---
name: boardgame.io
summary: "boardgame.io is a JavaScript/TypeScript engine for building turn-based games by writing pure functions that describe how game state changes on each move. It automatically handles multiplayer synchronization, storage, game phases, bots, and lobby/matchmaking, with view-layer-agnostic clients including React bindings."
language: TypeScript
license: MIT
repo: https://github.com/boardgameio/boardgame.io
source: https://opensources.dev/resource/boardgameio
health: 63
---

# boardgame.io

boardgame.io is a JavaScript/TypeScript engine for building turn-based games by writing pure functions that describe how game state changes on each move. It automatically handles multiplayer synchronization, storage, game phases, bots, and lobby/matchmaking, with view-layer-agnostic clients including React bindings.

Write simple functions that describe how the game state changes
when a particular move is made. This is automatically converted
into a playable game complete with online multiplayer
features, all without requiring you to write a single line of
networking or storage code.

### Features

- **State Management**: Game state is managed seamlessly across clients, server and storage automatically.
- **Multiplayer**: Game state is kept in sync in realtime and across platforms.
- **AI**: Automatically generated bots that can play your game.
- **Game Phases**: with different game rules and turn orders per phase.
- **Lobby**: Player matchmaking and game creation.
- **Prototyping**: Interface to simulate moves even before you render the game.
- **Extendable**: Plugin system that allows creating new abstractions.
- **View-layer Agnostic**: Use the vanilla JS client or the bindings for React / React Native.
- **Logs**: Game logs with the ability to time travel (viewing the board at an earlier state).

## Usage

### Installation

```sh
npm install boardgame.io
```

### Documentation

Read our [Full Documentation](https://boardgame.io/documentation/) to learn how to
use boardgame.io, and join the [community on gitter](https://gitter.im/boardgame-io/General)
to ask your questions!

### Running examples in this repository

```sh
npm install
npm start
```

The examples can be found in the [examples](examples/) folder.

### Using VS Code?

This repository is ready to run in a dev container in VS Code. See [the contributing guidelines for details](CONTRIBUTING.md).

## Changelog

See [changelog](docs/documentation/CHANGELOG.md).

## Get involved

We welcome contributions of all kinds!
Please take a moment to review our [Code of Conduct](CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md).

🐛 **Found a bug?**
Let us know by creating an issue.

❓ **Have a question?**
Our Gitter channel and GitHub Discussions
are good places to start.

⚙️ **Interested in fixing a ****bug**** or adding a ****feature****?**
Check out the [contributing guidelines](CONTRIBUTING.md)
and the [project roadmap](roadmap.md).

📖 **Can we improve ****our documentation****?**
Pull requests even for small changes can be helpful. Each page in the
docs can be edited by clicking the “Edit on GitHub” link at the top right.

## License

[MIT](LICENSE)