Professional Retro Development Environment
Get a complete, professional-grade development setup for Commodore 64, ZX Spectrum, Nintendo Entertainment System, and Commodore Amiga assembly programming.
🚀 30-Second Setup
# 1. Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/code198x/dev-environment.git
cd dev-environment
# 2. Open in VS Code
code code198x.code-workspace
# 3. When prompted, click "Reopen in Container"
# 4. When prompted, click "Install Recommended Extensions"
# 5. Start coding retro assembly! 🕹️What's Included
🛠️ Professional Assemblers
- • CA65 - 6502 assembly (C64, NES)
- • ACME - Alternative C64 assembler
- • SjASMPlus - Z80 assembly (ZX Spectrum)
- • VASM - 68000 assembly (Amiga)
- • NESASM3 - Specialized NES assembler
💻 VS Code Integration
- • Assembly syntax highlighting
- • One-click build commands
- • Integrated emulator launching
- • Code snippets & templates
- • Error detection & debugging
📚 16 Example Programs
- • Hello World programs
- • Graphics & color effects
- • Sprite animation
- • Sound & music generation
- • Hardware-specific features
🐳 Docker Environment
- • Complete isolated environment
- • No software conflicts
- • Works on Windows, Mac, Linux
- • Zero configuration required
- • Professional build toolchain
Supported Systems
🟤
Commodore 64
6502 Assembly
CA65 & ACME
🌈
ZX Spectrum
Z80 Assembly
SjASMPlus & Pasmo
🎮
Nintendo NES
6502 Assembly
CA65 & NESASM
🟦
Commodore Amiga
68000 Assembly
VASM
System Requirements
💻 Hardware
- • 8GB RAM (recommended)
- • 5GB free disk space
- • 64-bit processor
- • Internet connection (setup)
🖥️ Software
- • Docker Desktop
- • VS Code
- • Git
- • Modern operating system
🕹️ Optional
- • VICE (C64 emulator)
- • Fuse (Spectrum emulator)
- • FCEux (NES emulator)
- • FS-UAE (Amiga emulator)
Getting Started
Step 1: Install Prerequisites
Step 2: Download Environment
git clone https://github.com/code198x/dev-environment.git
cd dev-environmentStep 3: Open in VS Code
code code198x.code-workspaceVS Code will detect the dev container and prompt you to reopen. Click "Reopen in Container".
Step 4: Start Coding!
- • Press
Ctrl+Shift+Pto open Command Palette - • Type "Tasks: Run Task" and select "🟤 Create New C64 Project"
- • Enter a project name like "hello"
- • Start writing assembly code!
Recommended Learning Path
🎯 Beginners
- 1 Start with C64 Hello World
Learn basic assembly structure - 2 Try color and graphics examples
Understand memory mapping - 3 Explore other systems
Compare different architectures
🚀 Advanced
- 1 Study hardware-specific examples
Copper lists, Blitter, PPU - 2 Create your own projects
Build games, demos, tools - 3 Test on real hardware
Use generated files on actual machines
Why This Environment?
⚡
Instant Setup
No manual configuration. Everything works out of the box.
🎯
Professional Tools
Same assemblers used by retro developers and demoscene.
📚
Learn by Example
16 documented examples from basic to advanced.
🔄
Cross-Platform
Works identically on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
💰
Completely Free
Open source. No licenses, no subscriptions.
🚀
Modern IDE
1980s tools with 2024 development experience.
Need Help?
Check out the comprehensive documentation and community resources.