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Box2D
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<h2 id="history">History</h2> <p>Box2D was first released as "Box2D Lite", a demonstration engine to accompany a physics presentation given by Erin Catto at <a href="/facts/Game_Developers_Conference/G8WBDbyW">GDC</a> 2006. On September 11, 2007, it was released as open source on <a href="/facts/SourceForge/lxYAgUAX">SourceForge</a>. On January 17, 2010, Box 2D moved the project to <a href="/facts/Google_Code/1HnjsxRd">Google Code</a> for hosting.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> On July 12, 2015, hosting was moved again, this time to <a href="/facts/GitHub/n1hNCsc3">GitHub</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> </p><p>On March 6, 2008, version 2.0 was launched, introducing <a href="/facts/Continuous_collision_detection/kXkE9WXv">continuous collision detection</a> and revamping the <a href="/facts/API/GMlN4vUr">API</a>. </p><p>On July 27, 2020, version 2.4 was launched, with a variety of changes, most notably the license was changed to the <a href="/facts/MIT_License/8llAQtlk">MIT License</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="cross-platform-availability">Cross-platform availability</h2> <p>Box2D is itself written in platform-independent <a href="/facts/C_(programming_language)/Ky2No763">C</a> (usable on any system with a C compiler available). The engine may be compiled in <a href="/facts/Fixed-point_arithmetic/pd3RU72P">fixed point</a> and <a href="/facts/Floating_point/eIckahxe">floating point</a> modes, and has been used on the <a href="/facts/Nintendo_DS/4uVHPrnp">Nintendo DS</a>, <a href="/facts/Wii/BxUgl2da">Wii</a>, and several mobile phones (including <a href="/facts/Android_(operating_system)/nNyHb0xz">Android</a>, <a href="/facts/BlackBerry_10/WCev9y98">BlackBerry 10</a> and <a href="/facts/IOS/mK5cggH5">iOS</a>) as well as most major operating systems. </p><p>The engine has been ported to many other programming languages and environments, including <a href="/facts/Java_(programming_language)/9ScgFyAL">Java</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> <a href="/facts/Adobe_Flash/3Lrp9JuH">Adobe Flash</a> (in <a href="/facts/ActionScript/xtDQb0wR">ActionScript</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a> and <a href="/facts/Haxe/jp87sM7P">Haxe</a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a> languages), <a href="/facts/C_Sharp_(programming_language)/UC2gxeyb">C#</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a> <a href="/facts/Lua_(programming_language)/xkBCgta0">Lua</a>, <a href="/facts/JavaScript/XhhIIEsl">JavaScript</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:10" href="#fn:10"><sup>10</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:11" href="#fn:11"><sup>11</sup></a> and <a href="/facts/D_(programming_language)/4qIzRjkF">D</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:12" href="#fn:12"><sup>12</sup></a> <a href="/facts/Language_binding/V5HW4Wr4">Bindings</a> exist to use the compiled library from <a href="/facts/Python_(programming_language)/YbuGqofa">Python</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:13" href="#fn:13"><sup>13</sup></a> <a href="/facts/DarkBASIC/138an6Jk">DarkBASIC</a> and <a href="/facts/BBC_BASIC/7N5Pjzoe">BBC BASIC</a>. </p><p>On October 30, 2009, it was announced that Box2D was being integrated into the (now older) <a href="/facts/Torque_(game_engine)/QIj06qIR">Torque 2D game engine</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:14" href="#fn:14"><sup>14</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="programs-that-use-the-engine">Programs that use the engine</h2> <ul><li><a href="http://bbcbasic.uk/">BBC Basic for SDL</a>, cross-platform version of <a href="/facts/BBC_Basic/7N5Pjzoe">BBC Basic</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/BlitzBasic/apXchp8x">BlitzBasic</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/GameMaker%3a_Studio/u8lCgYkR">GameMaker: Studio</a>, uses the engine for physics simulation.</li> <li><a href="/facts/LibGDX/FRSHNUqt">LibGDX</a>, uses the physics engine for games and lighting.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Stencyl/RyEG6TUK">Stencyl</a>, uses the physics engine for games, and allows export to Flash and iOS.