Learn programming the simple way
BASIC-256 is a beginner-friendly programming language that makes learning to code fun with graphics, math, and immediate results.
Runs in your browser
No account needed
Free — GPL v3
BASIC-256 is a beginner-friendly programming language that makes learning to code fun with graphics, math, and immediate results.
This is the real BASIC-256 — the same interpreter as the desktop app, compiled to WebAssembly. Your program never leaves your machine; nothing is uploaded anywhere. A sandboxed tab cannot do everything a desktop can, so a few commands are unavailable.
Opens run.basic256.org in a new tab and downloads roughly 16 MB the first time — best on a desktop browser.
The desktop build gives you the complete IDE: syntax highlighting, a step debugger, separate text and graphics output panes, and full speed for animation-heavy programs like the one shown here.
BubbleUniverse.kbs example running in the desktop IDE. Click to enlarge.James M. Reneau wrote a complete beginner’s course for BASIC-256 — So You Want to Learn to Program? — teaching graphics, games, animation and sound step by step, with exercises at the end of every chapter. It is free to read online.
Editor, graphics, text output and a debugger in one window.
Draw circles, lines, images and animations with no libraries to install.
Type a few lines, press Run, and see the result straight away.
Windows, macOS, Linux, the Raspberry Pi and the browser.
Arrays, files, sound, sprites, databases and networking on the desktop.
GPL v3, with a friendly community behind it.
Where 2.1 modernised the original, 2.2.0 starts adding to the language: WINDOW coordinates, matrix and vector maths, FRAMERATE, noise, turtle graphics…
A maintenance release on top of 2.1.0: programs run about twice as fast, and the browser version now remembers your program across a refresh.
The first stable release of the 2.1 series: Qt 6, a browser build, Apple Silicon and Intel Macs, a module library and a new look.
View source code and contribute.
Ask questions and help others.
Chat with other BASIC-256 users in real time.
Collections built and shared by the community: