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Introducing CodeTorch

CodeTorch Admin

CodeTorch Admin

— 3 min read
Introducing CodeTorch
CodeTorch Lettering with CodeTorch gradient as the background

Millions start their creative coding journey with visual block-based environments like Scratch. It's a fantastic gateway, but as skills grow, creators often encounter limitations – projects run slowly, advanced concepts hit frustrating barriers, and finding tailored help can be challenging.

Today, we're thrilled to introduce CodeTorch, a platform built from the ground up by a 17-year-old creator to break these limits and make coding more accessible, powerful, and exciting for everyone. After three years of development, CodeTorch is here to offer a significantly enhanced experience for both seasoned coders and those just beginning.

Supercharging the Scratch Experience

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Scratch vs CodeTorch

CodeTorch addresses common frustrations head-on:

  • 🐢 Performance: Built on the powerful TurboWarp engine, CodeTorch projects run up to 50x faster than standard Scratch projects, enabling more complex and ambitious creations without the lag.
  • 🧱 Expanded Creativity: Access over 100 block extensions and features like infinite clones and high-quality pen rendering, pushing the boundaries of what's possible with block coding.
  • ☁️ More Room to Grow: Say goodbye to restrictive limits. CodeTorch offers a 10,000-character cloud variable limit, a massive increase from Scratch's 256, allowing for intricate online features and saved games.
  • 🌐 Beyond Blocks: For advanced coders ready to transition or work directly with web technologies, CodeTorch uniquely supports "Code Projects," allowing users to build, run, and share projects using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript directly within the platform.

Meet Torchy: Your AI Coding Assistant

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Getting stuck is a natural part of learning. To help navigate these moments, CodeTorch introduces Torchy, an integrated AI coding assistant designed specifically for the Scratch block environment.

Torchy isn't here to write entire projects for you. Instead, it acts as a helpful guide:

  • Understanding Concepts: Ask Torchy to explain why a certain code structure works.
  • Implementation Help: Get suggestions on how to implement specific features (like a scrolling background) within your own project.
  • Debugging: Receive assistance in identifying and fixing errors in your Scratch block code.

Our goal with Torchy is to provide real-time, contextual support, empowering learners to understand the logic behind the code, rather than simply copying solutions. It’s a tool to accelerate understanding and overcome roadblocks more effectively.

Addressing the AI Conversation

We understand that the role of AI in educational tools is an important discussion. CodeTorch was initially conceived and built over several years as a high-performance platform for creating and sharing TurboWarp projects, addressing core limitations like speed and cloud storage before the AI assistant, Torchy (developed more recently), was integrated.

Torchy is intended as an optional aid for learning and debugging, much like seeking help from a teacher or an online tutorial, but more immediate and interactive. We believe it can be a powerful tool for explaining concepts and helping learners apply them. Lazy shortcuts have always existed; Torchy is designed to foster understanding for those eager to learn.

If AI assistance isn't for you, that's perfectly fine. CodeTorch remains a powerful, free platform for building, running, and sharing advanced Scratch and TurboWarp projects, leveraging its speed, extensions, and higher limits.

Connect, Share, and Grow Together

CodeTorch is also a community. We’ve built features inspired by popular social platforms, allowing creators to:

  • ❤️ Like, comment on, and share projects.
  • 🗣️ Follow other creators and discover inspiring new ideas.
  • 💬 Discuss projects and coding concepts within a supportive environment.

We believe that collaboration and shared enthusiasm are key to learning and innovation.

Get Started with CodeTorch Today!

We're incredibly excited to share CodeTorch with the world and see what you create.

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