Updating websites with your iPad: Gusto vs Textastic

This is a short blog post comparing the features of two iPad Apps designed for editing code and updating websites: Gusto and Textastic.

The first thing to mention is that Textastic describes itself primarily as a text editor, while Gusto is promoted as a website management app. However, the functions available through both apps are fairly similar. You can link via FTP to your website and move files back and forth that can then be edited and previewed locally.

To begin: the highly visual appearance of Gusto is appealing, and very intuitive, especially if you maintain multiple sites. It also allows remote viewing of websites within the app itself - important for server-side languages such as PHP, since there is no way to view these locally in either app.

Textastic doesn't have remote viewing built in (and you'll have to flick to Safari in order to perform this task), but the app is also capable of remote viewing and is far more iOS 4.2 iOS 5 equipped. By which I mean you can move files and folders around within the app, and also send files to other programs. Gusto in contrast feels far more restricted in this respect: while you can send files to Gusto from other apps, within the program you work project by project, and the only way to move files is cutting and pasting the text within them to a new file, which is far from ideal. Each project is also tied to its own website in Gusto, so while you can have multiple projects each with their unique website and FTP you cannot transfer files from one project directly into the website of another.

Textastic can in contrast have multiple FTP sites and easily upload any file or folder to whichever one you choose. Another advantage of Textastic is code highlighting "of more than 80 different types of files while you're typing: HTML, XML, Objective-C, C#, PHP, Perl, Python, SQL, JavaScript, CSS, shell scripts and many more", in contrast to Gusto's plain text editor.

Neither app appeared to be capable of displaying an XML file styled with XSL - something that Goodreader is capable of - but given all the things the apps are capable of, I'm willing to wait for this feature.

On a day-to-day practical level, there are many advantages to Textastic, and until Gusto is capable of more flexibility in moving files and folders within the app and between other apps then Textastic will be my program of choice for updating websites.

I will, however, keep a close eye on Gusto. Since, with more of the iOS 4.2 features embraced it could be a very useful app, that will appeal to many through its visual layout.

Update: Textastic v.4.0 released 10 March 2012 adds regular expressions to its find and replace and also some fantastic additional keyboard buttons for special characters and numbers that save oodles of time once you learn how to use them.

Update: Textastic v.4.1 released 7 June 2012, you can now zip and unzip files. Code completion for Objective-C has also been added.

Note: As new features are added and I discover them, I'm crossing through and updating this article. If you find anything I've missed, please comment.


Comments

  1. Thank you for your review. I just posted on a DesignFestival article 10 Essential iPad Apps for Web Designers, where I mentioned being “on the fence” between these two apps. I was considering picking up both and writing a comparison review; however, since you appear to be keeping your review updated …

    I have been leaning toward Textastic, and this review confirmed some of my reasons for this decision. After using it for a while, I may see if Gusto has added any new features beyond what is presently available and warrants additional review. If I notice any features not mentioned above, or I believe worth noting, I will ping you with the information.

    Sincerely,

    Wynne Hunkler
    Wynnefields Creative
    Keller, TX

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Wynne, I'm glad it's been of help. Textastic is still my app of choice, it's up there with GoodReader in its standard of quality and usefulness.

      I'm reposting your links following your message on Google+

      10 Essential iPad Apps for Web Designers

      Wynnefields Creative

      For anyone else having difficulty adding links in comments see here.

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