I Made an Awesome Code Animation Tool

Summary

In this video, the creator discusses building a code animation tool in just two weeks. Initially using Keynote, they faced limitations like lack of syntax highlighting and cross-platform support. Determined to improve the process, they developed a new tool with features like text diffing and character positioning, though implementing syntax highlighting proved challenging. The tool allows users to animate code between slides and export HD videos. Despite a few bugs and rate-limiting, the creator successfully launched the prototype, receiving positive feedback and planning future improvements.

Takeaways

• 😀 The tool Josh developed allows users to animate code between slides, making it easier to follow along with code tutorials.
• 😀 Keynote's limitations (Apple-only, no syntax highlighting, no file names) led Josh to create a more versatile animation tool for all platforms.
• 😀 Josh's inspiration for the project came from his frustration with Keynote's shortcomings while working on his bachelor’s thesis.
• 😀 The project timeline was set for just two weeks, during which Josh focused on creating a tool that was accessible to everyone (Windows, Mac, Linux users).
• 😀 To animate between slides, Josh used a text diffing algorithm called diff-match-patch to identify added, removed, and unchanged characters.
• 😀 Calculating the new positions of characters for smooth animations involved simple index arithmetic to track how characters move between slides.
• 😀 Syntax highlighting was initially thought to be easy but became one of the most challenging parts of the project due to alignment issues.
• 😀 Despite some initial bugs, such as missing brackets and misalignment, the tool reached a functional state after two weeks of development.
• 😀 The tool features basic functionality, allowing users to create, duplicate, and delete slides, with easy slide transitions and export options.
• 😀 Exports are limited to one per minute to prevent overload, generating high-quality 60fps HD videos from the animations created within the tool.
• 😀 Josh launched the tool on Twitter with a demo video, receiving positive feedback and enthusiasm from users, even though there are still bugs to fix.

Q & A

What tool was originally used for code animations in the video?

The tool originally used for code animations was Keynote, utilizing its Magic Move animation feature.

What were some limitations of using Keynote for code animations?

Keynote was limited in several ways: it was only available for Apple users, it didn't offer syntax highlighting unless text was pasted directly from an editor, and it wasn't designed for code presentations, lacking features like file name display.

What new idea did the creator come up with for code animations?

The creator envisioned a tool specifically for code animations that would be usable by everyone, regardless of whether they were on Windows, Mac, or Linux. The tool would allow exporting high-quality animations.

What algorithm did the creator use to compare text between slides?

The creator used Google's 'diff-match-patch' algorithm to compare the text between two slides, which identifies characters that are new, removed, or unchanged.

How does the diff-match-patch algorithm work in terms of text changes?

The diff-match-patch algorithm compares the 'before' and 'after' texts to mark which parts are removed (with a minus), which are added (with a plus), and which are unchanged (with a zero).

How does the creator calculate the movement of characters between two slides?

The creator calculates character movement by determining the original index of a character in the first slide and adjusting it based on added or removed characters in the second slide, which helps identify the new position of the character.

What issue did the creator face with syntax highlighting during the animation process?

The creator faced issues with syntax highlighting, especially with brackets and tags not rendering correctly across slides, which affected the quality of the animation.

What are some of the features of the code animation tool created by the creator?

The tool allows users to create and animate code between slides, delete slides, duplicate them, and export animations in high-quality video format. The functionality includes animating code changes like adding or removing text and moving characters.

What limitations exist on exporting animations from the tool?

The tool has a limitation of exporting only one video per minute due to the computational expense of generating 60fps videos, and there is a rate limit to prevent abuse of the export functionality.

How did the creator launch the project after completing it?

The creator launched the project by sharing a demonstration video on Twitter, showcasing the tool's features, though it was still a work in progress with some bugs, such as issues in Firefox.