Dev tools · alternatives · 2026

24 alternatives to Island

Lightweight and low-level creative coding toolkits in C.

Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. Island launched in 2017; newer entries below may have overtaken it.

1. 1
   Flowhub▲85

   Let's Make Code More Playful (Beta Open)

   2014 · 12bet.review · its alternatives →

2. 2
   Cinder▲122

   Free and open source library for creative coding in C++

   2017 · libcinder.org · its alternatives →

3. 3
   Cactus for Mac▲92

   A better workflow for hand coding websites

   2014 · its alternatives →

4. 4
   Code Climate Platform▲113

   The first open and extensible platform for static analysis

   2015 · codeclimate.com · its alternatives →

5. 5
   Macaw▲90

   A simple code editor for Swift

   2017 · github.com · its alternatives →

6. 6
   Light-Bot▲84

   Programming Apps Teaching the Basics of Code

   2015 · lightbot.com · its alternatives →

7. 7
   Box Island: One Hour Coding▲70

   Charming mobile coding game (Hour of Code version)

   2015 · its alternatives →

8. 8
   Notchzy▲61

   Interactive dynamic island for windows

   10d ago · notchzy.com · its alternatives →

9. 9
   Codebender▲123

   Development platform for Arduino users, makers and engineers

   2014 · codebender.cc · its alternatives →

10. 10
    IBAnimatable▲125

    Design and prototype UI, interaction, navigation, transition

    2016 · github.com · its alternatives →

11. 11
    Hopscotch▲94

    Coding for kids: an iPad programming language

    2014 · gethopscotch.com · its alternatives →

12. 12
    Nuklear▲64

    A small ANSI C gui toolkit

    2016 · github.com · its alternatives →

13. 13
    C4▲9

    Open-source creative coding framework for iOS

    2017 · c4ios.com · its alternatives →

14. 14
    Isle Notch▲69

    Lowweight minimal dynamic island for Windows

    11d ago · isle.nxsapps.com · its alternatives →

15. 15
    Teaching App Development with Swift▲96

    A Github-hosted curriculum on Swift for teachers by Apple

    2015 · swifteducation.github.io · its alternatives →

16. 16
    Composé▲91

    An editor for creating interactive iOS prototypes and apps

    2015 · its alternatives →

17. 17
    Code▲76

    The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software

    2016 · namecheap.com · its alternatives →

18. 18IM
    I made a programming language with Spotify playlists▲33

    just a wack systems dude tbh

    2018 · h313.info · its alternatives →

19. 19
    Swift▲12

    An Open-Source Programming Language

    2015 · swift.org · its alternatives →

20. 20
    Coderviews▲7

    A real-time, collaborative compiler.

    2017 · its alternatives →

21. 21OA
    Online and open source low-code platform with live collaboration▲9

    2018 · icodebetter.com · its alternatives →

22. 22AA
    Acorn – a back end design tool/low-code platform▲5

    2020 · wiki.squirreltechnologies.nz · its alternatives →

23. 23
    Workflowy but Open Source▲7

    Think Workflowy meets OSS with the plugin extensibility of Obsidian and beauty of Linear

    Jul 2026 · twitter.com · its alternatives →

24. 24
    Sumbli▲7

    Collaborative content

    2018 · its alternatives →

Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →