Programming Tools for Kids

Blockly – create visual block programming languages and editors

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.

Features include:

  • 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.

Blockly

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.

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