Inform 7 vs TADS

Inform 7 is a programming language for making interactive fiction with natural-language syntax. Its stated uses include literary writing, games-industry prototyping, and teaching at school or university. The compiler turns natural-language source text into Inter code or Inform 6 source code, and can also generate C code for use within a larger program; Unity is given as an example framework. Authors can add supplementary source-text extensions, with optional extensions included in the standard installation. A public library offers user-contributed extensions under a Creative Commons Attribution licence. Documentation consists of two connected books, Writing with Inform and The Inform Recipe Book, containing nearly 500 examples. Inform was open-sourced in April 2022; modern releases include source code and ready-compiled apps. Apps are linked for macOS, Windows, and Linux, and the project page also states that Android apps are available. The software is free, listed at free. Modern app versions support language versions 9.1, 9.2, and 9.3 for individual projects, but no earlier versions.

TADS is a free authoring system for creating interactive fiction. Its language resembles C, C++, Java and JavaScript, with runtime typing, closures, garbage collection and multiple inheritance. The Adv3 library supplies a game-world model, conversation system and parser with about 150 predefined verbs. TADS compiles games into portable byte code that runs on systems with a TADS interpreter.

Its multimedia interpreters support graphics, animation, music, sound effects, hyperlinks, proportional fonts and formatted text. Games built for Web Play can run in a browser using JavaScript, CSS, DOM, Ajax and HTML 5; the standard library also allows multiple players to join a Web game session. Command-line tools are available across platforms. Windows Workbench provides a graphical environment for editing, compiling, running and debugging, but that environment is only available on Windows. TADS lists Linux, macOS, web and Windows among its platforms. It is free software with published source code, and authors may distribute or sell games they make with it. The listed current release is version 3.1.3.