An IDE that allows the *.lua file to be read in and uploaded in a way that doesn't overrun the '>' esp8266 prompts would be less tiresome.
IDE would also choose and configure the comm port. In this way *.lua files could be edited with a PC editor and uploaded to update the esp8266 lua scripts.
There is a python app to do this via a PC TCP/IP server to a client esp8266 which is nice for net updating but for testing scripts a terminal type IDE might be pleasant.
Do we have a terminal type IDE available?