| 2026 10-15 |
Introducing Multifile Support to WebTigerPythonProbably the most requested feature for WebTigerPython since its launch has been support for working with multiple files and thus larger projects. Of course, this makes total sense, and it has always been possible to use any number of files in the original desktop version. Implementing this feature, however, was not only technically nontrivial but also posed a dilemma: we wanted the IDE to be as straightforward as possible, and deliberately opted for a simple design with no complicated file-tree navigation, project files, environment variables, etc. Enter the code, press play, that's it. Staying true to this principle while also adding a (rightfully) much-desired feature was indeed a challenge, and I am all the happier that Mauro Vogel, together with Clemens Bachmann, did such an excellent job. The IDE looks as it did before, with the exception of a small icon; clicking it unfolds a file tree that neatly displays the files present and allows the user to add new folders and files of different types. 
Folders can be uploaded and downloaded as ZIP archives, or (behold!) they can be synchronized with GitHub repositories; sharing via a single link also still works, as demonstrated below. In my opinion, this increases the scope of WebTigerPython by orders of magnitude, while still making sure the design does not overburden novices. Mauro and Clemens made sure to incorporate extensive feedback from teachers into the design, and we had long discussions about design choices that seem minor from a distance. While multifile support is still in beta, I strongly encourage everyone to try it out. Further Reading
Tags#TigerPython |
| 2026 02-28 |
The “Informatiktage 2026” and a Long-Overdue Addition to WebTigerPythonThis year's “Informatiktage” will take place from March 16 to March 21 and feature three ABZ workshops, all dedicated to programming education. As last year, Joël Lindegger will offer a creative way into coding with XLogoOnline–this time focussing on adults, who maybe want to get a glimpse of what their kids are doing in primary school (or so I hope). Clemens Bachmann will introduce a new WebTigerPython feature implemented by Joël and him, namely a browser-based implementation of GameGrid, with two workshops aimed and students and their teachers, respectively. The original GameGrid was written in Java and very popular among teachers as it allows a comprehensive introduction to object-oriented programming. Of course, simply porting such a Java library with all its asynchronicity to run in the browser is far from trivial, which is why it had to be rewritten from scratch and uses PyGame under the hood. 
WebTigerPython now supports a majority of the PyGame features, with more to come. Actually, if you have any particular feature requests, please let us know. Further Reading
Tags#ABZ #Informatiktage #TigerPython #XLogoOnline |