ask it to browse files, search content, read and modify fil…”
- [claimed-docs] “includes the ability to suggest messages using artificial intelligence. These AI suggestions require sending staged differences to OpenAI”
ai-native userOperate the product with natural-language commands
weight 2 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10a-Shell is a traditional command-line shell requiring exact command syntax (e.g. clang, vim, pip install, config, bookmark); there is no evidence of natural-language command parsing or AI-native interaction, and llms.txt/openapi probes returned 404.
- [github] “For help, type `help` in the command line. `help -l` lists all the available commands. `help -l | grep command` will tell you if your favori…”
- [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://holzschu.github.io/llms.txt”
- [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://holzschu.github.io/openapi.json, https://holzschu.github.io/swagger.json, https://holzschu.g…”
The docs describe a 'Repository Agent' AI assistant that users interact with via conversation to browse files, search content, read/modify files, commit, pull, and push — directly matching natural-language operation. However, this is first-party documentation only, with no independent/hands-on corroboration of how well the natural-language interface actually performs. Missing for 10: independent user reports validating the Repository Agent's reliability, and detail on the scope/limits of supported natural-language commands.
- [claimed-docs] “Repository Agent is an AI assistant that you interact with through conversation. Ask it to browse files, search content, read and modify fil…”
Api quality
ai-native userExplore an interactive API reference with runnable examples
weight 2 · round drawna-Shellnone0/10a-Shell is a mobile terminal app with a `help` command listing built-ins, but there's no evidence of an interactive API reference with runnable examples; probes for llms.txt and OpenAPI specs both returned 404.
- [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://holzschu.github.io/llms.txt”
- [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://holzschu.github.io/openapi.json, https://holzschu.github.io/swagger.json, https://holzschu.g…”
- [github] “For help, type `help` in the command line. `help -l` lists all the available commands. `help -l | grep command` will tell you if your favori…”
Working Copynone0/10Working Copy is a mobile git client with no evidence of any API reference, interactive docs, or runnable examples; probes for llms.txt, markdown docs, and OpenAPI specs all returned 404.
ai-native userDownload a machine-readable API spec (OpenAPI or equivalent)
weight 2 · round drawna-Shellnone0/10a-Shell is a terminal app with no API surface, and probes for OpenAPI/Swagger specs and llms.txt all returned 404, confirming no machine-readable API spec is published.
Working Copynone0/10Probes explicitly show no OpenAPI/swagger spec exists at any candidate path and no llms.txt or machine-readable docs are available; Working Copy exposes Shortcuts automation and an x-callback-url scheme but no documented downloadable API spec.
Automation depth — how much of the product can run unattendedAutomation depth
How much of the product can run unattended
ai-native userPerform bulk operations across many items at once
weight 2 · round to Working Copya-Shell is a full Unix-like shell environment and its Shortcuts integration is described as enabling users to 'download, process and release files using a-Shell commands,' implying scripting-based batch workflows, but no evidence explicitly documents loop constructs, xargs, or batch file processing across many items. Missing for 10: explicit documentation of scripting/looping over multiple files, examples of bulk file processing, independent corroboration of batch workflows.
- [github] “a-Shell is compatible with Apple Shortcuts, giving users full control of the Shell. You can write complex Shortcuts to download, process and…”
- [github] “For help, type `help` in the command line. `help -l` lists all the available commands. `help -l | grep command` will tell you if your favori…”
The docs show some bulk-like features — the Resolve tool for handling merge conflicts across many files at once, Shortcuts app automation for scripting flows across files, and a Repository Agent AI assistant that can browse/search/modify/commit across a repo — but there is no evidence of true bulk operations across many items (e.g., batch commits across multiple repos, mass file edits, bulk push/pull) as an AI-native automation feature. Missing for 10: explicit multi-repo or multi-file batch APIs, scripted bulk edit/commit workflows, and independent verification that Shortcuts or the Repository Agent can perform such bulk tasks reliably.
- [claimed-docs] “A faster solution is to use the Resolve tool that lets you resolve conflicts for many files at once.”
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports automation through the Shortcuts app where files and other data can flow between actions.”
- [claimed-docs] “Repository Agent is an AI assistant that you interact with through conversation. Ask it to browse files, search content, read and modify fil…”
ai-native userDefine rules that trigger actions automatically on events
weight 3 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10a-Shell is an iOS terminal app; evidence shows shell commands, Shortcuts integration, and window management, but no rule-based automation engine (triggers/conditions/actions on events) is documented anywhere in the pack.
Working Copy supports Shortcuts app automation where files/data flow between actions, which allows building event-triggered workflows via iOS Shortcuts automations (e.g., time/location/app triggers), but there's no first-party rule engine or documented event-trigger system within Working Copy itself. missing for 10: native event/rule triggers inside the app, documented automation-on-git-events (e.g. auto-commit/push on file change), examples of Shortcuts automations actually wired to Working Copy triggers.
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports automation through the Shortcuts app where files and other data can flow between actions.”
ai-native userSchedule recurring jobs or workflows
weight 2 · round drawna-Shellnone0/10No evidence of any cron-like scheduler or recurring job/workflow mechanism in a-Shell; Shortcuts integration allows triggering commands but no scheduling capability is documented. This is an applicable axis for a shell/terminal app, but no supporting evidence exists.
ai-native userVersion, review, and roll back my automations
weight 1 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10No evidence of any versioning, review, or rollback mechanism for automations/scripts; a-Shell offers command history, bookmarks, and Shortcuts integration but nothing about tracking changes or reverting automation scripts.
Working Copy provides strong git version-control primitives (commit, undo, amend, delete/squash commits, checkout old versions, commit graph) that could version and roll back automation scripts stored in a repo, and its Repository Agent AI assistant can commit/pull/push conversationally, plus Shortcuts automation integration. However, the story frames automation-workflow versioning specifically, and there's no evidence of automation-run history, diffing of automation configs, or rollback tied to Shortcuts/agent-run outputs rather than generic file commits. missing for 10: evidence of versioning/reviewing/rolling back actual automation runs or agent actions (not just generic git files), independent hands-on confirmation of Repository Agent's commit/rollback behavior.
- [claimed-docs] “Swipe left on any commit in the repository's commit list to Checkout an old version.”
- [claimed-docs] “For commits not yet pushed to a remote, swipe left to Undo them. The commit's changes remain in your working directory as modified files”
- [claimed-docs] “To make changes to the latest commit enable Amend at the top of the commit dialog.”
