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Glitch is a new collaborative coding site from Anil Dash based around remixing apps

Glitch is a new collaborative coding site from Anil Dash based around remixing apps

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Glitch is a new coding website from Fog Creek Software (which built Trello and FogBugz and is led by tech entrepreneur Anil Dash) with a simple goal: to provide “a friendly community where you'll build the app of your dreams.” Originally launched in beta under the name Gomix, Glitch is primarily based around the ability to remix existing code and projects, allowing users to take already functional apps, bots, and websites and tweak them however they want.

A collaborative community of coders

The idea is to build a collaborative community of coders, who can help each other out with projects and build off each other’s work. Glitch also offers a Google Docs-like editing mode, where multiple users can jump into the code and build projects together. Glitch projects work live on the site, allowing less experienced developers to run apps and sites without worrying about more complex stuff like server hosting or version control. Users can also import GitHub projects straight into Glitch to try them out in a live environment or to modify code.

Glitch only supports the Node.js JavaScript programming environment for now — but that means the projects you build with Glitch are real, working apps, which can be downloaded off the site, exported to GitHub, or just left to live on Glitch for others to remix and modify. Between the simple, easy-to-use tools, the low barrier of entry, and the polished design, it looks like Glitch could be a great place for developers to collaborate together on projects.

Of course, the entire idea is contingent on users actually using Glitch and fostering the kind of open, welcoming community that the site hopes to have — no easy task on the internet, unfortunately — but it seems like there’s real potential in the idea.