Scratch for Developers
++ On this page, you’ll find information about open source projects created and maintained{' '} + by the Scratch Team at MIT, as well{' '} + as our thoughts on best practices for designing learning experiences for children. +
+Projects
++ The following projects are open source and available for any purpose. +
+Scratch Blocks
++ Scratch Blocks is a new development project for the next generation of{' '} + graphical programming blocks, based on a collaboration between Google and MIT’s{' '} + Scratch Team — building on Google’s{' '} + Blockly technology{' '} + and informed by the Scratch Team’s expertise in developing creative{' '} + learning tools for young people. Scratch Blocks will provide a framework{' '} + for building programming blocks in both vertical (text-based) and horizontal{' '} + (icon-based) formats. You can access the code (currently as a{' '} + developer-preview) and documentation{' '} + here. +
++ This first release includes code for Scratch’s Horizontal Grammar. Looking{' '} + ahead, we plan to release additional code including but not limited to the{' '} + Vertical Grammar (currently used by Scratch), a new Rendering Engine to support{' '} + sprites and graphic effects, and a new Audio Engine to support creation with{' '} + sound and music. +
+
+ Scratch WWW
++ Scratch-www is a standalone web client for the Scratch Community, built{' '} + using React and Redux. Access the code and documentation{' '} + here. +
+
+ Principles
++ We created Scratch to empower young people to think creatively, reason systematically,{' '} + and work collaboratively. We are guided by a set of Learning Principles and{' '} + Design Principles that we hope you will follow as you develop new tools and{' '} + technologies with Scratch Blocks. +
+ +Learning Principles
+-
+
- Projects +
- + People learn best when they are actively working on projects — generating{' '} + new ideas, designing prototypes, making improvements and creating final{' '} + products. + +
- Passion +
- + When people focus on things they care about, they work longer and harder,{' '} + persist in the face of challenges, and learn more in the process. + +
- Peers +
- + Learning flourishes as a social activity, with people sharing ideas,{' '} + collaborating on projects, and building on one another's work. + +
- Play +
- + Learning involves playful experimentation — trying new things, tinkering{' '} + with materials, testing boundaries, taking risks, iterating again and again. + +
Design Principles
+-
+
- Low Floor & Wide Walls +
- + In order to encourage a varied and diverse set of interactions, we{' '} + explicitly include elements and features that are easy for kids to{' '} + understand (low floor), but general enough to support diverse uses (wide walls). + +
- Make it as Simple as Possible — And Maybe Even Simpler +
- + Despite the common drive to add more features to software products, we{' '} + have found that reducing the number of features often improves the user{' '} + experience. What initially seems like a constraint or limitation can foster{' '} + new forms of creativity. + +
- Many Paths, Many Styles +
- + Many math and science activities have traditionally been biased towards{' '} + specific populations. By paying special attention to creating accessible{' '} + and appealing technologies, we are working to close the gap. + +
- Design for Tinkerability +
- + We believe that the learning process is inherently iterative. Tinkerers{' '} + start by exploring and experimenting, then revising and refining their{' '} + goals and creations. To support this style of interaction, we design{' '} + our interfacesto encourage quick experimentation and rapid cycles of iteration. + +
Donate
++ We are pleased to provide Scratch free of charge. If you enjoy using Scratch, please{' '} + consider making a donation{' '} + to support Scratch. Donations of any size are appreciated. +
++ Your donation to the Scratch Foundation will be used to support future development of{' '} + Scratch software and the Scratch website. +
++ Thanks for supporting Scratch! +
+Partners
++ The creation and maintenance of this open source code would not be possible without{' '} + generous technical and financial support from our partners: +
+ +
+ 
+ 
+ 
+ FAQ
+Where can I learn more about Scratch?
++ Scratch is a free programming language and online community where young{' '} + people can create their own interactive stories, games, and animations.{' '} + Scratch is a project of the{' '} + Lifelong Kindergarten{' '} + Group at the MIT Media Lab.{' '} + You can learn more about Scratch{' '} + here. +
+Are there rules to using this code in my application?
++ You may use this code in accordance with the{' '} + Apache 2.0 license + which governs this project. We also strongly encourage you to consider{' '} + the learning and design principles (above, on this page) when building{' '} + creative learning experiences for kids of all ages. +
++ Am I allowed to use the name "Scratch Blocks" in the description of my{' '} + app and other public messaging? +
++ If you wish, you can publicly state that your application is powered by{' '} + Scratch Blocks. If you do so, we would also encourage you to link back to{' '} + code repository. +
+Are you releasing more code and when?
++ We plan to open source additional code relating to the Scratch programming{' '} + language over the next few months. Keep an eye on this page! +
+What’s the difference between Blockly and Scratch Blocks?
++ Scratch Blocks builds upon the Blockly code base, and is specifically{' '} + designed with our principles in mind to support creative learning experiences. +
+I’d like to collaborate. How do I get in touch?
++ You can reach us over on github or{' '} + you can send an email to{' '} + help@scratch.mit.edu.{' '} + We look forward to hearing from you! +
+