Google’s Blockly is a web-based, visual programming editor. Users can drag blocks together to build programs. Build software without typing a single character.
Blockly uses visual blocks that link together to make writing code easier, and can generate JavaScript, Python, PHP, Lua, Dart, and other programming languages. It outputs syntactically correct code in the programming language of your choice. Custom blocks may be created to connect to your own application.
It can also be customised to generate code in any textual computer language.
Blockly is being used by hundreds of projects, most of them educational. It’s not a toy. You can implement complex programming tasks like calculating standard deviation in a single block.
Key Features
- Web based using SVG, no Flash.
- Completely client side JavaScript.
- Support for many programmatic constructs including variables, functions, arrays.
- Minimal type checking supported, designed for weakly typed languages.
- Easy to extend with custom blocks. Use the block factory to make Blockly blocks with Blockly. Tweak Blockly to fit your needs by adding custom blocks for your API or removing unneeded blocks and functionality.
- Clean code generation.
- Step-by-step code execution for tracing and debugging code.
- Exportable code.
- Translated into 50+ languages.
- Support for left-to-right and right-to-left languages.
- Supports all major web browsers including: Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Opera, and IE.
- Mobile support on Android and iOS.
Website: developers.google.com/blockly
Support: Developers Group
Developer: Google
License: Apache License 2.0
Blockly 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 |
Read our verdict in the software roundup.
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