Strudel is a browser-native port of TidalCycles that requires no installation and runs on any device with a web browser

Strudel (strudel.cc) is a JavaScript port of TidalCycles that runs entirely in the browser — no SuperCollider, no local install, no audio interface requirement. It includes built-in sample banks (classic drum machines, instrument collections), built-in synthesizers, and integrated documentation with live examples. The project was started by McLean but substantially developed by Felix Roos, with Jade Rowland later contributing synthesizers. Because all timing is handled in-browser, latency to external gear is not an issue. A shuffle button surfaces random community patterns as a discovery mechanism. Strudel’s lower barrier to entry makes it the recommended entry point for new live coders.

Examples

Go to strudel.cc, type s("bd sd hh bd") in the editor, press Ctrl+Enter. You hear a four-on-the-floor pattern in ~2 seconds with no install.

Assessment

List three specific differences between running TidalCycles locally and using Strudel in a browser. Which would you recommend to a complete beginner and why? Which would you recommend to a performer needing a custom sample library?