kassane/sokol

Sokol is a collection of simple, cross-platform tools for building applications and games in C and C++. Instead of dealing with the messy, platform-specific code required to create a window, play a sound, or render 3D graphics on different operating systems, a developer can just drop Sokol's files into their project. It handles the heavy lifting so the same code can run on Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android, and even directly in a web browser. The project works by providing a set of standalone, single-file headers. A developer only includes the pieces they actually need. For example, one header handles creating a window and processing keyboard or touch input, while another handles 3D graphics by acting as a bridge to whatever graphics technology the user's device supports. There are also headers for playing audio, streaming files from the internet, and measuring time. Because these pieces are independent, a developer can use just the audio tool without being forced to use the graphics tool. Game developers and indie creators use this to build and ship games quickly without getting bogged down by low-level platform details. The project's page highlights several games built with it, including a turn-based sci-fi artillery game and an arcade racer, both of which are currently for sale on Steam. People have also used it to port classic games like Doom to run in a web browser, build 8-bit emulators, and create music applications. A notable tradeoff the project makes is its choice of language. By being written in C, it adds very little overhead to the final application and is intentionally easy to integrate into projects written in newer programming languages. In fact, the project automatically generates bindings so developers can use it from languages like Rust, Zig, Nim, and Odin without touching C directly. WebAssembly is treated as a first-class citizen, making it a strong choice for anyone who wants to build interactive experiences that run smoothly on the open web.