OpenCode: An Introduction

What is it?

At it's core, OpenCode is a Web-based programming tool. It's simple, elegant, and lightweight.

The OpenCode system can be classified as one (or all) of the following:

A way to learn how to program.

Learning to program is not easy. Even the most trivial of programming tasks involves numerous steps, every one a potential stumbling block for the new student. OpenCode is “programming by example.”

With OpenCode, we have been able to abstract away all of the complexities inherent within existing programming environments. You needn't download anything. Libraries are already installed on the server. Click on an example and run it. That's all.

In the end, all OpenCode programming is Java programming. No silly new languages, just simplified programming.

A lightweight way to interact with and visualize Web-accessible content.

The OpenCode system currently uses the source code of the Processing project, as well as contributed libraries from the Processing community. What Processing has done for simplified graphics programming, OpenCode hopes to do for simplified access and interaction with Web-accessible content.

Suppose you have a Web-accessible database. If made accessible to the public through a web service interface, users in the OpenCode environment can obtain data from your database, look at it, analyze it and visualize relationships within it. It all happens behind the scenes. One function call does it all.

In addition, the OpenCode interface provides advanced users the ability to easily develop Java-based libraries to extend the functionality of the system. These libraries can be written in pure Java, leveraging the maturity of the Java platform.

A community of programming examples and expertise.

On it's own, OpenCode is simple to use, allowing rapid prototyping and analysis of diverse data sources. Every program written in OpenCode is stored on a server, implicitly associated with the individual that created it. The integration of tagging functionality allows searching for examples is easy. If it's on the server, you'll find it. …and it will work.

OpenCode is a programming tool and a community. It is different from other communities in that it doesn't require additional effort by the user to contribute. The community grows as people use it.

How to obtain an account

Currently, direct participation within the OpenCode community is by invitation only. This allows us to more easily manage bugs and aesthetic issues.

Questions?

Email this person.