Scratch User Guide: Introduction
Scratch Tutorial Note
This user guide was written for Scratch version 1.4, which is available at the Scratch 1.4 download page. Additional tutorials are available on the download page. Information about the most recent version of Scratch is available at the MIT Scratch website.
Introduction
What is Scratch?
Scratch is an easy-to-use programming language that allows anyone (even beginners who have never programmed before!) to create their own interactive stories, games, animations, videos, art, and music on the computer. Scratch was developed by the Lifelong Kindergarten Group at the MIT Media Lab, and is available for free.
Scratch can be used to create just about anything you can think of. To get a sense of the range of things people make in Scratch, take a look at the various projects posted online at the MIT Scratch homepage.
Can Scratch be used for science or engineering projects?
Yes! Science Buddies has developed several science projects that use Scratch. You can also use Scratch to create your own original science project. For more advice about programming-based science projects, check out the Science Buddies Engineering Design Process.
How do I use Scratch?
Below is a list of topics to help you get comfortable with Scratch. Feel free to read through all of them, or just click the links for the ones that you need right now.
- Scratch User Guide: Installing and Getting Started with Scratch
- Scratch User Guide: Adding Images and Sprites to a Scratch Program
- Scratch User Guide: Connecting and Using a Picoboard with Scratch
- Scratch User Guide: Help, I'm Stuck! Troubleshooting a Program in Scratch
Although these help pages cover much of what you might want to do with Scratch, the best way to learn how to do something in Scratch is to just start playing around with it. Have fun!