</li> <li><a href="/facts/Unity_(game_engine)/GsM1fEUG">Unity</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Construct_(game_engine)/4TUo11C5">Construct2</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/L%25C3%25B6ve_(game_engine)/MRybbLMG">LÖVE</a>, uses the physics engine for games<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:15" href="#fn:15"><sup>15</sup></a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Solar2D/KkLR1uzL">Solar2D</a></li> <li><a href="/facts/Clickteam_Fusion_2.5/CxVMvUv9">Clickteam Fusion 2.5</a></li> <li><a href="https://docs.flame-engine.org/1.0.0/index.html">Flame</a>, <a href="/facts/Flutter_(software)/aI365dAp">Flutter</a> game engine</li></ul> <h2 id="features">Features</h2> <p>Box2D performs constrained <a href="/facts/Rigid_body/THezBlq2">rigid body</a> simulation. It can simulate bodies composed of <a href="/facts/Convex_polygon/7x35w610">convex polygons</a>, <a href="/facts/Circle/9fy5ggKn">circles</a>, and edge shapes. Bodies are joined with <a href="/facts/Joint_(mechanics)/9ctT76sU">joints</a> and acted upon by <a href="/facts/Force/533Q1uzq">forces</a>. The engine also applies <a href="/facts/Gravity/bqAN7DdQ">gravity</a>, <a href="/facts/Friction/d0108Rpu">friction</a>, and <a href="/facts/Coefficient_of_restitution/K1vlBw4B">restitution</a>. </p><p>Box2D's collision detection and resolution system consists of three pieces: an incremental <a href="/facts/Sweep_and_prune/lXG96NCU">sweep and prune</a> broad phase, a <a href="/facts/Continuous_collision_detection/kXkE9WXv">continuous collision detection</a> unit, and a stable linear-time contact solver. These algorithms allow efficient simulations of fast bodies and large stacks without missing collisions or causing instabilities.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:16" href="#fn:16"><sup>16</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="related-engines">Related engines</h2> <p>An earlier version of the Box2D engine, now known as Box2D Lite, was released primarily for educational purposes, based on a series of yearly <a href="/facts/Game_Developers_Conference/G8WBDbyW">Game Developers Conference</a> presentations that Erin Catto has given. Box2D Lite uses many of the same algorithms as Box2D, but has a smaller feature set. </p><p>The <a href="/facts/Chipmunk_(software)/pFeT0RXd">Chipmunk</a> physics engine (written in C)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:17" href="#fn:17"><sup>17</sup></a> and Phys2D (written in Java)<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:18" href="#fn:18"><sup>18</sup></a> are both partially based on Box2D Lite. The physics engine used in SpriteKit for iOS and OS X uses Box2D internally.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:19" href="#fn:19"><sup>19</sup></a> </p><p>The LiquidFun physics engine is a fork of Box2D by <a href="/facts/Google/GT9Sugza">Google</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:20" href="#fn:20"><sup>20</sup></a> which adds <a href="/facts/Fluid_animation/xKwmVRdu">fluid simulation</a> to the engine. </p><p><a href="/facts/LibGDX/FRSHNUqt">LibGDX</a> uses a Java wrapper around native Box2D code written in C as its physics engine.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:21" href="#fn:21"><sup>21</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="articles">Articles</h2> <p>Itterheim and Wenderlich describe the usage of Box2D in the <a href="/facts/Cocos2d/XcdoCk2x">Cocos2d</a> <a href="/facts/IPhone/h5WeKRl9">iPhone</a> engine.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:22" href="#fn:22"><sup>22</sup></a><a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:23" href="#fn:23"><sup>23</sup></a> An article in the Adobe Edge newsletter discusses the use of Box2D in Flash games.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:24" href="#fn:24"><sup>24</sup></a> </p> <h2 id="see-also">See also</h2> <ul> <li>Free and open-source software portal</li></ul> <ul><li><a href="/facts/Chipmunk_(software)/pFeT0RXd">Chipmunk (software)</a></li></ul> <h2 id="external-links">External links</h2> <ul><li><a href="http://www.box2d.org/">Official website</a></li></ul> <h2 id="references">References</h2> <ol> <li id="fn:1"><p>"Play Happy Wheels Online – AndroidFantasy". Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved August 14, 2015. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150905191437/http://www.androidfantasy.com/play-happy-wheels-online/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20150905191437/http://www.androidfantasy.com/play-happy-wheels-online/</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:2"><p>"Box2d Games at Jayisgames". Jayisgames. <a href="http://jayisgames.com/tag/box2d" target="_blank">http://jayisgames.com/tag/box2d</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:3"><p>"Box2D – Home". Box2D. Archived from the original on October 23, 2007. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20071023024616/http://www.box2d.org/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20071023024616/http://www.box2d.org/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:4"><p>"GitHub Hosting | Box2D". box2d.org. Archived from the original on April 6, 2018. Retrieved April 6, 2018. