Game Controls: Sample patterns: Symmetry Pulsar Spaceships Big gliders

This sample shows an implementation of Conway's Game of Life in GoJS. Conway's Game of Life is a simple cellular automaton devised by British mathematician John Horton Conway in 1970. To start or advance the simulation, use the controls above.

Whether or not a given cell lives, dies, or is born in a step is determined by the number of live cells in the 8 squares adjacent to it. For a cell x with n adjacent live cells:

• If n <= 1, cell x dies or stays dead (from underpopulation).
• If n > 3, cell x dies or stays dead (from overpopulation).
• If n = 3, then x is born or stays alive.
• If n = 2, then x maintains its status.

Though the rules are simple, they can produce complex patterns, some of which are shown in the dropdown above. To create your own patterns, click or drag anywhere on the grid when the simulation is not running.

Each cell is implemented by a simple Part holding a small square Shape.