You can use emacs and tramp to edit files remotely within a local buffer. If you lose connection it doesn't matter, you still have the file, and when you save it auto connects. I often use this with Python and can execute the scripts within emacs with the results being sent back to another buffer.
You can also use eshell or even just shell (if you're not into lisp) within emacs once you are on the remote machine to execute bash commands, with scrolling.
I think that's what is being referred to, but I'm no expert.