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Haxe

Haxe is an open source toolkit based on a modern, high level, strictly typed programming language.

Haxe

Haxe Reviews and Details

This page is designed to help you find out whether Haxe is good and if it is the right choice for you.

Screenshots and images

  • Haxe Landing page
    Landing page //
    2021-07-28

Features & Specs

  1. Cross-Platform

    Haxe allows developers to write code once and compile it to multiple target platforms, including JavaScript, C++, C#, Java, Python, Lua, and others.

  2. Strong Typing

    Haxe has a strong, static type system which helps to catch errors at compile time, leading to more robust and error-free code.

  3. High Performance

    Because Haxe compiles directly to native code or optimized JavaScript, it can offer performance close to, or even indistinguishable from, hand-written code in the target language.

  4. Open Source

    Haxe is open-source, which means it is free to use and has a community-driven development model that can lead to rapid improvements and updates.

  5. Standard Library

    Haxe comes with a versatile standard library that is designed to work seamlessly across all target platforms, ensuring consistency and reducing the need for platform-specific code.

  6. Macro System

    Haxe has a powerful macro system that allows for advanced metaprogramming capabilities, making it possible to write more expressive and flexible code.

  7. Interoperability

    Haxe allows for easy integration with existing projects and libraries in various target languages, making it easier to adopt without having to completely rewrite existing code.

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Videos

Haxe: An understated powerhouse for software development - George Corney [ACCU 2019]

Haxe 4 Released!

WTF is Haxe

Social recommendations and mentions

We have tracked the following product recommendations or mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you see what people think about Haxe and what they use it for.
  • Fusion Programming Language
    I'd love to see a comparison to Haxe. https://haxe.org/ I wonder what performance and generated code size/quality look like. - Source: Hacker News / 19 days ago
  • Building a New Flash
    I know very little about this space, but wasn't Haxe(https://haxe.org/) supposed to be a sort of next-gen, modern Flash replacement? - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
  • Building a JIT Compiler from Scratch: Part 1 โ€” Why Build a JIT Compiler?
    After reading Crafting Interpreters, I thought building a bytecode VM would be enough. I built Cabasa, a WebAssembly runtime. Iโ€™m now building Rayzor, a Haxe compiler in Rust. Each project taught me the same lesson: interpretation has a ceiling. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • A Farewell to ActionScript
    In some ways this feels like closing a door. I've come full circle and am working in JavaScript again, though it's come a long way since I first learned to declare variables with var in Khan Academy's Drawing and Animation course. For games in particular, Haxe often gets recommended as the next step from Flash, and of course there are other options for complete engines such as Godot. And ActionScript wouldn't have... - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • Adobe Animate will be discontinued effective March 1, 2026
    Notice that it's still very much possible to produce SWF files with languages like Haxe http://haxe.org/, and there are frameworks that mimic the Flash drawing API like OpenFL https://www.openfl.org/, there is (or was) a lot of interesting stuff like that happening around. - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago
  • Show HN: I implemented generics in my programming language
    You should consider change the name, it looks like a lot like https://haxe.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 7 months ago
  • When Stick Figures Fought
    Vaguely related is Haxe, https://haxe.org/. Originally a way to do ActionScript, now it targets a lot more and is quite nice to work in. - Source: Hacker News / 8 months ago
  • Adult sites are stashing exploit code inside racy .svg files
    Much like Newgrounds it is still around. https://haxe.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • How Flash Games shaped the video game industry
    The proprietary tools were only an issue for people who needed the timeline. Games-wise, Both Actionscript 2 and 3 were perfectly usable without Flash. The MTASC compiler was a massive game-changer, and then Adobe released the AS3 compiler themselves, and certainly when I was at a consultancy working on a massive, expensive game, none of us were authoring anything in Flash. Even the designers and artists simply... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Ask HN: Platform for 11 year old to create video games?
    Have you checked out https://haxe.org/. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • HyperCard Simulator
    "Flash went away faster than a replacement emerged." Not really how it looks to me: https://haxe.org/. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • Wax compiler โ€“ a tiny language designed to transpile to other languages
    This remineds me of Haxe[1]. I like Wax better because of the Common-Lisp-like syntax. [1]: https://haxe.org. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • Marimo: Interactive Fluffy Ball
    I thought this was a three.js demo but it's actually built with a language called haxe [1]. I've never heard of this language before and looks really cool. Makes me want to play with it! [1] https://haxe.org/. - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • Ask HN: What are some unpopular technologies you wish people knew more about?
    The Haxe programming language (https://haxe.org/). It's insane how unpopular this is compared to its value. "Haxe can build cross-platform applications targeting JavaScript, C++, C#, Java, JVM, Python, Lua, PHP, Flash, and allows access to each platform's native capabilities. Haxe has its own VMs (HashLink and NekoVM) but can also run in interpreted mode." It's mostly popular in game dev circles, and is used by:... - Source: Hacker News / over 2 years ago
  • One Game, by One Man, on Six Platforms: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
    For those interested in cross platform game development, don't forget https://haxe.org/! The usefulness / popularity ratio is very high on this one :). - Source: Hacker News / almost 3 years ago
  • TC39 Proposal: Types as Comments
    I really enjoyed programming in AS3, and https://haxe.org/ was really helpful at the time to make development easier. Source: about 3 years ago
  • TIL: "private_constant"
    Been tinkering in the Haxe programming language recently. I definitely suggest checking it out, but one thing I liked was private constants. I know other languages have this, but its where I've encountered it most recently. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Unexpected Update 2.1.2
    The game was written in Haxe (the language) and OpenFL (the engine). Source: over 3 years ago
  • Writing an OS in Rust to run on RISC-V
    Something like Haxe? https://haxe.org/ Obviously not โ€œanyโ€ language but it has more compile targets than your average bear. - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago
  • Haxe-neovim a new toolchain to build NeoVim plugins
    Hello, fellow NeoVim enthusiasts! Today, I'm excited to introduce a new toolchain for building neovim plugins using Haxe. Haxe is a statically typed language that is known for its safety and efficiency, making it a great choice for building complex applications. Source: over 3 years ago
  • Ask HN: I just want to have fun programming again
    Seems like Haxe (https://haxe.org/) might be fun for you. Per others, though, perhaps it's the motivation that's required. Do you want to write games? - Source: Hacker News / over 3 years ago

