Live data from Hacker News

Ask HN: What would an IDE built for the Apple Vision Pro look like?

news.ycombinator.com

1–10 of 50 posts

Ask HN: What would an IDE built for the Apple Vision Pro look like?

#1
The OS for Apple Vision Pro brings a new design language focusing on depth and utilizing space beyond a square screen.

If IDEs weren't confined to a 2D window, what would it look like? Are there any features you can think of that would make AR coding more productive than simply on a monitor?

Re: Ask HN: What would an IDE built for the Apple Vision Pro look like?

#2
just look at what IDEs that runs exclusively on ios are like: crap.

nobody invest into a closed platform. i expect jetbrains to came up with something marvelous for ar/vr, but it will run on the upcoming version of Microsoft or HP glasses. you know, the only ones today that works just like an external monitor without a locked in ecosystem like apple or facebook.

the silly apps and games and such will net millions tho.

Re: Ask HN: What would an IDE built for the Apple Vision Pro look like?

#3
Most programming work is still text editing with various amounts of debugging, refactoring, and autocompletion.

It is not obvious to me how an AR interface would make a difference other than more virtual screen real estate. You would still need a way to enter text, build code, run tests, etc. This means a keyboard and pointing device (mouse, trackpad, etc.) are still needed unless something else can do it better.

Granted, for the same cost as the Vision Pro you could get several large, high resolution monitors and have lots of screen to work on.

Re: Ask HN: What would an IDE built for the Apple Vision Pro look like?

#5
Thinking about depth:

Using it to present stacks of information (version history, undo/redo chain)

Using it to render background information that doesn't need to be swapped into the foreground to be useful - the architecture/module that the code you're working in serves, the remote services that fulfill certain commands, the test coverage available to you in this module.

Re: Ask HN: What would an IDE built for the Apple Vision Pro look like?

#7
I would expect extracting out more of the meta-logic via GPT, and showing relevant panes dynamically.

If you get an error, automatically search for the answer and propose the change.

If you add a new flow uncovered by tests, propose the test.

Generally, have panes that are dynamic to what you are doing, and tightly couple them.

I could imagine looking at different zoom levels of a code file, folder, or architecture, and working primarily on abstractions, approving / rejecting the resulting proposed edits.

Strategic coding more akin to a game like Supreme Commander or Planetary Annihilation.

Re: Ask HN: What would an IDE built for the Apple Vision Pro look like?

#8

Most programming work is still text editing with various amounts of debugging, refactoring, and autocompletion. It is not obvious to me how an AR interface would make a difference other than more virtual screen real estate. You would still need a way to enter text, build code, run tests, etc. This means a keyboard and pointing device (mouse, trackpad, etc.) are still needed unless something else can do it better. Gra…

Agreed. So, in a word, Emacs. It's just Emacs buffers everywhere
Post reply on HN