- [claimed-docs] “Long tapping commits you can Delete Commit to rewrite the branch without the work contributed by this single commit, Edit Message to change …”
- [claimed-docs] “To explore repository changes across branches use the Commit Graph available from the Repository screen.”
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports automation through the Shortcuts app where files and other data can flow between actions.”
- [claimed-docs] “Repository Agent is an AI assistant that you interact with through conversation. Ask it to browse files, search content, read and modify fil…”
Git code — core git and code operations — cloning, branching, pushing, code browsingGit code
Core git and code operations — cloning, branching, pushing, code browsing
Repo management
power-userAmend the latest commit or undo unpushed commits to fix or split them
weight 2 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10No evidence a-Shell provides git commit-amend/undo capabilities; the evidence pack covers only shell/terminal features (vim, config, bookmarks, pip) with no mention of git integration or commit history editing.
Docs explicitly describe amending the latest commit via the commit dialog's Amend toggle and undoing unpushed commits via swipe-left, with changes preserved in the working directory, plus additional editing tools (Edit Message, Squash, Delete Commit) for splitting/fixing history. Missing for 10: independent hands-on verification of these specific commit-editing workflows beyond first-party docs.
- [claimed-docs] “For commits not yet pushed to a remote, swipe left to Undo them. The commit's changes remain in your working directory as modified files”
- [claimed-docs] “To make changes to the latest commit enable Amend at the top of the commit dialog.”
- [claimed-docs] “Long tapping commits you can Delete Commit to rewrite the branch without the work contributed by this single commit, Edit Message to change …”
developerSearch and navigate code content using fuzzy matching, filters, and regular expressions
weight 2 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10The evidence pack shows a-Shell as an iOS terminal app with grep, help search, and vim, but no evidence of dedicated fuzzy-matching code search, filters, or regex-based code navigation tooling like fzf, ripgrep, or ctags integration.
- [github] “For help, type `help` in the command line. `help -l` lists all the available commands. `help -l | grep command` will tell you if your favori…”
- [claimed-docs] “a-Shell comes with Vim included. You can edit your files and even run syntax checkers using e.g. vim-lsp or ALE.”
Working Copy's docs confirm regular-expression search within file scope (wrapping pattern in slashes), and syntax-highlighted file browsing supports basic navigation, but there is no evidence of fuzzy matching or advanced filter options for code search. missing for 10: fuzzy matching support, filter options (by file type/path/date), evidence of broader project-wide search UI beyond regex.
- [claimed-docs] “Regular expression search is supported for the file scope by wrapping your pattern in slashes such as /[0-9]+/”
- [claimed-docs] “File content is shown with syntax highlighting for sourcecode and a preview of html and document files.”
developerClone Git repositories over HTTPS, SSH, or the Git protocol
weight 3 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10No evidence in the pack mentions git clone or any git-related commands/protocols supported by a-Shell; the docs focus on compiling, Python, Vim, and shell UI features.
Working Copy's manual explicitly states support for https, ssh, git, and http protocols, plus SSH key management via Secure Enclave and identity attachment for authentication, and community evidence confirms real-world clone/pull/push usage over GitHub. Missing for 10: independent hands-on verification of the raw git:// protocol specifically and no dedicated troubleshooting/edge-case documentation.
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports https, ssh, git, and http protocols”
- [claimed-docs] “SSH keys can reside on the Secure Enclave protected by Face ID or Touch ID.”
- [claimed-docs] “You attach a private key to your Identity which can be imported or generated inside the app.”
- [community] “I have been using this iOS git tool to write a book - the text is on GitHub, and I just wanted to pull, edit and push while on a commute.”
power-userVisualize the full commit graph across branches
weight 2 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10No evidence a-Shell provides any git commit graph visualization capability; the product is a terminal/shell app for iOS with no mentioned git tooling or graph UI.
Working Copy has a dedicated Commit Graph feature accessible from the Repository screen explicitly for exploring repository changes across branches, plus supporting features like swipe-to-checkout old commits and branch-aware history operations. Missing for 10: independent hands-on review or screenshots corroborating the graph's usability/completeness across many branches.
- [claimed-docs] “To explore repository changes across branches use the Commit Graph available from the Repository screen.”
- [claimed-docs] “Swipe left on any commit in the repository's commit list to Checkout an old version.”
developerCommit and push changes directly from my device
weight 3 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10No evidence pack mentions git commands or git functionality at all in a-Shell; only Vim, compilers, Python, Shortcuts, and terminal features are documented, with no reference to committing or pushing code.
Working Copy's docs clearly describe the core commit-and-push workflow (staging/committing via the Changes/Status tab, pushing over https/ssh/git protocols, amend/squash, and a real user account of pulling, editing, and pushing on the go). Missing for 10: independent hands-on verification of push reliability/conflict scenarios beyond a single anecdote, and no first-party benchmark or detailed push-error handling documentation.
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports https, ssh, git, and http protocols”
- [claimed-docs] “When you have file modifications the Changes tab lights up... you can commit them to the repository with a button on the Status tab.”
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports private instances of GitHub Enterprise, GitLab and Gitea.”
- [community] “I have been using this iOS git tool to write a book - the text is on GitHub, and I just wanted to pull, edit and push while on a commute.”
power-userSign my commits with a GPG or SSH key for verification
weight 1 · round drawna-Shellnone0/10No evidence of GPG or SSH commit-signing support in a-Shell's documentation, GitHub README, or community discussion; the axis applies since a-Shell provides git and shell tooling but no signing capability is documented.
Working Copynone0/10Evidence shows Working Copy uses SSH keys (including Secure Enclave-backed keys) for authenticating to remotes, but nothing in the docs describes GPG or SSH commit signing/verification as a feature. Missing for 10: any mention of signed commits, GPG key support, or SSH-signature verification workflow.
- [claimed-docs] “SSH keys can reside on the Secure Enclave protected by Face ID or Touch ID.”
- [claimed-docs] “You attach a private key to your Identity which can be imported or generated inside the app.”
power-userInteractively rewrite history by deleting, editing, squashing, or reordering commits
weight 2 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10a-Shell is an iOS terminal app with basic Unix commands and no evidence of git integration, let alone interactive rebase, commit editing, or history rewriting tools; no mention of git at all in the evidence pack.
