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| Blockly | |
|---|---|
| Original authors | Neil Fraser, Quynh Neutron,Ellen Spertus, Mark Friedman |
| Developers | Google,MIT |
| Initial release | May 2012; 13 years ago (2012-05) |
| Stable release | |
| Repository | github |
| Written in | JavaScript |
| Platform | Web browser |
| Size | 150KB |
| Available in | 50 languages |
List of languages English | |
| Type | Library |
| License | Apache License 2.0 |
| Website | developers |
Blockly is a client-sidelibrary for the programming languageJavaScript for creating block-basedvisual programming languages (VPLs) and editors. A project ofGoogle, it isfree and open-source software released under theApache License 2.0.[2] It typically runs in aweb browser, and visually resembles the languageScratch.
Blockly uses visual blocks that help simplify programming, and can generate code inJavaScript,Lua,Dart,Python, orPHP. It can also be customized to generate code in textualprogramming language.[3]
Blockly development began in summer 2011. The first public release was in May 2012 atMaker Faire. Blockly was originally designed as a replacement forOpenBlocks inApp Inventor.[4] Neil Fraser began the project with Quynh Neutron,Ellen Spertus, and Mark Friedman as contributors.
In October 2025, theRaspberry Pi Foundation announced that from 10 November 2025, the Blockly open source library and assets, and key members of the Blockly team will transition from Google to the Raspberry Pi Foundation.[5]
The defaultgraphical user interface (GUI) of the Blockly editor consists of a toolbox, which holds available blocks, and where a user can select blocks, and a workspace, where a user candrag and drop and rearrange blocks. The workspace also includes, by default, zoom icons, and a trashcan to delete blocks.[6] The editor can be modified easily to customize and limit the available editing features and blocks.
Blockly includes a set of visual blocks for common operations, and can be customized by adding more blocks. New blocks require a block definition and a generator. The definition describes the block's appearance (user interface) and the generator describes the block's translation to executable code. Definitions and generators can be written in JavaScript, or using a visual set of blocks, theBlock Factory, which allows new blocks to be described using extant visual blocks; the intent is to make creating new blocks easier.
Blockly is used in several notable projects, including:
