Solar2D

{{redirect|Corona (software)|the software company|Corona Labs Inc.}}

{{Infobox software

| name = Solar 2D

| logo = Solar2D logo.png

| logo size = 200px

| developer = Vlad Shcherban, Corona Labs Inc.

| released = 1.0 / {{Start date and age|2009|12|}}

| latest_release_version = 2023.3688

| latest_release_date = {{Start date and age|2023|03|30}}{{cite web | url=https://github.com/coronalabs/corona/tree/3688 | title=GitHub - coronalabs/Corona at 3688 | website=GitHub }}

| programming_language = Lua (Corona API)

| operating_system = {{unbulleted list

| macOS (creation and deployment)

| Windows (creation and deployment)

| Linux (creation and deployment)

| {{nowrap|iPhone/iPad (deployment)}}

| {{nowrap|tvOS (deployment)}}

| Android (deployment)

| Kindle Fire (deployment)

| Android TV (deployment)

| Nintendo Switch (deployment)

| HTML5 (deployment)

}}

| language = English
Russian

| genre = Software development kit
Game engine

| license = MIT License

| website = {{Official URL}}

| repo = {{URL|https://github.com/coronalabs/corona}}

}}

Solar2D (formerly Corona SDK) is a free and open-source, cross-platform software development kit originally developed by Corona Labs Inc. and now maintained by Vlad Shcherban. Released in late 2009, it allows software programmers to build 2D mobile applications for iOS, Android, and Kindle, desktop applications for Windows, Linux and macOS, and connected TV applications for Apple TV, Fire TV and Android TV.{{cite web|url=https://www.bestcolleges.com/bootcamps/guides/best-free-game-engines/|website=BestColleges|title=Best Free Game Engines|first=Bethanny|last=Parker|date=2022-09-15|access-date=2023-03-25}}

Solar2D uses integrated Lua layered on top of C++/OpenGL to build graphic applications. The software has two operational modes: the Solar2D Simulator and Solar2D Native. With the Solar2D Simulator, apps are built directly from the Solar2D Simulator. Solar2D Native allows the integration of Lua code and assets within an Xcode or Android Studio project to build apps and include native features.

History

Walter Luh and Carlos Icaza started Ansca Mobile, later renamed Corona Labs, after departing from Adobe in 2007. At Adobe, Luh was the lead architect working on the Flash Lite team and Icaza was the engineering manager responsible for mobile Flash authoring. In June 2009, Ansca released the first Corona SDK beta free for early adopters.{{cite web |url=https://venturebeat.com/2009/06/23/adobe-vets-build-rival-to-flash-for-iphone-apps/|title=Adobe vets build rival to Flash for iPhone apps |publisher=VentureBeat |date=June 23, 2009 | access-date=2010-05-04}}{{cite news |url=https://www.wired.com/gadgetlab/2010/04/adobe-flash-jobs/|title=Adobe CEO, Ex-Adobe Engineers Weigh In on Jobs' Flash Attack - Wired.com, April 30, 2010 |access-date=2010-05-04 | first=Brian X. |last=Chen |date=April 30, 2010}}{{cite web |url=http://www.pocketgamer.biz/r/PG.Biz/Corona/news.asp?c=14053|title=Ex-Adobe engineers create Flash competitor Corona for the iPhone - PocketGamer.biz, June 24, 2010 |date=24 June 2009 |access-date=2010-05-14}}

In December 2009, Ansca launched Corona SDK 1.0 for iPhone. The following February, the Corona SDK 1.1 was released with additional features.{{cite web |url=http://www.informationweek.com/news/personal-tech/smart-phones/222000116 |title=Ansca Mobile Releases Corona For iPhone Development |publisher=InformationWeek |date=December 1, 2009 |access-date=2010-05-14 |archive-date=2011-06-12 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612033100/http://www.informationweek.com/news/personal-tech/smart-phones/222000116 |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |url=http://www.coronalabs.com/blog/2010/02/05/corona-1-1-is-now-shipping/ |title=Corona 1.1 is now shipping - Corona Labs company blog, February 5, 2010 |access-date=2010-05-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120617042829/http://www.coronalabs.com/blog/2010/02/05/corona-1-1-is-now-shipping/ |archive-date=June 17, 2012 |url-status=dead }}

In September 2010, Ansca released version 2.0 of Corona SDK and added Corona Game Edition. Version 2.0 added cross-platform support for iPad and Android, while Game Edition added a physics engine and other advanced features aimed specifically at game development.{{cite web|url=http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/app-security/224400157|title=Ansca Mobile iPhone Authoring Tool Adds Android - InformationWeek, April 14, 2009|access-date=2010-05-02|archive-date=2011-06-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612032550/http://www.informationweek.com/news/security/app-security/224400157|url-status=dead}}{{cite web|url=https://coronalabs.com/blog/2010/09/16/theyre-here-corona-sdk-and-corona-game-edition/|title=They're here! Corona SDK and Corona Game Edition|access-date=2016-05-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160915071014/https://coronalabs.com/blog/2010/09/16/theyre-here-corona-sdk-and-corona-game-edition/|archive-date=2016-09-15|url-status=dead}}