Working Copy explicitly documents interactive history rewriting: delete commit, edit commit message, squash a commit with its child (docs-17), amend the latest commit (docs-16), and undo unpushed commits (docs-15). This directly covers deleting, editing, squashing commits as described in the story. Missing for 10: no explicit reordering/rebase-onto-arbitrary-commit UI mentioned and no independent hands-on corroboration of this specific feature beyond docs.
- [claimed-docs] “Long tapping commits you can Delete Commit to rewrite the branch without the work contributed by this single commit, Edit Message to change …”
- [claimed-docs] “To make changes to the latest commit enable Amend at the top of the commit dialog.”
- [claimed-docs] “For commits not yet pushed to a remote, swipe left to Undo them. The commit's changes remain in your working directory as modified files”
- [claimed-docs] “You can configure repositories to Rebase instead of Merge commits from the Configuration page inside Repository status.”
developerResolve merge conflicts across many files at once with a dedicated tool
weight 2 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10a-Shell is a terminal app for iOS with basic commands, Vim, and compilers; no evidence of any merge-conflict resolution tool or git integration beyond generic shell usage.
Working Copy's docs explicitly describe a dedicated 'Resolve tool' for handling merge conflicts across many files at once, directly matching the story. Missing for 10: independent/hands-on corroboration of the multi-file resolve workflow beyond vendor docs.
- [claimed-docs] “A faster solution is to use the Resolve tool that lets you resolve conflicts for many files at once.”
developerCreate pull requests on hosted Git platforms directly from my device
weight 3 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10No evidence a-Shell offers any Git hosting platform integration (e.g., GitHub/GitLab PR creation, gh CLI) — only generic shell, editor, and Shortcuts features are documented.
Working Copy's docs explicitly state it supports creating pull requests for BitBucket, GitHub and GitLab, directly from the mobile app, and also supports self-hosted GitHub Enterprise/GitLab/Gitea instances. This directly matches the story of creating PRs on hosted Git platforms from a device. Missing for 10: independent hands-on confirmation of the PR-creation flow itself (community evidence covers general git usage but not PR creation specifically).
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports creating these for BitBucket, GitHub and GitLab.”
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports private instances of GitHub Enterprise, GitLab and Gitea.”
developerReview pull requests from my phone while on the go
weight 3 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10a-Shell is a terminal/shell app for iOS with git-like command-line tools, but the evidence pack shows no PR review functionality, no GitHub/GitLab integration for reviewing diffs, comments, or approvals from mobile. Nothing indicates a UI or workflow for browsing/reviewing pull requests.
Working Copy documents diff viewing, commit graphs, and syntax-highlighted file review, and notes it can create pull/merge requests for GitHub, GitLab, and BitBucket, which implies some PR-related workflow on mobile. However there is no explicit documentation of viewing PR discussion threads, inline review comments, or approving/merging PRs from the app. Missing for 10: dedicated PR review UI (comments, approve/request-changes, merge button), and independent hands-on evidence of reviewing PRs on the go.
- [claimed-docs] “To explore repository changes across branches use the Commit Graph available from the Repository screen.”
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports creating these for BitBucket, GitHub and GitLab.”
- [claimed-docs] “File content is shown with syntax highlighting for sourcecode and a preview of html and document files.”
- [community] “I have been using this iOS git tool to write a book - the text is on GitHub, and I just wanted to pull, edit and push while on a commute.”
power-userStash and unstash changes to temporarily clear my working directory
weight 2 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10No evidence a-Shell includes git stash/unstash or any git functionality at all; documentation covers only shell tools like vim, clang, pip, config, bookmarks etc.
Official docs explicitly confirm stash/unstash via the repository context menu, directly matching the story's core requirement. Missing for 10: independent hands-on corroboration of the stash workflow beyond vendor docs.
- [claimed-docs] “You Stash and Unstash from the context menu of repositories.”
power-userClone, update, and manage Git submodules within a repository
weight 1 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10No evidence pack item mentions git or git submodules at all; a-Shell documentation covers compiling, Python, Vim, window management, and Shortcuts but never git functionality.
Working Copy's docs explicitly mention Git submodule support, confirming the feature exists, but there is no detail on cloning with submodules, updating them, or managing (add/remove/sync) submodules, nor any community corroboration of real-world submodule workflows. missing for 10: documented submodule clone/update/init workflow, UI for managing submodule paths, independent user confirmation of submodule handling.
- [claimed-docs] “Git submodules allow you to include other Git repositories within your repository, keeping their histories separate.”
developerPreview Markdown, HTML, and other rendered files with live reload
weight 2 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10a-Shell is a terminal/shell app with vim editing and command-line tools, but there is no evidence of any Markdown/HTML preview or live-reload rendering capability.
- [claimed-docs] “a-Shell comes with Vim included. You can edit your files and even run syntax checkers using e.g. vim-lsp or ALE.”
- [github] “For help, type `help` in the command line. `help -l` lists all the available commands. `help -l | grep command` will tell you if your favori…”
Docs confirm preview of html/document files with syntax highlighting, plus explicit live-reload behavior that auto-reloads on file/asset changes while preserving scroll and zoom. Missing for 10: no independent/hands-on corroboration of live reload in practice and no explicit mention of Markdown-specific preview beyond 'html and document files'.
- [claimed-docs] “File content is shown with syntax highlighting for sourcecode and a preview of html and document files.”
- [claimed-docs] “The preview reloads automatically when the file or any local asset it depends on changes, restoring scroll and zoom”
Networking access — stories about networking access in this arenaNetworking access
Stories about networking access in this arena
Mesh network
power-userConnect directly to my servers without relying on a cloud relay, proxy, or VPN
weight 2 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10The evidence pack contains no mention of SSH, SFTP, or any direct server-connection capability for a-Shell; it only covers compilation, Python packages, Vim, window management, Shortcuts integration, and accessibility. Since a terminal app plausibly could offer direct server connectivity, the axis applies, but no evidence documents it here.
Working Copy documents direct git/ssh/https protocol support, including private self-hosted GitHub Enterprise, GitLab, and Gitea instances, with SSH keys stored in Secure Enclave — all indicating direct, non-relay connections to user-controlled servers. Community evidence shows users pairing it with self-hosted VPS git servers, corroborating real-world direct-connection use. missing for 10: independent technical verification that no intermediary/relay is used during sync, and explicit confirmation of raw SSH/git protocol (not tunneled) from a third party.
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports https, ssh, git, and http protocols”
- [claimed-docs] “SSH keys can reside on the Secure Enclave protected by Face ID or Touch ID.”
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports private instances of GitHub Enterprise, GitLab and Gitea.”
