App Overview

Codea icon

Codea

Two Lives Left · Developer Tools

"It’s kind of like the Garage Band of coding." – Wired

Free · In-app purchases

PRICE
Free
In-app purchases
BUSINESS MODEL
Freemium
No overall Grossing estimate available
RATING
4.5
125 ratings · Top 15%

Evidence scope: No current overall US chart position is available. Category-chart positions shown in discovery are a separate scope. Revenue is a directional model estimate, not verified earnings.

Build your own version

Build Kit

Make this idea yours

A product spec, screen plans, and build steps for your coding agent.

First kit free with a verified email

Add to a Remix

Combine features and design from your favorite apps.

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What's included17 files

A product spec, phased build plan, differentiation notes, and screen references.

  • START_HERE
  • AGENTS
  • EVIDENCE
  • SPEC
  • BUILD_PLAN
  • DIFFERENTIATION
  • skills/
  • screens/
Preview a sample Build Kit No email needed

Illustrative example: an invoice app for independent contractors. Your kit is tailored to the app you choose; this is not its generated content.

Feature spec

Goal: Send a clear invoice after finishing a job.

  • Add a client, line items, a due date, and payment instructions.
  • Preview the total before exporting a PDF.
  • Keep an editable draft if export fails.

Screen plan

Invoice editor: Client at the top, editable line items in the middle, total and preview action at the bottom.

States: Empty draft, validation errors beside each field, exporting, and a retry action that preserves the draft.

Differentiate and validate

Hypothesis: Contractors need faster repeat invoices more than more templates.

First experiment: Test duplicating a previous job with five contractors. Watch where they hesitate before expanding the feature set.

The full kit adds a phased build plan, evidence notes, tool prompts, and implementation guidance. It is a plan for your coding agent, not a finished app.

Usage: Mechanics are fair game; never reuse the original name, branding, assets, or verbatim copy.

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Free quick prompt For a smaller starting point

Quick prompt

> SELECT BUILD PLATFORM:

Good fit for mobile-first iOS and Android prototypes with managed app scaffolding.

// RORK SYSTEM PROMPT
Rork plan preview for Codea: map the core Developer Tools workflow, choose the smallest differentiated feature set, define the data and monetization boundaries, then prototype the riskiest user journey first.
            

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Opportunities

AI-GENERATED OPPORTUNITY HYPOTHESES

These are generated suggestions, not verified review quotations. Check current App Store reviews and speak with users before treating a possible gap as a requirement.

Hypothesis 1

Enhance syntax highlighting for better support and user experience.

Assumption to check: Limited syntax highlighting for various programming languages

Validate with people who use this workflow before building.

Hypothesis 2

Implement real-time collaboration for users to work together.

Assumption to check: No collaborative features

Validate with people who use this workflow before building.

Hypothesis 3

Add advanced debugging tools to improve error tracking and resolution.

Assumption to check: Inadequate debugging tools

Validate with people who use this workflow before building.

Hypothesis 4

Offer a variety of project templates to jumpstart user projects.

Assumption to check: Limited project templates

Validate with people who use this workflow before building.

App evidence

Original App Store material. Ratings and screenshots describe the existing app, not proof of demand for your version.

App Store description

"It’s kind of like the Garage Band of coding." – Wired "Codea for iPad is a super slick way to write and run programs on your iPad." – Gizmodo Codea lets you create games and simulations — or just about any visual idea you have. Turn your thoughts into interactive creations that make use of iPad features like Multi-Touch and the accelerometer. We think Codea is the most beautiful code editor you'll use, and it's easy. Codea is designed to let you touch your code. Want to change a color, or an image? Tapping will bring up visual editors that let you choose exactly what you want. Codea is built on the Lua programming language. A simple, elegant language that doesn't rely too much on symbols — a perfect match for iPad. Here's how you use it: type your code. Press play to watch it run. Interact with it. Get creative. FEATURES • A fully featured 2D and 3D renderer • Lots of great example projects to learn from, including games • Touch your code: tap colors, images and sounds to adjust them • Export your finished projects to Xcode to produce real apps • Complete in-line reference documentation accessible from keyboard • Intelligent syntax highlighting and auto-completing code editor • Import your own assets from Dropbox • Full 2D and 3D physics engines for complex motion • Add parameters so you can tweak variables at runtime • Interact with accelerometer and multi-touch on your device • Generate retro-game sound effects • GLSL Shader Language support with live shader editor • Bluetooth keyboard support and keyboard shortcuts • Air Code: code live from your PC using WiFi • Much, much more IMPORTANT INFORMATION • Join the forums at https://talk.codea.io to ask questions, share ideas and get help when you need it • If you need help or wish to get in contact with us, please use the support link on this page • Privacy policy https://codea.io/privacy • Terms https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ SUBSCRIPTION • Codea is free to use for projects up to 500 lines, after which you can subscribe to Codea Pro for access to advanced features and unlimited project size • Monthly and yearly plans available • Lifetime one-time purchase also available • Pricing may vary by region. Your subscription will automatically renew unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period. You can manage or cancel your subscription in your App Store account settings.

Written user reviews are not shown here. Check current App Store reviews >

Screenshots

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Build scope

Plan a focused first version with your coding agent. These are planning assumptions, not a delivery guarantee.

Define the first version

Choose one audience and one core workflow. Use the kit to agree on its screens, data, and acceptance criteria before building.

Set boundaries

Decide which secondary features, integrations, and platform support can wait. Your version does not need to reproduce everything in the original.

Check the hard parts

Validate external services, specialist technology, data access, and ongoing costs for your chosen scope.

SUGGESTED BUILD STACK
React Navigation
Expo
Zustand
react-native-syntax-highlighter
react-native-paper
expo-file-system
BUILD KIT DIFFICULTY
Advanced

From the Build Kit assessment.

A reliable timeline needs an agreed scope and a technical check. Ask your agent to estimate the phases in BUILD_PLAN.md after that review.