Coding on the Commute: Making the Most of Your Journey

People spend hours commuting, often viewing this time as a mere transition between home and work. But what if I told you that, as a coder, this could be one of the most productive parts of your day? - or at least not dead time. This belief drove me to create CodeReader, a tool designed to turn idle commute hours into a coding haven.

I built https://codereader.dev in part for daily commutes. Commuting introduces interesting constraints for the coder, so I design with those in mind. Basics like code highlighting and git browsing are a given. But I also added features like offline mode and a completely customizable code viewer to make it more enjoyable. Every inch of the code on your screen is customizable. Can‘t waste that precious pixels!

Built with no editing capabilities, you can only take notes on top of your code. Why? may you ask. Well, it‘s because the current desktop editing experience we are used to is impossible to bring to mobile and make it a good experience. Intellisense, autocompletion, refactoring utilities, and even AI. There‘s no way to cram all of that on phone screens. Coding is inherently a technical exercise. You need to have your syntax right and read API docs to write correct code. With CodeReader, you‘ll be able to read and take notes on your code using Markdown. There‘s still a creative process going on in your notes, but there‘s no actual code changes. No syntactic accuracy is needed.

So, why should you consider coding on your commute with CodeReader? For starters, it‘s about reclaiming and optimizing your time. Instead of getting lost in the void of social media or repetitive playlists, you can actively progress on your projects. Moreover, by the time you reach your workplace, you‘re already in the coding groove, setting a productive tone for the rest of the day.

Of course, there are inherent challenges, like intermittent connectivity or surrounding distractions. But I‘ve ensured that CodeReader‘s offline capabilities and intuitive design help mitigate these issues.

In essence, the next time you‘re on your way to work or heading home, open up CodeReader. I designed it to make your commute count, and I believe it can change the way you view and utilize that travel time.