- [claimed-docs] “You attach a private key to your Identity which can be imported or generated inside the app.”
- [community] “I ended up not wanting to put my years of thinking, planning and researching up on a public service, so I spun up a $5/month VPS instance fr…”
Offline sync — stories about offline sync in this arenaOffline sync
Stories about offline sync in this arena
Cross device sync
developerAccess and work with files and repositories from other apps' sandboxes on my device
weight 2 · round to Working Copya-Shell explicitly supports accessing other apps' sandboxed directories via the `pickFolder` command using iOS 13's app sandbox access API, plus bookmarking directories for repeated use, enabling developers to work with files/repos across app sandboxes directly from the shell. Missing for 10: no explicit mention of git/repository workflows using this feature, and no independent/hands-on corroboration of pickFolder working reliably in practice.
Working Copy explicitly integrates with the iOS Files app and other apps' sandboxes: repositories appear in the Files app/document picker for 3rd party apps, external directories/document packages from other apps can be linked, files can be dragged in from email/other apps, and a built-in WebDAV server plus Shortcuts automation enable cross-app file flow. This directly matches accessing/working with files and repos across app sandboxes on-device. Missing for 10: independent hands-on verification of cross-app sandbox access beyond vendor docs.
- [claimed-docs] “All repositories in Working Copy can be accessed in the Files app and 3rd party applications using the document picker or file browser compo…”
- [claimed-docs] “Drag files from your emails, the Files app or any other supporting app to add to your repositories.”
- [claimed-docs] “When adding repositories you tap Link external directory and pick a folder or Document Package in the Files app.”
- [claimed-docs] “a good way to get files into and out of Working Copy is the built-in WebDAV server.”
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports automation through the Shortcuts app where files and other data can flow between actions.”
power-userSync my saved hosts and connection settings across all my devices
weight 2 · round drawna-Shellnone0/10No evidence of any host/connection management feature, let alone cross-device syncing of saved hosts or settings; a-Shell is a local iOS terminal app with no mentioned cloud sync capability for connection profiles.
Working Copynone0/10Working Copy is a single-device iOS git client; the evidence pack contains no mention of any cross-device sync feature (e.g. iCloud sync of hosts/identities/keys) for saved hosts or connection settings across devices, only per-repository git operations, SSH key storage in Secure Enclave, and file access mechanisms.
Openness — open source, data portability, and self-hosting storiesOpenness
Open source, data portability, and self-hosting stories
ai-native userExport all of my data in open formats and leave
weight 3 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10a-Shell's evidence pack shows it operates on files, config, and bookmarks, but there is no documentation or claim about an explicit data export mechanism, open-format guarantee, or ability to migrate history/config/bookmarks out of the app. The probes for llms.txt/openapi also returned 404s, showing no additional documentation on this front. Missing for 10: any statement on export formats, data portability tools, or guarantees that user data (history, bookmarks, config) isn't locked into a-Shell-specific formats.
- [github] “Each window has its own context, appearance, command history and current directory. `newWindow` opens a new window, `exit` closes the curren…”
- [github] “You can also bookmark the current directory with `bookmark`. `showmarks` will list all the existing bookmarks, `jump mark` and `cd ~mark` wi…”
- [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://holzschu.github.io/llms.txt”
- [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://holzschu.github.io/openapi.json, https://holzschu.github.io/swagger.json, https://holzschu.g…”
Working Copy stores all repository data as standard Git repositories (open format) and provides multiple export paths: Files app/document-picker access, drag-and-drop, a built-in WebDAV server, and Shortcuts automation, meaning a user can pull all data out in a non-proprietary format at any time (docs-24, docs-25, docs-27, docs-28). This directly satisfies 'export in open formats and leave' since Git itself is portable across any host. Missing for 10: no explicit single bulk-export/account-deletion feature described, and no independent hands-on account of a full data migration out of the app.
- [claimed-docs] “All repositories in Working Copy can be accessed in the Files app and 3rd party applications using the document picker or file browser compo…”
- [claimed-docs] “Drag files from your emails, the Files app or any other supporting app to add to your repositories.”
- [claimed-docs] “When adding repositories you tap Link external directory and pick a folder or Document Package in the Files app.”
- [claimed-docs] “a good way to get files into and out of Working Copy is the built-in WebDAV server.”
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports automation through the Shortcuts app where files and other data can flow between actions.”
ai-native userRead the product's source under an open license
weight 2 · round to a-ShellThe evidence confirms a-Shell's source lives in a public GitHub repository (holzschu/a-shell) with visible commands, structure, and documentation, implying the code is readable/inspectable. However, no evidence pack item cites an explicit open-source license (e.g., MIT, BSD, GPL) or license file. missing for 10: explicit license text/name, license badge or LICENSE file citation, confirmation of redistribution/modification rights.
- [github] “Each window has its own context, appearance, command history and current directory. `newWindow` opens a new window, `exit` closes the curren…”
- [github] “For help, type `help` in the command line. `help -l` lists all the available commands. `help -l | grep command` will tell you if your favori…”
Running agents — operating agents in production — sessions, persistence, recoveryRunning agents
Operating agents in production — sessions, persistence, recovery
Ai coding agents
ai-native userGet AI-generated commit message suggestions based on my staged changes
weight 2 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10a-Shell is a terminal app for iOS; no evidence of any git integration, AI features, or commit message generation. This capability is plausible for a shell tool but no evidence exists.
Working Copy's docs explicitly state it can suggest commit messages using AI based on staged diffs, sent to OpenAI, directly matching the story. Missing for 10: independent/hands-on corroboration of this specific AI commit-message feature and details on accuracy/configuration options.
- [claimed-docs] “includes the ability to suggest messages using artificial intelligence. These AI suggestions require sending staged differences to OpenAI”
ai-native userDirect an AI agent to browse, search, edit, commit, pull, and push in a repository via conversation
weight 3 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10a-Shell is an iOS terminal app with git-like commands and vim available, but there is no evidence of any AI agent integration, conversational control, or automation for browsing/searching/editing/committing/pulling/pushing via an AI agent — the evidence only covers manual shell usage, Shortcuts, and UI features.
Working Copy documents a first-party "Repository Agent" that is explicitly described as an AI assistant interacted with via conversation, capable of browsing files, searching content, reading/modifying files, committing, pulling and pushing — directly matching the story. However, there is no independent/community corroboration of this specific agent feature working hands-on, and details on setup, model/provider, and reliability are thin. Missing for 10: independent or hands-on validation of the Repository Agent, more detail on configuration/limitations, and confirmation of conversational browsing/search fidelity beyond the doc line.
