What is tinytools.directory?

Updated

tinytools.directory is a curated roundup of small, free, or experimental tools for building games, websites, and interactive projects. It is aimed at creators who want to work outside closed production ecosystems or walled software gardens, and it favors artful tools and toys that are as enjoyable to use as they are functional. If you are looking for a lightweight starting point for a digital creation project—or a place to submit a tool you have made—this list is worth browsing.

What the site actually is

The site describes itself as "a list of small, free, or experimental tools that might be useful in building your game / website / interactive project." Two things stand out about its scope:

  • Small and independent over large and commercial. The focus is on tools that let you make things entirely outside closed production ecosystems.
  • Artful and playful, not just utilitarian. The list explicitly includes "artful tools and toys that are as fun to use as they are functional," so expect experimental and creative entries alongside practical ones.

It also includes what the site calls "standards," so the list is not limited to obscure experiments.

How to browse it

The list is organized around tags rather than categories you scroll through linearly.

  1. Pick tags. The interface starts with a tag selection step. You choose the tags that match what you are trying to do.
  2. See matching tools. The page then shows tools that carry all of the selected tags. On first load it shows "0 tools with all of the following tags," so nothing appears until you click a tag.
  3. Or randomize. If you do not have a specific need, a "Randomize Your Search" option surfaces tools without you choosing tags first.

There is also a Markdown version with no JavaScript, which is useful if you want to read or search the list as plain text, or if you prefer to avoid a script-driven interface.

Who runs it and how it is licensed

  • License: The list is licensed under the MIT License.
  • Built with: It is built in a modified version of Leafy.
  • Contact: Questions and requests go to [email protected].
  • Support: Development is supported by The Frank-Ratchye STUDIO for Creative Inquiry and the Clinic for Open Source Arts.

Submitting a tool

The site provides a "Submit a tool to the list!" link. If you have made a small, free, or experimental tool that fits the creative-coding and interactive-project focus, that is the entry point for getting it included. The site does not state submission criteria beyond its overall description, so match your tool to the stated focus—small, free or experimental, and useful for game, web, or interactive creation—before submitting.

Is it worth your time?

Browse it if you want discovery over documentation: a tag-driven or randomized way to find small tools for creative projects, with a deliberate bias toward open and experimental work. Skip it if you need a managed framework, commercial support, or a guarantee that every listed tool is actively maintained—the list is a roundup, not a vetted product catalog.