TOPLAP prefers live coding without safety nets — no backup tracks, no pre-rendered fallback — because risk is part of the performance value

The manifesto states a preference for ‘No backup (minidisc, DVD, safety net computer).’ This reflects the view that authentic live coding performance involves real risk: the code might crash, the sound might stop, the algorithm might go wrong. Removing the safety net raises the stakes and heightens the performance’s authenticity and tension. It is analogous to tight-rope walking vs. tight-rope walking over a net — both may be skillful, but the risk is communicative. This preference does not apply to beginners and is a performance-context value, not a technical rule; many practitioners use incremental fallbacks, but the ideal is unassisted extemporisation.

Examples

A live coder performing at an algorave starts from a blank file (from-scratch technique). No audio plays until the first patterns are evaluated. If the laptop crashes, the music stops — there is no backup DAW track. This risk is visible to the audience and is part of what makes the performance exciting.

Assessment

Explain why removing a safety net can increase the perceived value of a live performance. Then describe two practical strategies a live coder might use to reduce crash risk without violating the spirit of the no-backup principle.