- [claimed-docs] “Repository Agent is an AI assistant that you interact with through conversation. Ask it to browse files, search content, read and modify fil…”
- [claimed-docs] “When you have file modifications the Changes tab lights up... you can commit them to the repository with a button on the Status tab.”
- [claimed-docs] “includes the ability to suggest messages using artificial intelligence. These AI suggestions require sending staged differences to OpenAI”
Security — security posture and hardening storiesSecurity
Security posture and hardening stories
Credential protection
developerProtect my remote connections with biometric authentication like Face ID or fingerprint
weight 2 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10No evidence that a-Shell supports biometric authentication (Face ID/Touch ID) for securing remote connections such as SSH; the docs cover unrelated features like compiling, editing, and shell commands.
Working Copy documents that SSH keys can be stored in the Secure Enclave protected by Face ID or Touch ID, directly enabling biometric protection of remote (SSH) connections. However, this is limited to SSH key access specifically, with no evidence of biometric gating for HTTPS credentials or app-wide lock, and no independent/hands-on corroboration beyond the vendor docs. Missing for 10: evidence of biometric protection for HTTPS remotes, independent confirmation of the Face ID/Touch ID flow in practice, and details on fallback/security scope.
- [claimed-docs] “SSH keys can reside on the Secure Enclave protected by Face ID or Touch ID.”
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports https, ssh, git, and http protocols”
- [claimed-docs] “You attach a private key to your Identity which can be imported or generated inside the app.”
power-userStore my SSH keys in a hardware-backed secure enclave protected by biometrics
weight 2 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10No evidence in the pack mentions SSH key storage, hardware-backed secure enclave, or biometric protection for a-Shell; the docs focus on shell commands, package installation, and appearance customization. This is a plausible security axis for a terminal app dealing with SSH, but absence of any supporting evidence means it must be marked none.
Working Copy's documentation explicitly states SSH keys can reside on the Secure Enclave protected by Face ID or Touch ID, directly matching the story's hardware-backed, biometric-protected key storage requirement. Missing for 10: independent/hands-on corroboration of this specific feature beyond first-party docs.
- [claimed-docs] “SSH keys can reside on the Secure Enclave protected by Face ID or Touch ID.”
- [claimed-docs] “You attach a private key to your Identity which can be imported or generated inside the app.”
Terminal ssh — terminal and SSH workflows — shells, sessions, remote accessTerminal ssh
Terminal and SSH workflows — shells, sessions, remote access
Local dev environment
developerEdit files with a terminal-based editor and run syntax/lint checkers inside the app
weight 2 · round to a-Shella-Shell ships Vim for file editing and explicitly documents running syntax checkers via vim-lsp/ALE, plus compilers (clang) for building/checking C/C++ code. However, evidence lacks detail on lint checker installation/setup specifics, dedicated linters for other languages, or hands-on confirmation of this workflow succeeding. missing for 10: independent/hands-on verification of lint checker setup, broader language linting support beyond vim-lsp/ALE mention.
- [claimed-docs] “a-Shell comes with Vim included. You can edit your files and even run syntax checkers using e.g. vim-lsp or ALE.”
- [claimed-docs] “clang/clang++ compiles your C/C++ files to webAssembly with wasi included. Execute the resulting files using 'wasm command'.”
Working Copynone0/10Working Copy is a Git client for iOS with syntax-highlighted file viewing and editing, but there is no evidence of a terminal-based editor or any integrated syntax/lint checker execution inside the app — no shell, no linting tools, no build/check runner mentioned anywhere in the docs.
Ssh connections
developerRun local UNIX commands like ls, grep, cat, tar, and curl directly in the app
weight 3 · round to a-ShellThe evidence confirms a-Shell is a genuine command-line environment (help/help -l lists commands, and the example 'help -l | grep command' implies grep is a working built-in), and it supports compiling/running code and pip installs, suggesting a real UNIX-like command set. However, the pack never explicitly documents ls, cat, tar, or curl as available commands. Missing for 10: explicit documentation or example usage of ls, cat, tar, and curl, and independent confirmation that these specific commands run natively.
- [github] “For help, type `help` in the command line. `help -l` lists all the available commands. `help -l | grep command` will tell you if your favori…”
- [claimed-docs] “clang/clang++ compiles your C/C++ files to webAssembly with wasi included. Execute the resulting files using 'wasm command'.”
- [claimed-docs] “Use 'pip install' to add more Python packages (if they are pure Python).”
developerConnect to remote servers using SSH with Ed25519, ECDSA, or RSA keys
weight 3 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10No evidence in the pack mentions SSH functionality or key types (Ed25519, ECDSA, RSA) supported by a-Shell; documentation covers compiling, Python, Vim, and window/config features but nothing about SSH connectivity.
Docs confirm SSH remote support and private-key based Identities (importable or generated, storable in Secure Enclave), but no evidence specifies which key algorithms (Ed25519, ECDSA, RSA) are supported. Missing for 10: explicit documentation of supported key types/algorithms, independent confirmation of SSH auth working with each key type.
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports https, ssh, git, and http protocols”
- [claimed-docs] “You attach a private key to your Identity which can be imported or generated inside the app.”
- [claimed-docs] “SSH keys can reside on the Secure Enclave protected by Face ID or Touch ID.”
power-userGenerate SSH key pairs for password-less access to my servers
weight 2 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10No evidence in the pack mentions SSH key generation, ssh-keygen, or SSH functionality at all for a-Shell; the documentation covers compiling, Python, Vim, window management, and Shortcuts integration but nothing about SSH key pairs or passwordless server access.
Working Copy's docs state you attach a private key to an Identity which can be 'imported or generated inside the app,' and that SSH keys can be stored in the Secure Enclave protected by Face ID/Touch ID, directly enabling password-less SSH access to git servers. Missing for 10: independent/hands-on confirmation of the keygen flow and details on supported key types/algorithms.
- [claimed-docs] “You attach a private key to your Identity which can be imported or generated inside the app.”
- [claimed-docs] “SSH keys can reside on the Secure Enclave protected by Face ID or Touch ID.”
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports https, ssh, git, and http protocols”
power-userConnect to a saved host with one tap without re-entering credentials
weight 2 · round to Working Copya-Shellnone0/10No evidence of saved-host SSH profiles, credential storage, or one-tap connect features; only bookmarks for directories and general shell features are documented.
- [github] “You can also bookmark the current directory with `bookmark`. `showmarks` will list all the existing bookmarks, `jump mark` and `cd ~mark` wi…”
- [github] “For help, type `help` in the command line. `help -l` lists all the available commands. `help -l | grep command` will tell you if your favori…”
Working Copy stores SSH identities/keys (optionally in Secure Enclave protected by Face ID/Touch ID) attached to a repository, which implies reconnecting to a saved remote doesn't require re-entering credentials, but this is git-remote SSH, not an interactive terminal session, and there's no explicit documentation of a one-tap 'connect to saved host' action or session reuse UI. Missing for 10: explicit one-tap host connection flow, interactive terminal/shell access evidence, and independent confirmation of credential-free reconnect behavior.
- [claimed-docs] “SSH keys can reside on the Secure Enclave protected by Face ID or Touch ID.”
- [claimed-docs] “You attach a private key to your Identity which can be imported or generated inside the app.”
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports https, ssh, git, and http protocols”
Not comparable on these axes
ai-native userRun the product headlessly / in CI for automation
weight 2 · not comparablea-Shelln/aa-Shell is an iOS-only interactive terminal app with no headless/CI execution mode or server component; running it in automated CI pipelines is outside its product category as a touch-device app shell.
Working Copyn/aWorking Copy is a GUI-based iOS git client tied to the iPhone/iPad interface; it offers on-device automation via Shortcuts and URL schemes but has no server/CLI mode that could run headlessly in a CI pipeline. Running headlessly/in CI is a category error for this type of mobile app, not a missing feature.
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports automation through the Shortcuts app where files and other data can flow between actions.”
ai-native userConnect an agent via an official MCP server
weight 3 · not comparablea-Shelln/aa-Shell is a mobile terminal/shell app, not an AI agent or a service exposing tools; MCP server connectivity is not a relevant axis for this product category and no evidence suggests otherwise.
Working Copynone0/10Working Copy is a git client with a built-in 'Repository Agent' AI assistant (docs-29), but there is no evidence of an official MCP server that lets external agents connect to Working Copy; probes for llms.txt/openapi endpoints also return 404s.
- [claimed-docs] “Repository Agent is an AI assistant that you interact with through conversation. Ask it to browse files, search content, read and modify fil…”
- [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://workingcopyapp.com/llms.txt”
- [probe] “PROBE docs-md: HTTP 404 at https://workingcopyapp.com/manual/.md”
- [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://workingcopyapp.com/openapi.json, https://workingcopyapp.com/swagger.json, https://workingcop…”
ai-native userUse an official CLI
weight 2 · not comparablea-Shell is itself a full command-line environment on iOS with many built-in commands and Apple Shortcuts integration that lets users script and automate shell tasks, which could be leveraged by an AI-driven automation. However, there is no evidence of any AI-specific CLI features, agent APIs, or documented AI-native workflow support beyond generic shell scripting/Shortcuts. Missing for 10: explicit AI-agent integration, documented programmatic/automation API beyond Shortcuts, any mention of AI-native use cases.
- [github] “a-Shell is compatible with Apple Shortcuts, giving users full control of the Shell. You can write complex Shortcuts to download, process and…”
- [github] “For help, type `help` in the command line. `help -l` lists all the available commands. `help -l | grep command` will tell you if your favori…”
- [claimed-docs] “Use 'pip install' to add more Python packages (if they are pure Python).”
Working Copyn/aWorking Copy is an iOS-only Git client with no terminal/CLI environment; its automation surface is limited to URL schemes, Shortcuts integration, and an in-app AI 'Repository Agent'. A traditional CLI is not a coherent capability for a sandboxed iOS app, making this axis a category mismatch rather than a missing feature.
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports automation through the Shortcuts app where files and other data can flow between actions.”
- [claimed-docs] “Repository Agent is an AI assistant that you interact with through conversation. Ask it to browse files, search content, read and modify fil…”
ai-native userIssue scoped/least-privilege API credentials for an agent
weight 2 · not comparablea-Shelln/aa-Shell is a local iOS terminal/shell app, not an identity/credential-issuing platform or agent-management service; scoped API credential issuance for agents is outside its product category.
Working Copynone0/10No evidence of any API credential/token scoping mechanism for agents; Working Copy uses SSH keys/Identities for git auth and has a Repository Agent AI assistant, but nothing about issuing scoped or least-privilege API credentials for external agents.
- [claimed-docs] “You attach a private key to your Identity which can be imported or generated inside the app.”
- [claimed-docs] “Repository Agent is an AI assistant that you interact with through conversation. Ask it to browse files, search content, read and modify fil…”
- [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://workingcopyapp.com/openapi.json, https://workingcopyapp.com/swagger.json, https://workingcop…”
ai-native userBuild against official SDKs
weight 2 · not comparablea-Shelln/aa-Shell is a mobile terminal/shell app, not a platform offering an AI or developer SDK for building against; this axis is a category error for this product type.
ai-native userSubscribe to events via webhooks
weight 2 · not comparablea-Shelln/aa-Shell is a local iOS terminal/shell app; webhook subscription is a server/integration-side capability entirely outside its product category, not a feature a shell app would expose.
Working Copyn/aWorking Copy is a mobile Git client app, not a service with an event-driven API; webhooks (subscribing to repo/CI events) is not a fair capability for this type of product. Evidence shows Shortcuts automation and Files app integration but nothing about webhook subscriptions, which is out of scope for a client app.
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports automation through the Shortcuts app where files and other data can flow between actions.”
ai-native userTest against a sandbox environment without touching production data
weight 1 · not comparablea-Shelln/aa-Shell is a local iOS terminal/shell app, not a service or agent platform with a production/sandbox data distinction; the concept of testing against a sandboxed environment separate from production data does not apply to this product category.
ai-native userRely on versioned APIs with a documented deprecation policy
weight 2 · not comparablea-Shelln/aa-Shell is an iOS terminal/shell app, not an API-based platform; versioned APIs and deprecation policies are not a relevant axis for this product category.
Working Copynone0/10No evidence of any public API, versioning scheme, or deprecation policy; probes for OpenAPI/llms.txt all return 404s, and Working Copy's docs only cover in-app Git features, not an API for programmatic/agentic access.
power-userRoute all my internet traffic through a specific device on my network using an exit node
weight 2 · not comparablea-Shelln/aa-Shell is an iOS terminal/shell app for running commands and scripts locally; VPN/exit-node network routing is entirely outside its category and not a feature space it addresses.
developerGet secure infrastructure access to resources wherever they live, including Kubernetes clusters
weight 3 · not comparablea-Shelln/aa-Shell is an iOS terminal/shell emulator app, not an infrastructure access or networking security tool; there is no mention of Kubernetes, VPN, zero-trust access, or secure infrastructure connectivity in its feature set.
developerUse subnet routers to reach devices outside my local network as if I were on it
weight 2 · not comparablea-Shelln/aa-Shell is a local iOS shell/terminal app, not a networking/VPN product; subnet routing to reach remote network devices is entirely outside its category (wrong axis).
ai-native userDo everything through the API that I can do in the UI
weight 2 · not comparablea-Shelln/aa-Shell is a mobile terminal app with no external API surface at all; the story presumes an API/UI parity model that doesn't apply to this product category.
Working Copy exposes automation via the Shortcuts app and a conversational 'Repository Agent' that can browse, search, read/modify files, commit, pull and push, giving some non-UI access to core git actions, but there is no documented REST/OpenAPI surface (probe shows no openapi.json, llms.txt, or machine-readable docs) proving full UI-parity for an AI-native/API consumer. missing for 10: a formal API/SDK spec covering all UI actions, evidence that Shortcuts actions cover every UI feature (branches, tags, submodules, resolve tool, etc.), and independent confirmation of Repository Agent's coverage.
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports automation through the Shortcuts app where files and other data can flow between actions.”
- [claimed-docs] “Repository Agent is an AI assistant that you interact with through conversation. Ask it to browse files, search content, read and modify fil…”
- [probe] “PROBE llms.txt: HTTP 404 at https://workingcopyapp.com/llms.txt”
- [probe] “PROBE docs-md: HTTP 404 at https://workingcopyapp.com/manual/.md”
- [probe] “PROBE openapi: all candidate paths 404 (https://workingcopyapp.com/openapi.json, https://workingcopyapp.com/swagger.json, https://workingcop…”
ai-native userSelf-host the core product
weight 3 · not comparablea-Shelln/aa-Shell is a local iOS terminal app, not a hosted service with a server-side 'core product' component that could be self-hosted; the self-hosting axis is designed for SaaS/cloud offerings and doesn't map onto a client-side mobile app architecture.
ai-native userChoose where my data is stored (region/residency)
weight 2 · not comparablea-Shelln/aa-Shell is a local iOS terminal app that runs entirely on-device with no cloud service or data storage backend, so data residency/region selection is not an applicable axis for this product type.
ai-native userPrevent my data from being used to train AI models
weight 3 · not comparablea-Shelln/aa-Shell is a local iOS terminal/shell app with no AI model training or cloud data usage component; the story about preventing data use for AI training is a category error for this product type.
Working Copynone0/10Working Copy's docs mention AI features that send staged diffs to OpenAI (working-copy-docs-5) and an AI Repository Agent (working-copy-docs-29), but there is no mention of any opt-out, data-retention policy, or control preventing that data from being used to train AI models. Since the product actively integrates third-party AI processing, this axis applies, but no evidence shows a training-data opt-out or privacy guarantee exists.
- [claimed-docs] “includes the ability to suggest messages using artificial intelligence. These AI suggestions require sending staged differences to OpenAI”
- [claimed-docs] “Repository Agent is an AI assistant that you interact with through conversation. Ask it to browse files, search content, read and modify fil…”
ai-native userControl data retention and deletion
weight 2 · not comparablea-Shelln/aa-Shell is a local iOS terminal/shell app that runs entirely on-device with no cloud data collection or AI service backend; concepts like 'data retention and deletion controls' for AI-native privacy posture don't apply since there's no server-side data store to manage.
Working Copynone0/10Working Copy's docs mention AI features (commit-message suggestions, Repository Agent) that send data to OpenAI, but there is no evidence of any user-facing control over how long that data is retained by the AI provider, nor any deletion/export mechanism for AI-related data. The axis applies because the product ships AI features that transmit user data externally, but no retention/deletion controls are documented. Missing for 10: any documented retention policy, opt-out/delete mechanism for data sent to OpenAI, or user-facing controls over AI data lifecycle.
- [claimed-docs] “includes the ability to suggest messages using artificial intelligence. These AI suggestions require sending staged differences to OpenAI”
- [claimed-docs] “Repository Agent is an AI assistant that you interact with through conversation. Ask it to browse files, search content, read and modify fil…”
ai-native userOpt out of telemetry and usage tracking
weight 2 · not comparablea-Shelln/aa-Shell is a local iOS terminal app with no mention of telemetry or network tracking in its evidence; the story presupposes a cloud/AI service with a tracking mechanism to opt out of, which does not apply to this offline shell utility.
Working Copynone0/10No evidence in the pack addresses telemetry, usage tracking, analytics, or an opt-out setting for Working Copy; only AI commit-message and Repository Agent features mention sending data to OpenAI, with no privacy toggle documented. Missing for 10: any privacy policy or settings documentation on telemetry/analytics collection, and any opt-out mechanism.
ai-native userHave an AI agent analyze my pull requests and suggest code improvements from my phone
weight 3 · not comparablea-Shelln/aa-Shell is a mobile terminal emulator/shell environment, not an AI agent or code-review platform; there is no evidence of AI agent integration or PR analysis capability, and this is a category mismatch rather than a missing feature.
Working Copy ships a 'Repository Agent' AI assistant that can browse, search, read/modify files, commit, pull and push from the phone, which is a general agentic capability, but the docs never mention it analyzing pull requests specifically or suggesting code improvements (only AI-generated commit messages are separately documented). missing for 10: explicit PR review/analysis feature, code-improvement suggestions, independent hands-on evidence of the Repository Agent doing this task.
- [claimed-docs] “Repository Agent is an AI assistant that you interact with through conversation. Ask it to browse files, search content, read and modify fil…”
- [claimed-docs] “includes the ability to suggest messages using artificial intelligence. These AI suggestions require sending staged differences to OpenAI”
ai-native userAssign an issue to an AI coding agent and receive a ready-to-review pull request
weight 3 · not comparablea-Shelln/aa-Shell is a terminal/shell app for iOS running Unix commands locally; it has no concept of issue tracking, AI coding agents, or pull request workflows — this axis is a category error for this product type.
