Bitburner
by Bitburner (open source) · 2021
8.6
house score
The verdict
An incremental where the automation is code you actually write in JavaScript. Free, open-source, and the closest thing to a programming sandbox the genre has — the more you script, the more the game plays itself.
Hot take
It's the one idle game that doubles as a coding bootcamp. If you write software you'll love it; if you don't, it might teach you — either way nothing else in the genre is remotely like it.
Screenshots
The facts
| Developer | Bitburner (open source) |
| Released | 2021 |
| Status | active |
| Platforms | web, steam |
| Primary mechanic | write JavaScript to hack a simulated network |
| Prestige system | BitNode resets + Source-File bonuses |
| Active vs idle | active-heavy |
| Offline progress | No |
| Monetization | free |
| Pay to win | No |
| Complexity | brutal |
| Est. length | 50+ hours |
incrementalprogrammingjavascripthackingfreeopen-sourcesteam
Last verified by the Almanac: 2026-09-04