Best live coding music tools
Apps and environments for making and performing music by writing code, from beginner-friendly editors to algorithmic pattern languages.
5 apps, ordered by visits from AppBreakup and how often our research lists each one as an alternative. Open any app to see its alternatives.
All live coding music tools
- Alternatives to Sonic Pi
Free code-based music studio for composing and live performing with short Ruby-style programs.
Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux, Web - Alternatives to SuperCollider
Open-source platform for audio synthesis and algorithmic composition, with its own language, server and IDE.
Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux - Alternatives to Strudel
Browser-based live coding environment that brings the TidalCycles pattern language to JavaScript.
Open sourceWeb - Alternatives to TidalCycles
Free live coding language for algorithmic music patterns, written in Haskell and played through SuperCollider.
Open sourceWindows, macOS, Linux - Alternatives to ChucK
Open-source music programming language for real-time synthesis and live coding.
Open sourcemacOS, Windows, Linux, Web
Our picks by need
Best for most people
Sonic PiBest for a free option
SuperColliderBest for open source
StrudelBest for Mac
TidalCyclesBest for Windows
ChucKBest for Linux
Sonic PiCommon questions
What are the best live coding music tools?
Based on how often our research lists them as alternatives and visits from AppBreakup, the leading live coding music tools right now are Sonic Pi, SuperCollider, Strudel, TidalCycles and ChucK.
Are there free live coding music tools?
Yes. Sonic Pi (open source), SuperCollider (open source), Strudel (open source), TidalCycles (open source) and ChucK (open source) have a free option, out of 5 free or freemium apps we track.
Which live coding music tools are open source?
Sonic Pi, SuperCollider, Strudel and TidalCycles.