LiveCode

This article is about the LiveCode software platform. For LiveCode, Ltd., see LiveCode (company). For the use of programming in the arts, see Live coding.

LiveCode
Developer(s)LiveCode Ltd.
Initial releaseJuly 11, 2001; 23 years ago (2001-07-11)
Stable release
9.6.4 / August 31, 2021; 3 years ago (2021-08-31)[1]
Preview release
9.6.5RC2 / October 25, 2021; 3 years ago (2021-10-25)[1]
Repository
Operating systemmacOS, Windows, Linux, Unix, Android, iOS, HTML5
TypeProgramming
LicenseGPL (until version 9.6.3),[2] Proprietary
Websitelivecode.org livecode.com Edit this at Wikidata
LiveCode Script
ParadigmObject-oriented
Familyscripting language
DeveloperLiveCode, Ltd
First appeared1993 (1993)
Platformi386, AMD64, ARM
OSWindows, macOS, Linux, Unix, Raspberry Pi
LicenseProprietary, GPL
Websitelivecode.com Edit this at Wikidata
Influenced by
HyperTalk

LiveCode (formerly Revolution and MetaCard[3]) is a cross-platform[4] rapid application development runtime system inspired by HyperCard. It features the LiveCode Script (formerly MetaTalk) programming language which belongs to the family of xTalk scripting languages like HyperCard's HyperTalk.[5][6]

The environment was introduced in 2001.[7] The "Revolution" development system was based on the MetaCard engine technology which Runtime Revolution later acquired from MetaCard Corporation in 2003.[8][9] The platform won the Macworld Annual Editor's Choice Award for "Best Development Software" in 2004.[10] "Revolution" was renamed "LiveCode" in the fall of 2010. "LiveCode" is developed and sold by Runtime Revolution Ltd., based in Edinburgh, Scotland. In March 2015, the company was renamed "LiveCode Ltd.", to unify the company name with the product. In April 2013, a free/open source version 'LiveCode Community Edition 6.0' was published after a successful crowdfunding campaign at Kickstarter.[11] The code base was re-licensed and made available as free and open source software with a version in April 2013.

LiveCode runs on iOS, Android, OS X, Windows 95 through Windows 10, Raspberry Pi and several variations of Unix, including Linux, Solaris, and BSD. It can be used for mobile, desktop and server/CGI applications. The iOS (iPhone and iPad) version was released in December 2010.[12][13] The first version to deploy to the Web was released in 2009.[14] It is the most widely used HyperCard/HyperTalk clone,[citation needed] and the only one that runs on all major operating systems.

A developer release of v.8 was announced in New York on March 12, 2015. This major enhancement to the product includes a new, separate development language, known as "LiveCode Builder", which is capable of creating new object classes called "widgets". In earlier versions, the set of object classes was fixed, and could be enhanced only via the use of ordinary procedural languages such as C. The new language, which runs in its own IDE, is a departure from the transitional x-talk paradigm in that it permits typing of variables. But the two environments are fully integrated, and apart from the ability to create new objects, development in LiveCode proceeds in the normal way, within the established IDE.

A second crowdfunding campaign to Bring HTML5 to LiveCode reached funding goals of nearly US$400,000 on July 31, 2014. LiveCode developer release 8.0 DP4 (August 31, 2015) was the first to include a standalone deployment option to HTML5.

On 31 August 2021, starting with version 9.6.4, LiveCode Community edition, licensed under GPL, was discontinued.[2]

  1. ^ a b "All LiveCode Downloads". livecode.com. LiveCode Ltd. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  2. ^ a b "LiveCode | The home of LiveCode open source". Archived from the original on 31 August 2021. Retrieved 31 August 2021. We have therefore taken the decision at this time to discontinue support for the open source editions of LiveCode. You can of course continue to use existing open source editions, and the code remains visible on github for viewing. The project will no longer accept contributions and we will not be maintaining it or offering open source downloads on our site.
  3. ^ MacNN: RunRev replaces Revolution with "LiveCode"
  4. ^ "PCWorld: Development Tool for Mac OS X and Vista". Archived from the original on 25 December 2011.
  5. ^ Shafer, Dan (2004). "Review: Runtime Revolution, Programming for Mere Mortals". MacTech. 20 (5). Revolution ... grows out of HyperCard, a much-beloved and widely used Apple Computer product that the company abandoned a few years ago....
  6. ^ Manchester, Phil (27 December 2007). "HyperCard on steroids: One code to bind them all". The Register.
  7. ^ "Macworld: Runtime releases Revolution 1.1 for OS X". Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  8. ^ "Macworld: Runtime Revolution acquires MetaCard technology". Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Runtime Revolution Acquires MetaCard Technology". 8 July 2003. Archived from the original on 3 February 2004.
  10. ^ "The 19th Annual Editor's Choice Awards". Macworld. 2004. HyperCard, with its stacks metaphor, has a new heir in Runtime Revolution's Revolution Studio 2.1
  11. ^ "Next Generation LiveCode (Open Source)".
  12. ^ Serignese, Katie (6 December 2010). "Runtime Revolution releases iOS deployment pack". Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  13. ^ Ranscombe, Peter (7 December 2010). "RunRev sets sights on £1m sales boost with release of LiveCode". The Scotsman.
  14. ^ Miller, Kevin (22 April 2009). "Will an easy to use language attract content experts?". WWW2009 Conference Paper.