Game engine
LÖVE
LÖVE is a Lua framework for 2D games. You get a window and a set of modules. The game loop is yours.
Developer: LÖVE contributors
Lua 2D gamesGame jamsPeople who want code instead of an editor
Overview
A project is a folder with main.lua. love.load, love.update, and love.draw are the entry points.
Players need a LÖVE runtime, or you fuse the game into an executable. Android and iOS builds exist and take extra setup.
Technical specifications
Specs checked 2026-10-05. Version lines move; the download link is the source of truth.
- Developer
- LÖVE contributors
- Version line
- Current release
- License
- Zlib
- Business model
- LÖVE is zlib licensed. Commercial games do not pay a royalty.
- Releases
- Stable versions are tagged on GitHub. A game should pin the LÖVE version it was built with.
- Editor platforms
- Windows, macOS, Linux
- Export targets
- Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS
- Languages
- Lua
- 2D / 3D
- 2D
- VR
- No.
- AR
- No.
- Visual scripting
- No. You write Lua.
- Beginners
- Yes if you will write Lua. There is no editor to hide the code.
- Learning curve
- Low for a window, a sprite, and a loop. You build scenes, physics glue, and tools yourself.
- Graphics
- 2D drawing: images, shapes, canvases, and shaders. Not a 3D scene graph.
- Team size
- One person or a jam team.
- GitHub stars
- 8,793 · love2d/love
- Documentation
- https://love2d.org/wiki/Main_Page
- Community
- https://love2d.org/forums/
- Assets and examples
- https://love2d.org/wiki/Main_Page
- Download
- https://love2d.org
Where it fits
- A small API and a short path to a window.
- Zlib license for commercial games.
- Lua is readable for a first game that is still real code.
Where it does not
- No scene editor, animator, or content pipeline.
- 3D is out of scope.
- You assemble physics, UI, and tilemaps from libraries or your own code.
Matching source
No sample projects are listed for this engine yet.
How does it compare?
Lua with an editor and a smaller runtime.
When you want scenes, an editor, and 3D later.
Questions
Is LÖVE an engine or a library?
A framework. It opens a window and gives you modules. It does not ship an editor.
Can I sell a LÖVE game?
Yes. The license is zlib.
Which language is it?
Lua.
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