Working Copynone0/10Working Copy's 'Repository Agent' is a conversational AI assistant for browsing/editing/committing within the app, but there is no evidence of assigning an external issue to an autonomous agent that then produces a ready-to-review pull request. missing for 10: issue-to-PR automation workflow, autonomous agent triggering from issue assignment, PR creation/readiness evidence.
- [claimed-docs] “Repository Agent is an AI assistant that you interact with through conversation. Ask it to browse files, search content, read and modify fil…”
ai-native userConverse with an AI agent in natural language to get insights into repositories and open pull requests
weight 2 · not comparablea-Shelln/aa-Shell is a terminal/shell app for iOS with Unix commands, editors, and scripting; it has no AI agent conversational feature or repository/PR insight capability, making this an out-of-category axis rather than a missing feature.
Working Copy's docs describe a 'Repository Agent' AI assistant you converse with to browse files, search content, read/modify files, commit, pull and push — directly matching the ai-native conversational insight story for repositories. However, there is no explicit mention of pull-request insights/management via this agent, and no independent/hands-on corroboration of the feature's real-world behavior. missing for 10: explicit pull-request conversational insight capability, independent/hands-on verification of the Repository Agent's conversational quality.
- [claimed-docs] “Repository Agent is an AI assistant that you interact with through conversation. Ask it to browse files, search content, read and modify fil…”
developerManage and track cloud-based coding agent tasks from my phone
weight 2 · not comparablea-Shelln/aa-Shell is a local iOS terminal/shell app for running Unix commands and scripting on-device; it has no concept of cloud-based coding agents or task tracking, making this axis a category error for this product type.
Working Copynone0/10Working Copy is a mobile git client with its own in-app AI 'Repository Agent' for local file/commit operations (working-copy-docs-29), but there is no evidence it can view, manage, or track tasks from cloud-based coding agents (e.g., a task queue, agent run status, or PR tracking from services like Codex/Copilot workspace). The story's specific axis of monitoring cloud agent task state is unaddressed.
- [claimed-docs] “Repository Agent is an AI assistant that you interact with through conversation. Ask it to browse files, search content, read and modify fil…”
ai-native userDescribe what I want in plain language and have the tool generate the corresponding shell command
weight 2 · not comparablea-Shellnone0/10No evidence a-Shell offers natural-language-to-command generation; it's a traditional shell/terminal app for iOS with no AI or NLP command-generation feature mentioned anywhere in docs, GitHub, or community posts.
developerStore credentials once in a secure vault and reference them from multiple hosts
weight 2 · not comparablea-Shelln/aa-Shell is a local iOS terminal/shell app, not a credential/secrets management or vault product; no evidence relates to secure credential storage or multi-host referencing, making this axis a category error for this product type.
Working Copy supports secure credential storage via Identities (SSH keys stored in the Secure Enclave, protected by Face ID/Touch ID, and can be imported/generated) and supports connecting to many host types (GitHub Enterprise, GitLab, Gitea, BitBucket, etc.), implying credentials could be reused. However, there is no explicit documentation confirming one Identity/credential can be attached to and reused across multiple different repositories or hosts simultaneously, nor any independent verification of this workflow. Missing for 10: explicit multi-host credential reuse documentation, independent/hands-on confirmation of cross-host credential sharing.
- [claimed-docs] “SSH keys can reside on the Secure Enclave protected by Face ID or Touch ID.”
- [claimed-docs] “You attach a private key to your Identity which can be imported or generated inside the app.”
- [claimed-docs] “Working Copy supports private instances of GitHub Enterprise, GitLab and Gitea.”
developerInstall additional pure-Python packages using pip directly on my device
weight 2 · not comparablea-Shell's official docs explicitly state pip install works for pure-Python packages directly on-device, matching the story exactly. missing for 10: independent hands-on confirmation of pip install working, and details on limitations (e.g. packages requiring compiled extensions).
- [claimed-docs] “Use 'pip install' to add more Python packages (if they are pure Python).”
power-userGroup multiple terminal sessions together and broadcast the same command to all of them
weight 2 · not comparablea-Shellnone0/10a-Shell supports multiple independent windows each with their own context (a-shell-gh-1), but there is no evidence of any mechanism to group sessions and broadcast a single command to all of them simultaneously.
- [github] “Each window has its own context, appearance, command history and current directory. `newWindow` opens a new window, `exit` closes the curren…”
developerTransfer files to and from remote hosts via scp and sftp using my configured keys
weight 2 · not comparablea-Shellnone0/10No evidence pack item mentions scp, sftp, ssh key configuration, or remote file transfer capability in a-Shell; documentation covers compilers, Python packages, Vim, bookmarks, Shortcuts, and accessibility but nothing about SSH-based file transfer.
Working Copyn/aWorking Copy is a Git client for iOS that supports git-over-ssh and SSH keys for authentication, but there is no evidence it offers general scp/sftp file transfer to arbitrary remote hosts — this is a Git-specific tool, not a general SSH file-transfer utility, making the scp/sftp axis a category mismatch.
power-userOpen multiple terminal sessions, each with its own context, appearance, and history
weight 3 · not comparableFirst-party GitHub docs confirm each window (multiple terminal sessions) has its own context, appearance, command history, and current directory, with `newWindow` to open additional sessions and `config` to customize appearance per session. Missing for 10: independent hands-on corroboration specifically of multi-window session isolation (community comments are about an unrelated web demo/HN thread, not this feature).
- [github] “Each window has its own context, appearance, command history and current directory. `newWindow` opens a new window, `exit` closes the curren…”
- [github] “You can change the appearance of a-Shell using `config`. It lets you change the font, the font size, the background color, the text color an…”
power-userKeep my terminal session alive across network changes and device sleep
weight 3 · not comparablea-Shelln/aa-Shell is a local iOS terminal app running commands on-device, not an SSH client maintaining a remote session; session persistence across network changes/device sleep is a wrong axis for this local shell environment rather than something buyers would compare it on.
power-userCustomize the font, colors, and cursor appearance of my terminal and persist the settings
weight 2 · not comparableThe `config` command explicitly supports changing font, font size, background color, text color, and cursor color/shape (a-shell-gh-2), directly matching the story's customization request. However, there is no documented evidence that these settings persist across sessions/app restarts, and community feedback (unrelated HN comments) doesn't corroborate the persistence or usability of these settings. missing for 10: explicit confirmation that config changes persist across sessions, independent/hands-on corroboration of the customization workflow.
- [github] “You can change the appearance of a-Shell using `config`. It lets you change the font, the font size, the background color, the text color an…”