Solar2D

Solar2D (formerly Corona SDK) is a software development kit originally developed by Corona Labs Inc. 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 OS X, and connected TV applications for Apple TV, Fire TV and Android TV.

Solar 2D
Developer(s)Vlad Shcherban, Corona Labs Inc.
Initial release1.0 / December 2009 (2009-12)
Stable release
2020.3595 / May 20, 2020 (2020-05-20)
Written inLua (Corona API)
Operating system
  • Mac OS (creation and deployment)
  • Windows (creation and deployment)
  • Linux (creation and deployment)
  • iPhone/iPad (deployment)
  • tvOS (deployment)
  • Android (deployment)
  • Kindle Fire (deployment)
  • Android TV (deployment)
Available inEnglish
Russian
TypeSoftware development kit
Game engine
LicenseMIT License
Websitesolar2d.com

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 you to integrate your Lua code and assets within an Xcode or Android Studio project to build your app 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.[1][2][3]

In December 2009, Ansca launched Corona SDK 1.0 for iPhone. The following February, the Corona SDK 1.1 was released with additional features.[4][5]

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.[6][7]

In January 2011, Corona SDK was released for Windows XP and newer, giving developers the opportunity to build Android applications on PC.[8]

In April 2012, co-founder and CEO Icaza left Ansca, and CTO Luh took the CEO role.[9] Shortly after, in June 2012, Ansca changed its name to Corona Labs.[10] In August 2012, Corona Labs announced Enterprise Edition, which added native bindings for Objective-C.[11]

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.[12][13]

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.[14]

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."[15]

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.[16]

In 2020, the engine was renamed from Corona SDK to Solar2D. This was done in response to the closure of Corona Labs,[17] 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.[18]

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.[19]

Bibliography
  • Zammetti, Frank (April 2013). Learn Game Development with Corona SDK (1st ed.). Apress. p. 288. ISBN 1430250682.
  • Flanagan, Nevin (May 2013). Corona SDK Hotshot (1st ed.). Packt Publishing. p. 334. ISBN 1849694303.
  • Whye, J.A. (June 2013). Mobile Game Development with Corona SDK Training Video (1st ed.). Infinite Skills.
  • Burton, Ed.D., Brian (April 2012). Learning Mobile Application & Game Development with Corona SDK (1st ed.). Burtons Media Group.
  • Fernandez, Michelle (April 2012). Corona SDK Mobile Game Development: Beginner's Guide (1st ed.). Packt Publishing. p. 408. ISBN 1849691886.
  • Burton, Ed.D., Brian. Mobile App Development with Corona (1st ed.). Burtons Media Group. p. 436. ISBN 978-1-937336-00-4.
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References
  1. "Adobe vets build rival to Flash for iPhone apps". VentureBeat. June 23, 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-04.
  2. Chen, Brian X. (April 30, 2010). "Adobe CEO, Ex-Adobe Engineers Weigh In on Jobs' Flash Attack - Wired.com, April 30, 2010". Retrieved 2010-05-04.
  3. "Ex-Adobe engineers create Flash competitor Corona for the iPhone - PocketGamer.biz, June 24, 2010". Retrieved 2010-05-14.
  4. "Ansca Mobile Releases Corona For iPhone Development". InformationWeek. December 1, 2009. Retrieved 2010-05-14.
  5. "Corona 1.1 is now shipping - Corona Labs company blog, February 5, 2010". Archived from the original on June 17, 2012. Retrieved 2010-05-17.
  6. "Ansca Mobile iPhone Authoring Tool Adds Android - InformationWeek, April 14, 2009". Retrieved 2010-05-02.
  7. "They're here! Corona SDK and Corona Game Edition". Archived from the original on 2016-09-15. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
  8. "Tool for Creating iPhone and Android Games Now Speaks Windows as Well as Mac". All Things D. January 25, 2011. Retrieved 2011-08-03.
  9. "Moving On And Thanks". Archived from the original on 2016-08-10. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
  10. "Introducing Corona Labs". Archived from the original on 2016-09-19. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
  11. "Announcing Corona Enterprise". Archived from the original on 2016-09-18. Retrieved 2016-05-18.
  12. Mayer, Jason (April 7, 2015). "GDC 2015 - Corona SDK goes free - prezi.com, April 7, 2015". Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  13. "Corona SDK is completely FREE - Coronalabs.com, March 2, 2015". Retrieved 2016-03-09.
  14. Ha, Anthony. "Mobile ad company Appodeal acquires game platform Corona Labs". TechCrunch. Retrieved 2017-11-16.
  15. "Welcome to the new Corona! | Corona Labs". Corona Labs. 2017-06-21. Retrieved 2017-11-16.
  16. Miracle, Rob (2 January 2019). "The Corona 2D game engine is going open source in 2019". Corona. Corona Labs. Archived from the original on 2 January 2019. Retrieved 14 July 2020. 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.
  17. Miracle, Rob (2020-04-22). "Corona Labs transition update 22-April-2020". Corona Labs. Retrieved 2020-05-24.
  18. Miracle, Rob (30 April 2020). "Future of Corona". Corona. Corona Labs. Archived from the original on 2 May 2020. Retrieved 14 July 2020. Pretty much all code related to Corona Labs has been made available under the MIT license.
  19. "CoronaSDK". Retrieved 7 October 2013.
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