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🧩 Collaborative Blockly

🚀 Vision

We're enhancing Google's Blockly programming environment to create virtual spaces where autistic youth can learn to code and collaborate through scaffolded, supportive interactions. Our mission is to make programming collaboration accessible, enjoyable, and growth-oriented for all learning styles.

🌟 Project Goals

  • 🤝 Develop collaboration skills in manageable stages
  • 🛡️ Allow coding in shared projects with carefully scaffolded separation of effort
  • 🔄 Ease the coordination skills required for simultaneous code editing
  • 🌉 Create bridges between independent work and shared projects
  • 💪 Build confidence through structured collaborative experiences

🧠 Why This Matters

Many autistic youth have natural talents for logical thinking and technology but may find traditional collaborative environments challenging. Our platform provides:

  • 🔍 Clear visual boundaries and ownership of code sections
  • 🕰️ Self-paced integration into collaborative workflows
  • 📊 Reduced cognitive load during social interactions
  • 🎯 Focused learning experiences that build on individual strengths

💻 Technology Stack

  • Next.js: React framework for building the web application
  • TypeScript: For type-safe code development
  • Blockly: Google's library for visual block-based programming
  • Firebase: For room persistence and user presence
  • Yjs: Real-time collaboration and shared editing
  • WebSocket Server: For synchronizing changes between users

🚦 Getting Started

  1. Install dependencies:

    npm install

  2. Set up environment variables:

    • Create a .env.local file based on .env.example
    • Add your Firebase credentials

  3. Start the WebSocket server:

    node y-websocket-server.js

  4. Run the development server:

    npm run dev

  5. Open http://localhost:3000 in your browser

🏗️ Project Structure

  • /pages: Next.js pages including the main editor view
  • /components: React components including our enhanced Blockly workspace
  • /styles: CSS modules for styling the application
  • /lib: Shared utilities and collaboration logic
  • /public: Static assets and images

🌱 Current Features

  • 🧩 Visual block-based programming interface
  • 🔄 Real-time JavaScript code generation
  • 📱 Responsive design for multiple devices
  • 👥 Real-time collaborative editing with visual feedback
  • 🏁 Basic scaffolding for collaborative interactions

🔮 Upcoming Features

  • 🚦 Progressive collaboration levels (independent → guided → collaborative)
  • 💬 Structured communication tools
  • 💾 Project saving and sharing capabilities
  • 🎨 Customizable workspace preferences for sensory needs

📦 Deployment

Deploying to Vercel

  1. Set up your Vercel account:

    • Create an account at vercel.com
    • Install the Vercel CLI: npm i -g vercel

  2. Configure environment variables:

    • Go to your Vercel project dashboard
    • Navigate to Settings > Environment Variables
    • Add all variables from .env.example with your values

  3. Deploy the Next.js app:

    vercel login
vercel

  4. Follow the prompts:

    • Select your account
    • Select or create a project
    • Use default settings for the remaining prompts

Deploying the WebSocket Server (Required)

Since Vercel doesn't support WebSocket servers, deploy the WebSocket server separately:

  1. Copy the WebSocket server to a new repository:

    • A minimal server is available in /blockly-websocket-server

  2. Deploy to a service that supports WebSockets:

    • Recommend: Render.com (Web Service)
    • Alternatives: Heroku, Fly.io, or Railway

  3. Update your Vercel environment variables:

    • Set NEXT_PUBLIC_WEBSOCKET_URL to your deployed WebSocket server URL
    • Format: wss://your-server-url.com (note the wss:// protocol)

📚 Resources

📝 License

MIT