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20180406163934/http://box2d.org/2015/07/github-hosting/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20180406163934/http://box2d.org/2015/07/github-hosting/</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:5"><p>"Release v2.4.0". github.com. Retrieved August 14, 2020. <a href="https://github.com/erincatto/box2d/releases/tag/v2.4.0" target="_blank">https://github.com/erincatto/box2d/releases/tag/v2.4.0</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:6"><p>"JBox2D: A Java Physics Engine". JBox2D. <a href="http://www.jbox2d.org/" target="_blank">http://www.jbox2d.org/</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:7"><p>"AS3 Flash Physics Engine Box2DFlashAS3 2.0.1". Box2D. <a href="http://box2dflash.sourceforge.net/" target="_blank">http://box2dflash.sourceforge.net/</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:8"><p>"Google Code Archive – Long-term storage for Google Code Project Hosting". <a href="https://code.google.com/p/physaxe/" target="_blank">https://code.google.com/p/physaxe/</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:9"><p>"Google Code Archive – Long-term storage for Google Code Project Hosting". <a href="https://code.google.com/p/box2dx/" target="_blank">https://code.google.com/p/box2dx/</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:10"><p>"Box2DJS". Box2D. <a href="http://box2d-js.sourceforge.net/" target="_blank">http://box2d-js.sourceforge.net/</a> <a href="#fnref:10" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:11"><p>"GitHub – hecht-software/box2dweb: Automatically exported from code.google.com/p/box2dweb". GitHub. September 16, 2021. <a href="https://code.google.com/p/box2dweb/" target="_blank">https://code.google.com/p/box2dweb/</a> <a href="#fnref:11" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:12"><p>"blaze". Dsource. <a href="http://www.dsource.org/projects/blaze" target="_blank">http://www.dsource.org/projects/blaze</a> <a href="#fnref:12" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:13"><p>"Pybox2d/pybox2d: 2D Game Physics for Python". GitHub. Retrieved February 19, 2016. <a href="https://github.com/pybox2d/pybox2d" target="_blank">https://github.com/pybox2d/pybox2d</a> <a href="#fnref:13" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:14"><p>Perry, Michael (October 30, 2009). "Torque 2D Development Blog – Box2D Overview". garagegames.com. Retrieved February 26, 2016. <a href="http://www.garagegames.com/community/blogs/view/18641" target="_blank">http://www.garagegames.com/community/blogs/view/18641</a> <a href="#fnref:14" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:15"><p>"Love.physics - LOVE". <a href="https://love2d.org/wiki/love.physics" target="_blank">https://love2d.org/wiki/love.physics</a> <a href="#fnref:15" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:16"><p>"Chapter 1 Introduction". Box2D. Archived from the original on March 27, 2009. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20090327033117/http://www.box2d.org/manual.html" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20090327033117/http://www.box2d.org/manual.html</a> <a href="#fnref:16" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:17"><p>"Google Code Archive – Long-term storage for Google Code Project Hosting". <a href="https://code.google.com/p/chipmunk-physics/" target="_blank">https://code.google.com/p/chipmunk-physics/</a> <a href="#fnref:17" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:18"><p>"Index of /phys2d". Coke and Code. <a href="http://www.cokeandcode.com/phys2d/" target="_blank">http://www.cokeandcode.com/phys2d/</a> <a href="#fnref:18" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:19"><p>"tm4ko – Ghostbin". Ghostbin. Archived from the original on July 27, 2013. <a href="https://archive.today/20130727105340/https://ghostbin.com/paste/tm4ko" target="_blank">https://archive.today/20130727105340/https://ghostbin.com/paste/tm4ko</a> <a href="#fnref:19" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:20"><p>"LiquidFun". google.github.io. Retrieved March 12, 2017. <a href="https://google.github.io/liquidfun/" target="_blank">https://google.github.io/liquidfun/</a> <a href="#fnref:20" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:21"><p>"Physics · libgdx/Libgdx Wiki". GitHub. <a href="https://github.com/libgdx/libgdx/wiki/Physics" target="_blank">https://github.com/libgdx/libgdx/wiki/Physics</a> <a href="#fnref:21" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:22"><p>Steffen Itterheim. (2010). "Learn iPhone and iPad cocos2d Game Development." Apress. <a href="#fnref:22" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:23"><p>Rod Strougo and Ray Wenderlich. (2011). "Learning Cocos2d: A Hands-On Guide to Building IOS Games with Cocos2d, Box2d, and Chipmunk." Addison-Wesley Professional. <a href="#fnref:23" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> <li id="fn:24"><p>"Adobe Edge: April 2010 – Developing physics-based games with Adobe Flash Professional". Adobe. Archived from the original on August 11, 2011. Retrieved July 19, 2016. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20110811061010/http://www.adobe.com/newsletters/edge/april2010/articles/article7/" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20110811061010/http://www.adobe.com/newsletters/edge/april2010/articles/article7/</a> <a href="#fnref:24" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li> </ol>