Introduction to libGDX

LibGDX is a powerful open source cross-platform game framework written in Java for developing games that are, well, cross-platform!. It allows developers to target Linux, Mac, Windows, Android, iOS and HTML5 with a single codebase, sparing us the hassle of dealing with low-level, platform-specific details. This means we only need to write the source codes for games once and it will run on several platforms!

The community behind the framework is large, welcoming, and always willing to provide support. The GitHub repository shows how active the project is, with many commits everyday, constant releases, and rich documentation. Thanks to its permissive Apache 2.0 license, Libgdx can be used for both commercial and non-commercial projects without having to necessarily disclose the source.

This blog provides resources (tutorials) for learning and working with libGDX easily. In addition, we also provide tutorials for minGDX- a libGDX-based libray for easier game programming. If you're completely new to libGDX then it's recommended for you to learn some libGDX first. Otherwise, please head on to read our minGDX tutorials.

Visit the libGDX website to learn more about libGDX!


Setting up Environment

LibGDX projects are built and managed with the Gradle build tool. This allows you to develop in almost any environment that takes your fancy, even if you are working in a team. However, in this blog we will be using IntelliJ IDEA (Android Studio works too) which is the recommended IDE to use.

Since libGDX is Java-based, it shouldn't come as a surprise that you'll need Java SDK (JDK) and the Java Runtime Environment (JRE) installed on your development machine. As of the time of this writing, the minimum requirements for setting up IDEA/Android Studio IDE are:

Note: You may need to install Android Studio in order to install Android SDK. The Android SDK is required!

For an up-to-date list of requirements for setting up your IDE, please visit the libGDX website for more information. If you're having difficulties installing any of the tools above, please let us know in the comments!


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