In January 2011, Corona SDK was released for Windows XP and newer, giving developers the opportunity to build Android applications on PC.{{cite web |url=http://allthingsd.com/20110125/tool-for-creating-iphone-and-android-games-now-speaks-windows-as-well-as-macs/ |title=Tool for Creating iPhone and Android Games Now Speaks Windows as Well as Mac |access-date=2011-08-03 |publisher=All Things D |date=January 25, 2011}}

In April 2012, co-founder and CEO Icaza left Ansca, and CTO Luh took the CEO role.{{cite web|url=https://coronalabs.com/blog/2012/04/13/moving-on-and-thanks/|title=Moving On And Thanks|access-date=2016-05-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160810082728/https://coronalabs.com/blog/2012/04/13/moving-on-and-thanks/|archive-date=2016-08-10|url-status=dead}} Shortly after, in June 2012, Ansca changed its name to Corona Labs.{{cite web|url=https://coronalabs.com/blog/2012/06/14/introducing-corona-labs//|title=Introducing Corona Labs|access-date=2016-05-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160919210302/https://coronalabs.com/blog/2012/06/14/introducing-corona-labs/|archive-date=2016-09-19|url-status=dead}} In August 2012, Corona Labs announced Enterprise Edition, which added native bindings for Objective-C.{{cite web|url=https://coronalabs.com/blog/2012/08/02/announcing-corona-enterprise/|title=Announcing Corona Enterprise|access-date=2016-05-18|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160918134821/https://coronalabs.com/blog/2012/08/02/announcing-corona-enterprise/|archive-date=2016-09-18|url-status=dead}}

In March 2015, during GDC 2015 announcement was made that Corona SDK is completely free and will support Windows and Mac OS X deployment targets.{{cite web|url=https://prezi.com/ksota5q5marc/gdc-2015-corona-sdk-goes-free/|title=GDC 2015 - Corona SDK goes free - prezi.com, April 7, 2015|last=Mayer|first=Jason|date=April 7, 2015|access-date=2016-03-09}}{{cite web|url=https://coronalabs.com/blog/2015/03/02/corona-sdk-is-now-free/|title=Corona SDK is completely FREE - Coronalabs.com, March 2, 2015|date=2 March 2015 |access-date=2016-03-09}}

In November 2015, Corona Labs Inc. announced support for tvOS development for Apple TV.

In March 2017, Corona Labs was acquired by Appodeal and announced that the Enterprise version of Corona would also become free.{{Cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2017/03/16/appodeal-acquires-corona-labs/|title=Mobile ad company Appodeal acquires game platform Corona Labs|last=Ha|first=Anthony|work=TechCrunch|access-date=2017-11-16|language=en}}

In June 2017, Corona Labs announced that Enterprise was renamed to Corona Native, is free for everyone and included as part of the core product."{{Cite news|url=https://coronalabs.com/blog/2017/06/21/welcome-to-the-new-corona/|title=Welcome to the new Corona! {{!}} Corona Labs|date=2017-06-21|work=Corona Labs|access-date=2017-11-16|language=en-US}}

In January 2019, Corona Labs announced that Corona 2D will be open sourced under the GNU GPLv3 license, while offering the option of a commercial license upon agreement with Corona Labs.{{cite web |last1=Miracle |first1=Rob |title=The Corona 2D game engine is going open source in 2019 |url=https://coronalabs.com/blog/2019/01/02/the-corona-2d-game-engine-is-going-open-source-in-2019/ |website=Corona |publisher=Corona Labs |access-date=14 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190102183312/https://coronalabs.com/blog/2019/01/02/the-corona-2d-game-engine-is-going-open-source-in-2019/ |archive-date=2 January 2019 |date=2 January 2019 |quote=Corona will be dual-licensed under both commercial and open source licenses. The open source license is the GNU GPLv3 license, and commercial license will be available upon agreement with Corona Labs. |url-status=live}}

In April 2020, the engine was renamed from Corona SDK to Solar2D. This was done in response to the closure of Corona Labs,{{cite web |url=https://coronalabs.com/blog/2020/04/22/corona-labs-transition-update-22-april-2020/ |title=Corona Labs transition update 22-April-2020 |last=Miracle |first=Rob |date=2020-04-22 |work=Corona Labs |access-date=2020-05-24}} as well as the COVID-19 pandemic. Corona Labs also stopped offering commercial licenses and changed its open source license from GPLv3 to the more permissive MIT License.{{cite web |last1=Miracle |first1=Rob |title=Future of Corona |url=https://coronalabs.com/blog/2020/04/30/future-of-corona/ |website=Corona |publisher=Corona Labs |access-date=14 July 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200502114959/https://coronalabs.com/blog/2020/04/30/future-of-corona/ |archive-date=2 May 2020 |date=30 April 2020 |quote=Pretty much all code related to Corona Labs has been made available under the MIT license. |url-status=live}}

Major features

Solar2D's API suite features API calls for audio and graphics, cryptography, networking and device information such as accelerometer information, GPS, and user input as well as widgets, particle effects, and more.{{cite web|title=CoronaSDK|url=http://docs.coronalabs.com/api/index.html|access-date=7 October 2013}}