Runtime Revolution Ltd.

Runtime Revolution Ltd. is a software company based in Edinburgh, Scotland, specializing in the development of the LiveCode high-level programming language and integrated development environment (IDE). Founded in 1997, the company has focused on creating a cross-platform development tool designed to make software creation accessible to a wide range of users, from educators to professional developers. Its primary product, LiveCode, is noted for its use of an English-like scripting language and its ability to deploy applications across multiple operating systems including Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android.

History

The company was founded in 1997 by Kevin Miller, initially operating under the name **Runtime Revolution** before incorporating as Runtime Revolution Ltd. Its origins are closely tied to the HyperCard development environment created by Apple Inc. in the late 1980s, aiming to extend similar concepts of accessible programming. An early version of its core product was known as **Revolution**, later rebranded to LiveCode. A significant milestone occurred in 2013 when the company successfully ran a Kickstarter campaign to fund the open-sourcing of the LiveCode engine, leading to the release of the LiveCode Community Edition under the GNU General Public License. Throughout its history, the firm has been based in the United Kingdom, maintaining its headquarters in the Scottish capital.

Products

The company's flagship product is the **LiveCode** development platform, which exists in several editions. The **LiveCode Community Edition** is a free, open-source version released under the GPL, while the **LiveCode Indie** and **LiveCode Business** editions are commercial offerings with additional features and deployment licenses. The suite enables the creation of standalone applications for desktop, mobile, and server environments. Beyond the core IDE, the company has also developed specialized educational packages and curriculum materials aimed at the K–12 and higher education sectors, promoting computer science literacy. These products have been utilized in initiatives like the European Commission's No One Left Behind project.

Technology

The LiveCode platform is built around a dynamically typed, English-like scripting language that utilizes a message-passing object-oriented programming model. A key technological feature is its single-codebase approach, allowing developers to write an application once and compile it natively for multiple target operating systems, including Microsoft Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android. The underlying engine is written primarily in C++ and integrates with various native APIs and services. The IDE itself provides a WYSIWYG interface builder, a comprehensive debugger, and supports extensions through external libraries and widgets. The open-sourcing of the engine has fostered a community contributing to its development on platforms like GitHub.

Business model

Runtime Revolution Ltd. operates on a freemium business model, offering a fully-featured open-source Community Edition at no cost to stimulate widespread adoption and community development. Revenue is generated through the sale of commercial licenses for the **Indie** and **Business** editions, which include priority support, additional commercial deployment rights, and enhanced features not available in the free version. The company also engages in direct sales of site licenses and educational packages to school districts, universities, and corporate clients. Furthermore, it has secured funding through crowdfunding campaigns and has participated in publicly-funded research projects, such as those sponsored by the European Union.

Reception and impact

LiveCode has received generally positive reviews for its ease of use and rapid application development capabilities, particularly within educational circles and among novice programmers. It has been recognized with awards such as the **Best Educational Software** award at the BETT show. The platform's impact is notable in the field of educational technology, where it has been adopted by institutions like the University of Oxford and used in global projects to teach coding concepts. The successful 2013 Kickstarter campaign highlighted strong community support, raising over £500,000. While not as ubiquitous as some mainstream frameworks, it maintains a dedicated user base and has been used to develop applications ranging from utilities and tools to serious games and business software deployed on the App Store and Google Play.

Category:Software companies of Scotland Category:Programming language implementation Category:Companies based in Edinburgh