Proposal: Migration to CodeMirror 6 editor

[bummoblizard]

Background

Code App uses Monaco Editor as its core text editor. It is feature-rich and compatible with VS Code features that our users are familiar with. However, its mobile unfriendliness makes the app incredibly difficult to use for users without access to a physical keyboard:

• Text highlighting with touchscreen  #20
• Editor doesn't support touch controls #169
• Text Navigation #280
• text selection #584
• problem with text selection #958
• Adapt to iPadOS‘keyboard cursor #997

Altenative

CodeMirror 6 is a performant and mobile-friendly editor alternative to Monaco. All native iOS text selection gestures are supported properly.

Left: Monaco with TextMate; Right: CM6

TODOs:

Identify the missing features and lay out a plan for development and integration:

• Styling and touch controls of mini-map (https://github.com/replit/codemirror-minimap)
• Line number styling
• Custom search widget
• State restoration
• Gutter area and diff algorithm for Git decorations
• Theme converter (Textmate -> CM6)
• Language definitions (Challenging, is it possible to convert or use text mate definitions directly?)
• Diff editor
• VIM (https://github.com/replit/codemirror-vim)
• URL detections
• APIs for interacting with the editor:
  • Callbacks on editor state update (e.g. content / cursor changed)
  • Storage for multiple editors
• Rethink the APIs used to interact with Native code / SwiftUI
• etc

[tamadamas]

I will be waiting for that. Without touch support it's unacceptable to me using any vscode-related editors on my phone.

[AnthonyGress]

+1

[bummoblizard]

Closing since we implemented Runestone editor instead.