Scratch is a multi-platform, open source, easy, interactive, collaborative programming environment designed for creating interactive stories, animations, games, music, and art — and sharing these on the web. Scratch is designed to help young people (ages 8 and up) develop modern learning skills.
When developing Scratch projects, students learn important mathematical and computational ideas, while also gaining a deeper understanding of the process of design.
Scratch is a graphical programming environment implemented in Squeak that works in a very Lego-like fashion. Testament to the popularity of Scratch, there are nearly 3 million projects that have been created with this programming environment.
Key Features
- Limited hardware / operating system access which helps make Scratch a safe programming language to learn.
- Build programs by snapping together colorful blocks of code.
- Turing complete.
- Visual Graphical User Interface.
- Basic programming constructs are supported and grouped into different block categories:
- Motion.
- Looks.
- Sound.
- Pen.
- Control.
- Sensing.
- Operators.
- Variables.
- Variables and lists for data storage, and arrays can be replicated.
- Floating point scalars and strings are supported.
- Primarily event-driven.
- Many simplified casting rules.
- Small stage / Full stage / Presentation Mode.
- Compress sounds.
- Compress images.
- Upload programs to the Scratch Web site.
Website: scratch.mit.edu
Support:
Developer: Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab
License: GNU GPL v2 OR Scratch Source Code License
Scratch is written in JavaScript. Learn JavaScript with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Related Software
| Programming Tools for Kids | |
|---|---|
| Snap! | Visual, block, drag-and-drop programming language |
| TurboWarp | Mod of Scratch |
| Scratch | Easy to use programming environment for ages 8 and up |
| Blockly | Web-based, visual programming editor that's developed by Google |
| Processing | Flexible software sketchbook and language |
| Greenfoot | Simple but powerful Java IDE |
| KTurtle | Educational programming environment for learning how to program |
| Alice | Innovative 3D programming environment |
| BASIC-256 | Easy to use version of BASIC |
| Robocode | Engaging and educational programming game |
| Hedy | Gradual textual programming language |
| CodeWorld | Web-based educational programming environment |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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