Summary of the public mentions of Haxe

Haxe, a versatile programming language, continues to carve out its niche in the software development ecosystem, particularly within gaming and cross-platform application development. Public sentiment around Haxe reflects a mixed yet intriguing view comprising admiration for its capability and some reservations regarding its accessibility and limitations.

Versatility and Cross-Platform Capabilities

Haxe is widely praised for its capacity to target multiple platforms, including JavaScript, C++, C#, Java, Python, and more, making it a favorable choice for developers looking to write code once and deploy it across various platforms. This flexibility is highlighted as a key advantage, especially in gaming circles where Haxe is used to build successful games like "Dead Cells" and "Papers Please". The library's ability to interface with multiple platforms' native capabilities is a significant draw, allowing developers to optimize their applications efficiently.

Community and Ecosystem

The Haxe community, while not as large as some of its competitors, is steadfast and supportive, providing a wealth of frameworks and libraries that enhance the development process. Articles frequently mention the robust ecosystem surrounding Haxe, which includes a range of tools for both game development and cross-platform desktop applications. However, the community size can sometimes translate into a limited pool of ready-to-use libraries compared to languages like JavaScript or Python.

Challenges and Limitations

Despite its strengths, Haxe does have certain limitations. Critics point out that debugging can be difficult, particularly after the language translation of the source code. Additionally, the support for native AS3 libraries is not fully fleshed out, which can pose challenges for some developers during the transition from AS3 to Haxe. High coding standards are often required to effectively leverage Haxe's capabilities, which can be a barrier for those new to the language or working on platforms where Haxe isn't widely adopted.

Comparison to Competitors

Haxe's utility and popularity, while high relative to its community size, often fall short in popularity metrics when placed alongside more mainstream languages like JavaScript or burgeoning alternatives like Kotlin and Dart. However, its unique multi-target compilation and performance efficiency give it a distinctive edge in specific scenarios, especially in game development and where extensive cross-platform capability is needed.

Flash and Haxe's Historical Context

Haxe's roots trace back to the time of Flash and ActionScript's prevalence. As Flash waned, many developers transitioned to Haxe, utilizing its capabilities to carry on the flash-like workflow into new technologies and platforms. This historical context adds to Haxe's allure as a viable legacy tool for those who thrived on Flash's capabilities.

Conclusion

In summation, Haxe stands out for its multi-platform prowess and efficient compilation capabilities, making it a potent tool for game developers and those looking to bridge applications across diverse environments. While it encounters challenges in debugging and community size, its unique offering keeps it relevant and respected in technical circles, especially for those familiar with its nuances and application potential in cross-platform scenarios.

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Is Haxe good? This is an informative page that will help you find out. Moreover, you can review and discuss Haxe here. The primary details have not been verified within the last quarter, and they might be outdated. If you think we are missing something, please use the means on this page to comment or suggest changes. All reviews and comments are highly encouranged and appreciated as they help everyone in the community to make an informed choice. Please always be kind and objective when evaluating a product and sharing your opinion.