Where to find updates

Updates to the MakeCode Editor can be found on the MakeCode product blog. New features are released to the Live editor at makecode.microbit.org once a year, though bug fixes are done on a regular basis.


Latest Features


The V2 release in Live (November 19th 2020) includes:


  • Microphone blocks
  • Speaker blocks
  • Logo touch blocks


The latest feature release in Live (June 12th 2020) includes:


  • Functions with return values
  • Expand / collapse blocks
  • Python language support
  • Code debugger
  • GitHub projects (you will require a GitHub account to do this)
  • WebUSB improvements
  • New music blocks
  • Break and continue loops
  • Dot-to-dot connectors
  • Project name and code option changes
  • Multi-edit
  • User tutorial creation



Offline

The MakeCode team have also released an offline version of the editor, which can be used in situations where there is limited or no internet connectivity. There is more information about this within the MakeCode documentation https://makecode.microbit.org/offline


Access to the previous version of the editor

Should you need to, you will still be able to access the previous version at https://makecode.microbit.org/v2 until 2022 and you can access the old version at https://makecode.microbit.org/v0 until 2020.


MakeCode Beta and Stable

In addition to the Live editor the MakeCode team also publish a Beta release of the site at makecode.microbit.org/beta and a Stable release at makecode.microbit.org/stable.


Beta contains new features checked in to the code base which the team believe will make it into the next yearly release of the live editor. It serves to facilitate a feedback channel from the users to the engineers and aids transparency, letting users try out the new features before they are made live. 


Stable contains important bug fixes that can be tested before they are released to the live editor. It is the closest release to Live.



MakeCode Experiments

Features which the MakeCode team are unsure they will ever ship are added as experiments. Experiments are present both in live and beta editors. If an experiment is successful then they are implemented or 'shipped' first in Beta and then in the Live release.


You can find experiments by choosing About in the Settings menu and then choosing Experiments





Examples of experiments: Green screen, QR code, Simulator gifs. 

Users liked Green screen and QR codes so these were shipped. Simulator gifs, on the other hand, were too confusing for users so the feature was dropped.


Experiments in either Beta or Live editors are unsupported by the MakeCode team or by the Micro:bit Educational Foundation, although feedback is highly appreciated. If there are issues with experiments, please file these in the pxt-microbit GitHub repository. Experiments can be taken down at any point in time and without warning. 


Target audience

Here is how the MakeCode team envision the use of the editor

Live makecode.microbit.org
Teachers in Classrooms or anyone using MakeCode in formalized instruction to a group of students
Beta makecode.microbit.org/beta
Advanced users or Partners for individual or testing purposes
Stable makecode.microbit.org/stable
Advanced users or Partners for individual or testing purposes
Experiments (enabled via About menu in Live and Beta)
Researchers, Developers, Partners or super early adopters

 



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