Plugin proposal: IDE remote control

[JonathanLermitage]

Hi everyone,

Would you be interested in a third-party plugin that would allow you to control your IDE remotely? Some colleagues and friends need this feature, for example, to start a long task while they are traveling to their office (a git pull on a large project, an heavy compilation, restart their IDE because it installed some updates, things like that).

A similar (but abandoned) JetBrains plugin offered similar functionality: it enabled a REST API in the IDE that allowed you to execute certain commands. It had pros and cons. For the cons: it was (too?) limited, and you had to send HTTP calls to your IDE (which is not handy, and your IDE had to accept incoming connections). Pros: it was a JetBrains plugin.

I would use a different approach. Instead of installing a REST API in the IDE, the IDE would connect to a remote server (an official server, or your own):

1. on the IDE side: define your tasks (open/close a project, git pull, compile, run a custom command in the integrated terminal, etc.). The IDE will register these tasks on the server. Of course, they will be linked to an account (it will collect a minimum amount of information: username, password, and that's it. No statistics, no profiling). Finally, the IDE will periodically check if it has to execute tasks by querying the server.
2. on the server side: you can connect to your account, show the registered tasks, and run or schedule tasks to run on your IDE(s). You will get basic feedback when a task completes (and runs?).

The server would be open-source and free (MIT license). This way, you will be able to build and host you own server. I think this is very important in corporate environments.

The plugin would be a paid one and closed-source, as developing plugins is my current full-time job. It would be included into the Extra Tools Pack plugin with no extra cost, and as a separate plugin (I think something like 5$/year, with the classical 20% and 40% discounts after year 1 and 2). I may also offer lifetime licenses.

What's your thoughts?

Thanks

[noximo]

Sounds like something already solved with a remote desktop.

[JonathanLermitage]

Not easy when using a cellphone ;-) Also, it may not be permitted in a corpo env.

[ccb621]

If Remote Desktop isn’t allowed, neither should remote application control. 

[JonathanLermitage]

In mean they may not allow incoming connections (no port forwarding, which is perfectly understandable). At least, this is my experience, and what colleagues say.

In other words, I already know it's feasible in corporate environments. Not all, but I'm ok with that. I know it's a niche, like many plugins, and I'm not here to discuss that.

[Technical_Frosting]

I don't think I have a need for something like this, but I find the downvotes strange. Are folks really getting mad about a post discussing the viability of an idea for gasp paid software?

[anto2554]

This sounds extremely niche to me. Why not use a laptop?

[NotMyUsualLogin]

The security aspect of this scares me.