RunRev

RunRev. RunRev is a software company and the creator of the LiveCode programming language and its associated integrated development environment (IDE). The platform is renowned for enabling cross-platform development for desktop, mobile, and server applications from a single codebase using an English-like scripting language. Founded in Edinburgh, Scotland, the company has fostered a dedicated international community of developers who utilize the tool for rapid application development across education, business, and independent software creation.

History

The company was founded in 1997 by Kevin Miller and launched its first product, MetaCard, a HyperCard-like development tool. In 2001, the company rebranded its core technology as Revolution, aiming to modernize the development paradigm pioneered by Apple Inc.'s HyperCard. A significant evolution occurred in 2010 when the language was renamed LiveCode and the company initiated a highly successful crowdfunding campaign on Kickstarter to fund an open-source version. This move, supported by prominent figures in the educational technology sector, led to the release of the LiveCode Community Edition under the GNU General Public License (GPL), broadening its accessibility. Throughout its history, the firm has navigated the shifting landscapes of personal computing, the rise of mobile operating systems like iOS and Android, and the growing demand for agile development tools.

Development environment

The RunRev development environment is a comprehensive integrated development environment designed for visual, event-driven programming. Its central feature is a WYSIWYG interface builder where developers can drag and drop widgets such as buttons, fields, and graphics onto stacks, which function as application windows or cards. The environment includes a powerful script editor with features like syntax highlighting, code completion, and a debugger for stepping through scripts. It provides direct access to APIs for database connectivity, internet protocols, and external libraries, facilitating the creation of complex applications. The IDE also features built-in tools for packaging standalone applications for deployment on multiple operating systems, including Microsoft Windows, macOS, and various distributions.

Programming language (LiveCode)

The core technology is the LiveCode language, a high-level programming language descended from the HyperTalk syntax used in HyperCard. It is an interpreted language with an English-like, readable syntax that often resembles natural language commands, such as "put the first word of field 1 into variable tData". The language is fundamentally object-oriented, where every interface element and the application itself is a manipulable object with properties, messages, and handlers. It employs a message passing paradigm and supports common programming constructs like conditionals, loops, and arrays. LiveCode scripts can call external functions from shared libraries and leverage its built-in database engine for managing SQLite and other data sources, making it suitable for developing both simple utilities and large-scale business applications.

Company and community

Runtime Revolution Ltd., operating as RunRev, is headquartered in Edinburgh and has been led by CEO Kevin Miller since its inception. The company operates a dual-licensing model, offering a free, open-source LiveCode Community Edition and commercial proprietary licenses for business and education. A vibrant, global community of users actively contributes to its ecosystem through the LiveCode forums, annual LiveCode Conference, and shared resources on platforms like GitHub. This community is particularly strong in the educational technology sector, where the language's accessibility makes it a popular tool for teaching programming concepts in institutions from primary schools to universities, including initiatives supported by the National Science Foundation.

Applications and use cases

Applications built with the platform span a diverse range of sectors due to its rapid application development capabilities. In education, it is used to create interactive e-learning tutorials, classroom management tools, and simulations for subjects like mathematics and computer science. Businesses utilize it for developing internal database front-ends, point-of-sale systems, and data visualization dashboards. Independent developers have created commercial video games, utility software, and niche productivity tools for markets on the App Store and Google Play. Its ability to generate cross-platform executables from a single project makes it a cost-effective solution for organizations needing to deploy software across Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android environments without maintaining separate codebases.

Category:Software companies based in Scotland Category:Programming languages Category:Integrated development environments