Architecture and Directory Structure
1. Cocos2d-x
1.1 Architecture
1.2 Directory Structure
After you download cocos2d-x repo from github, or unzip a stable release zip ball, you will see the directory structure like this:
| CocosDenshion | Audio support. Note that BGM and short effects are using different OS API on android |
| cocos2dx | Major directory, involves everything except cash. Sorry I'm wrong, some 2dx games earns +2 million dollars per month. So it should involves money. The platform adapter is well designed, enjoy it |
| document | You can download doxygen, use it to open doxygen.config file in this document folder, then generate offline API docs by yourself |
| extensions | If you looking for more GUI controls, network access, CocosBuilder support, and even 2.5D feature, that's it. using namespace cocos2d::extension |
| external | physics libraries, box2d and chipmunk |
| licenses | cocos2d depends on many other open source projects. All of their licenses are here |
| samples | IMPORTANT. This is where you should start from. Cpp/HelloCpp is your first lesson, and you can find all classes usage in TestCpp. Looking for lua and js samples? They're also here |
| scripting | Yeah I know, you hate c++, it's too complicated. No problem, Lua and Javascript is ready. Scripting folder includes lua official engine, and SpiderMonkey which we pick up from FireFox |
| template | templates for creating cocos2d-x new project in different IDEs and various platforms. I don't know if there're such many IDEs and OS platforms on Mars |
| tools | scripts for binding c++ to lua, c++ to javascript |
| CHANGELOG | well, I don't know what does changelog mean. Can anyone who tell me please? |
| cocos2d-win32.vc2010.sln | Open with Visual Studio 2010. Note that VS2008 is not supported anymore since cocos2d-x v2.0 |
| cocos2d-win32.vc2012.sln | Open with Visual Studio 2012 |
| create-android-project.bat | Run it on windows. Please refer to How to create android project with script for usage |
| create-android-project.sh | Run it on linux and osx. Please refer to How to create android project with script for usage |
| install-templates-msvc.bat | After this installation, you can create empty cocos2d-x project in Visual Studios |
| install-templates-xcode.sh | After this installation, you can create empty cocos2d-x project in Xcode |
2. Cocos2d-html5
2.1 Architecture
2.2 Directory Structure
| CocosDenshion | Audio support. Note that you need at least two audio formats to support all browsers |
| cocos2d | Main directory, contains everything and maintains API the same as Cocos2d-x and Cocos2d-iPhone. The platform compatibility is well designed, enjoy it |
| box2d | Box2dweb Physics engine v2.1a |
| chipmunk | Chipmunk Physic engine with no version number, ;) |
| Demo | There are couples demos which you may get started from them |
| extensions | If you looking for more GUI controls, EditBox, CocosBuilder support, or any third party libs, that's where it is |
| HelloHTML5Wrold | An advance Hello World for you to get started |
| lib | It contains a min version engine when you run /cocos2d/build.xml with ant tool to package all engine flies to a single file |
| licenses | Cocos2d depends on many other open source projects. All of their licenses are here |
| samples | You can find all classes usage in Tests. All the tests can be run in JSB. IMPORTANT. This is where you should start from |
| template | templates for creating a new Cocos2d-html5 project |
| tools | JSDoc and Closure Compiler |
| index.html | Index of Cocos2d-html5 |
| AUTHORS | List of all contributors |
| CHANGELOG | Well, it lists changes that above guys have done |
3. Javascript Binding
Crossing platform is good, but not good enough. Programming in C++ is super slow, in the other hand, C++ code cannot run on web browsers. That's why we add javascript binding. We can pack javascript code into:
- native app on cocos2d-x + SpiderMonkey, which can parse javascript code into C.
- web app on cocos2d-html5
We have a same API set on cocos2d-iphone, cocos2d-x and cocos2d-html5. Therefore, we can create 100% javascript game natively in cocos2d-x/cocos2d-iphone. When you want to run it on browsers, want you need is only switch engine to cocos2d-html5, without modifying your source code.
The benefits are：
- Much faster coding speed than c++
- Don't need to deal with wild pointers / reference count / memory leak
- Crossing both native and web
