File Browser & Editor
SFTP file browsing, syntax-highlighted editor, and IDE mode
File Browser & Editor
MTerm includes a full remote file browser and code editor, turning your iPad into a capable development workstation. Browse your server’s file system, edit code with syntax highlighting, and preview web apps — all over your existing SSH connection.
Remote File Browser
Open the file browser with Cmd + O or tap the Finder button on the soft key bar. The file browser connects over SFTP using your existing SSH session — no additional configuration needed.
Navigation
- Breadcrumb trail at the top shows your current path. Tap any segment to jump back to that directory.
- Pull down to refresh the current directory listing.
- Tap a directory to navigate into it.
- Tap a file to open it in the editor or preview it.
Search and Filtering
Use the search bar to filter files and directories in the current folder. This is a live filter — results update as you type, making it fast to find what you need in directories with many files.
Sorting
Sort the file listing by:
- Name — Alphabetical order (directories first)
- Date — Most recently modified first
File Information
Each file entry displays:
- File permissions (e.g.,
rwxr-xr-x) - File size in human-readable format
- Last modification date and time
Quick Actions
- Copy file path — Copy the full path of any file to the clipboard. Useful for pasting paths into terminal commands.
- Image preview — Image files (PNG, JPG, GIF, etc.) are displayed inline with preview thumbnails.
Server File Editor
The built-in editor lets you edit files directly on the remote server. Open it with Cmd + E, or tap any file in the file browser to open it for editing.
Syntax Highlighting
The editor supports syntax highlighting for 11 languages, using a color scheme based on VSCode Dark+:
- TypeScript
- JavaScript
- Python
- JSON
- Markdown
- Shell / Bash
- YAML
- Java
- Swift
- HTML
- ENV (environment files)
The language is auto-detected from the file extension.
Editor Features
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Line numbers | Always visible, with the current line highlighted |
| Find & Replace | Search with match count display. Replace one-by-one or all at once |
| Go to line | Jump directly to a specific line number |
| Undo / Redo | Full undo history for the current editing session |
| Image preview | Open image files with zoom and pan support |
| IME support | Full Japanese/Chinese/Korean input method support, including composing text overlay |
Saving
Changes are written back to the remote server over SFTP when you save. The editor does not auto-save — you have full control over when changes are committed to the file.
File Editor requires Pro plan
IDE Mode
IDE mode is where MTerm really shines for development work. Instead of using each feature in isolation, you combine them into a single integrated workspace.
How It Works
Any pane in your split layout can display any content type:
- Terminal — Your SSH session
- File Editor — Edit remote code
- Finder — Browse remote files
- Prompt Panel — Compose and send AI prompts
Typical IDE Layouts
Claude Code workflow (3 panes):
Code review (2 panes):
Seamless Navigation
Click a file in the Finder pane and it opens in the Editor pane. Edit code, switch to the terminal pane to run it, check the output, and switch back. With keyboard shortcuts (Cmd + Shift + H/J/K/L), you can move between panes without touching the screen.