Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Phoenix VS PICO-8

Compare Phoenix VS PICO-8 and see what are their differences

Note: These products don't have any matching categories. If you think this is a mistake, please edit the details of one of the products and suggest appropriate categories.

Phoenix logo Phoenix

Brief Description of Phoenix software: Phoenix is a light platform that acts as a macOS and windows application manager and is scriptable with JavaScript. Read more about Phoenix.

PICO-8 logo PICO-8

Lua-based fantasy console for making and playing tiny, computer games and programs.
  • Phoenix Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-19
  • PICO-8 Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-19

Phoenix features and specs

  • Customizability
    Phoenix offers extensive options for customization through its configuration using JavaScript, allowing users to define precise window management behaviors tailored to their preferences.
  • Lightweight
    The application is lightweight, not consuming excessive system resources, ensuring that it runs smoothly even on older hardware.
  • Open Source
    Being open source, Phoenix allows users to audit the codebase for security and modify it to suit their needs, fostering community collaboration and improvements.
  • Highly Scriptable
    Phoenix supports extensive scripting capabilities, enabling users to automate tasks and create complex workflows that enhance productivity.

Possible disadvantages of Phoenix

  • Steep Learning Curve
    Because Phoenix requires writing code for configuration, it can be challenging for users who are not familiar with programming, particularly JavaScript.
  • Limited Documentation
    The documentation available for Phoenix may not be comprehensive, posing difficulties for users who need guidance on advanced configurations and features.
  • MacOS Exclusive
    Phoenix is only available for macOS, restricting its use to Mac users and excluding those on other operating systems like Windows or Linux.
  • Potential Stability Issues
    As with many highly customizable and scriptable applications, user scripts can sometimes lead to unexpected behavior or crashes if not correctly written.

PICO-8 features and specs

  • Accessibility
    PICO-8 provides a user-friendly and accessible platform for beginners and hobbyists to learn and create games with its simple and comprehensive interface.
  • Creativity
    The constrained environment encourages creative problem-solving and innovative game design, sparking creativity among developers.
  • Community
    A strong and supportive community exists around PICO-8, offering numerous resources, tutorials, and forums for collaboration and assistance.
  • Portability
    Games developed in PICO-8 can be easily shared and exported to different platforms, including web browsers, increasing reach and accessibility.
  • Learning Opportunity
    PICO-8 serves as an excellent educational tool for understanding the fundamentals of game design and programming.

Possible disadvantages of PICO-8

  • Limited Graphics
    The intentionally limited resolution and color palette can be restrictive for developers looking for more sophisticated graphical capabilities.
  • Performance Constraints
    The fixed memory and performance limitations might pose challenges for more complex game development, requiring careful optimization.
  • Single Language Support
    PICO-8 primarily uses its own scripting language based on Lua, which can be a barrier for those who prefer other programming languages.
  • Closed Ecosystem
    Being a proprietary platform, PICO-8's development environment and features are locked within its ecosystem, potentially limiting more advanced customizations.
  • Cost
    PICO-8 is not free software, and the licensing cost, though relatively low, could deter some users, especially those just exploring game development casually.

Phoenix videos

Phoenix Review ⚠️ WARNING ⚠️ DON'T GET THIS WITHOUT MY 👷 CUSTOM 👷 BONUSES!!

More videos:

  • Review - Phoenix Review and Bonuses

PICO-8 videos

Delightful Game Development with PICO-8

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Phoenix and PICO-8)
Window Manager
100 100%
0% 0
Game Engine
0 0%
100% 100
OSX Tools
100 100%
0% 0
Game Development
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using Phoenix and PICO-8. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Phoenix should be more popular than PICO-8. It has been mentiond 11 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Phoenix mentions (11)

  • macOS Sequoia Preview
    I'll probably still use phoenix since I can code it to do whatever I want. https://github.com/kasper/phoenix. - Source: Hacker News / 12 months ago
  • Ask HN: What software sparks joy when using?
    In no particular order: Prologue [0] - iOS Audiobook player, used Plex as a media source Overcast [1] - iOS Podcast player CleanShotX [2] - macOS screenshot/video/gif capture with annotation Drafts [3] - iOS/macOS note taking tool Paprika [4] - Cross platform recipe app YNAB [5] - "You Need A Budget" - web/mobile budgeting app 1Password [6] - Cross platform password manager Carrot Weather [7] - iOS weather app... - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Yabai – A tiling window manager for macOS
    Phoenix [0] is another option in this space if you want to write JS/TS instead of Lua. I just commented about it here [1]. [0] https://github.com/kasper/phoenix. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Yabai – A tiling window manager for macOS
    Have you heard of Phoenix [1]? It seems relatively unknown but I actually found it to work better than Yabai in some ways. The gist is that it basically simulates a tiling wm and virtual desktops by internally tracking state. It's also highly hackable/extensible being written in JS. Spin2Win [2] is a config that's worked well for me. [1] https://github.com/kasper/phoenix That said, it seems there are no perfect... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: Why does Apple refuse to add window snapping to macOS?
    When I was annoyed with this I went ahead and downloaded phoenix (https://github.com/kasper/phoenix) wrote a little javascript and now I have a bunch of globally accessable hotkeys so I can lay my windows out in a number of combinations. Right now I have setups for over/under left/right, two by two grid, and three by three grid. I've got some plans to spend some time... - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
View more

PICO-8 mentions (3)

  • Asking ChatGPT some questions about GameStop
    The particular game linked in the article is copyright 2014-2022 by Lexaloffle Games https://lexaloffle.com/pico-8.php and reading the FAQ page I see:. Source: over 2 years ago
  • The Piconomicon
    Gander, if you dare, at the book that will teach you everything there is to know about the Pico-8. - Source: dev.to / over 3 years ago
  • Welcome to the iiviiGames Devlog!
    I'm going to teach you a lot about GameMaker Studio, Pico-8, and Love2D. - Source: dev.to / over 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Phoenix and PICO-8, you can also consider the following products

Magnet Window Manager - Magnet Developers

TIC-80 - TIC-80 is a fantasy computer where you can make, play and share tiny games.

Openbox - Openbox is a highly configurable, next generation window manager with extensive standards support.

Pyxel - Retro game engine for Python inspired by fantasy consoles.

yabai - A tiling window manager for macOS based on binary space partitioning

LIKO-12 - Fantasy console built with the Love 2D game engine.