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A cross-platform application for exploring Conway's Game of Life and many other types of cellular automata.

Features

  • Bounded or unbounded universes with up to 256 states.
  • Fast generating algorithms.
  • Reads a variety of common CA and graphical formats.
  • Unlimited undo/redo for difficult pattern editing tasks.
  • User-configurable keyboard shortcuts for menu items and scripts.
  • Scriptable via Lua or Python.
  • User-definable rules.
  • State-of-the-art pattern collection.

Project Samples

Larger than Life on Mac OS X 3D.lua on Mac OS X WireWorld prime calculator on Linux Cloned layers on Windows

Project Activity

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Categories

Games, Mathematics

License

GNU General Public License version 2.0 (GPLv2)

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User Ratings

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User Reviews

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  • truphane Posted 2025-11-05
    Terrific program BUT one minor request: --> Make the "+" and "-" zoom tools - when held down - act like the "hand" tool. This will help a lot. Make them zoom only on a brief click & release. Right now, zooming in with the "+" tool almost always moves the pattern further off center. I can use the arrow keys to move it back but those operate in steps. A hand tool would be intuitive and smoother, but I can't be switching back and forth from that. Thanks!
    Reply from Golly
    Posted 2025-11-08
    If you want to zoom in/out without changing the central position, hit the ]/[ keys. If you'd prefer different keys to do that, open Preferences > Keyboard and assign any keys you like to the Zoom In / Out actions.
  • alex_ander Posted 2023-02-04
    A simple and intuitive Conway simulator game. Thanks.
  • horab Posted 2022-12-25
    Perhaps it would be interesting to be able to import 2-bit bitmap graphics.
    Reply from Golly
    Edited 2025-11-09
    You can. See Help > File Menu > Open Pattern.
  • barthdry Posted 2021-06-24
    Useful Conway game of light compiler or simulator
  • oshanruiz Posted 2016-12-11
    Very cool, Thanks for this project.
Read more reviews >

Additional Project Details

Operating Systems

BSD, Linux, Mac, Windows

Languages

English

Intended Audience

End Users/Desktop

User Interface

Cocoa (MacOS X), Win32 (MS Windows), wxWidgets

Programming Language

C++

Related Categories

C++ Games, C++ Mathematics Software

Registered

2005-05-19
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