Dev tools · alternatives · 2026
24 alternatives to the Hand-Rolled Assembly Machine
Hi again HN. The short version: a retro style computer simulator, focused on low-level coding. You could sort of think of it as pico8's low-level stuff (peek/poke, memory access, vram, etc) turned up 1000%. For example, it gives you a Lua API for encoding assembly to memory and then running it, and you can access the same memory space from Lua as from Assembly. It uses your native assembly btw, it's not a custom assembly language, it's real 64-bit windows assembly. It also comes with LPeg built in, so that you can experiment with generating either Lua bytecode or native assembly, making…
Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes.
- 1
I built a tiny 8-bit CPU simulator in Python to better understand how computers work at a low level. It visualizes registers, memory, and instructions in real-time, so you can actually see each operation as it happens. You can write simple assembly code and watch how the CPU executes it step by step. The project is mainly for learning and experimentation, but I’d love feedback or ideas for improvement.
Oct 2025 · github.com · its alternatives →
- 2AS
Lots of fun to do. I would have not taken the time without the speedup provided by Claude. https://andyrosa.github.io/Sinclaude/simulator.html
2025 · its alternatives →
- 3
A multitasking monolithic Kernel based x86 targeting Operating System written in C# from scratch aiming for high-level implementation of drivers in managed environment. - amaneureka/AtomOS
2017 · github.com · its alternatives →
- 4
LuaJIT 2.0 and 2.1 bytecode generator, assembler, parser, viewer and test VM. Lua 5.1 parser, IDE and debugger. - rochus-keller/LjTools
2019 · github.com · its alternatives →
- 5
Finally got my hobby OS up and running on real hardware. I love the old IBM thinkpads, so thought it was the perfect machine to get it working on. Been working on it for quite some time now, but this has been a big milestone!
2025 · github.com · its alternatives →
- 6
Hello, World! written in seemingly "gibberish" x86 assembly using obfuscation on the assembly and machine code -level - phoreverpheebs/gibberish
2023 · github.com · its alternatives →
- 7
To try it out, simply build the project yourself from source, or use attached bootable ISO image of the system (in Releases on Github) and run it in QEMU. https://blog.vxn.dev/rou2exos-rusted-edition
2025 · github.com · its alternatives →
- 8
2015 · github.com · its alternatives →
- 9
Tiny assembler for 8086/8088, able to run over DOS for 8086/8088 machines. - nanochess/tinyasm
2019 · github.com · its alternatives →
- 10
An assembler for the LC-3 fictitious computer. Contribute to cellularmitosis/lc3as.py development by creating an account on GitHub.
2020 · github.com · its alternatives →
- 11
Modo▲148I’ve built hardware projects for years, and the gap between “I want X” and “parts ordered, files ready to print” always took weeks. Modo compresses that. Describe what you want (e.g. “a portable CO2 monitor with a display and buzzer”) and it generates: - A bill of materials with real components (MPNs, not hallucinated parts) - A printable enclosure generated from actual part dimensions - Wiring diagrams, firmware boilerplate, and assembly instructions - Design validation (power budget, pin conflicts, mechanical fit) Everything streams in real time as each phase completes. The key idea is…
Jan 2026 · modo.is · its alternatives →
- 12
I made a little emacs minor mode for connecting assembly code and assembled code buffers I'm really fascinated by the idea of demystifying an operating system, so to be able to view the alignment between code and data I find really satisfying
2024 · github.com · its alternatives →
- 13
"interesting" VM in C. Let's see how this goes. Contribute to tekknolagi/carp development by creating an account on GitHub.
2014 · github.com · its alternatives →
- 14
Assemble▲95One /go command for AI work that remembers — zero runtime
Apr 2026 · assemble.cohesium.ai · its alternatives →
- 15
laboratório de integração Lua com libuv para execução de scripts assíncronos e experimentação de POCs - joaoneto/lua-libuv
2025 · github.com · its alternatives →
- 16
Re-build a retro computer with Lego®
2017 · powerpig.ecwid.com · its alternatives →
- 17
Learn how classic game hardware worked. Write code and see it run instantly.
2016 · 8bitworkshop.com · its alternatives →
- 18
Rebuilt a Motorola 68000 emulator with 50+ instructions — runs entirely in the browser, no install. - gianlucarea/m68k-interpreter
Mar 2026 · github.com · its alternatives →
- 19
Compiler for a small language into x86-64 Assembly - MauriceGit/compiler
2020 · github.com · its alternatives →
- 20
A while back I wrote a CHIP-8 emulator (which is considered the Hello, World! of emulators and is more accurately a virtual machine since historically CHIP-8 was an interpreted language running on top of the COSMAC VIP to make game programming easier). But a few months ago I got really interested in embedded software, so decided it would be neat to port my emulator to a STM32 MCU and design a console around it as a learning experience, since CHIP-8 never existed as a physical system. I didn't know much about embedded software when I began, and even less about electronics, but I managed to…
2022 · github.com · its alternatives →
- 21
CHIP-8 console on FPGA. Contribute to pwmarcz/fpga-chip8 development by creating an account on GitHub.
2018 · github.com · its alternatives →
- 22QA
2017 · anchovieshat.github.io · its alternatives →
- 23IW
2021 · mdw.la · its alternatives →
- 24OC
2012 · assembly.ynh.io · its alternatives →
Also compare
- I built an 8-bit CPU simulator in Python from scratch alternatives
- A Sinclair ZX81 retro web assembler+simulator alternatives
- A new hobby OS from “scratch” in C# alternatives
- LuaJIT assembler/assembly language for direct bytecode programming alternatives
- My self-written hobby OS is finally running on my vintage IBM ThinkPad alternatives
- 'Hello, World ' in x86 assembly, but make it gibberish 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 →