Live coding is improvisatory real-time composition where the writing of code itself is performed as a live event for an audience

Live coding describes the improvisatory real-time composition of predominantly computer-generated audiovisual material, in which writing code (or other executable instructions) is presented as a live event for an audience. The performer’s code is typically projected onto a screen so the audience can watch it being written and executed simultaneously. This distinguishes it from pre-programmed generative systems: the live coder actively modifies the running program throughout the performance. There is no universal language or approach; the practice resists fixed definition, encompassing music, visual art, choreography, poetry, and more. A common misconception is that live coding is simply ‘making music with a laptop’ — the key differentiator is that the code itself is visible and being written live, not running a pre-composed program.

Examples

A performer opens an empty text editor projected to the audience, writes s("bd sd") in TidalCycles, then live-modifies it to s("bd*2 [sd bd] sd") as the pattern plays — the audience hears each change the instant it is evaluated.

Assessment

Given a description of a performance, determine whether it qualifies as live coding (vs. DJ set, generative playback, or laptop performance). State the three minimum criteria and identify which is absent in a given counterexample.