A programming language that tries to combine the advantages of static typing and compile-time memory management with a very lightweight, friendly and terse syntax
Publisher’s description
What is lobster?
lobster is an open-source program for Windows from Wouter van Oortmerssen. It is written in C++.
Installation and requirements
Official installers exist for 64-bit as Portable. It runs without installation (portable).
Updates and version history
The current version is 2026.8, released on September 22, 2026. 13 versions are listed since July 23, 2024, each with links to its own installer files. That is about 6 releases a year.
Popularity and file types
The source code on GitHub (aardappel/lobster) has 2,772 stars.
Project description on GitHub: “The Lobster Programming Language”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Portable: runs without installation
- Frequent updates (about 6 a year)
Cons
- No native ARM64 build
In short: lobster is an open-source Windows tool for 64-bit PCs. It is actively maintained.
Is lobster safe to download?
- The file is served by github.com, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
ADDFA697506973FF720C0B89D7E23241206F8474321659A6B971AA8AADD5AB9D· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link has not been checked yet
- The source code is public
- ExeAtlas does not host, wrap or modify installers
Related guide: How to check a file’s SHA256 hash on Windows
Security practices (OpenSSF Scorecard)
Automated checks of the aardappel/lobster repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 19, 2026.
- Actively maintained10
- No dangerous workflows10
- No binaries in the repository2
- Code review0
- Restricted token permissions0
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge0
- Security policy0
- Licence declared0
- Pinned dependencies0
- Fuzzing0
- Signed releases0
- Branch protection0
- Static code analysis0
The score rates how the project is developed and released, not whether the program is safe to install. scorecard.dev
Recent versions
All 13 versions ›13 versions over 2 years · about 6 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026.8Latest | September 22, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 2026.7 | September 22, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 2026.6 | August 18, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 2026.5 | August 17, 2026 | — | 64-bit ZIP |
| 2026.4 | June 14, 2026 | — | 32-bit ZIP |
| 2026.3 | May 17, 2026 | — | Any CPU ZIP |
| 2026.2 | May 15, 2026 | — | Any CPU ZIP |
| 2026.1 | February 15, 2026 | — | Any CPU ZIP |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id Aardappel.lobster -escoop install main/lobsterRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Information
- Publisher
- Wouter van Oortmerssen
- Licence
- Apache-2.0
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/aardappel/lobster
- Written in
- C++
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit
- Installer
- Portable
- Version
- 2026.8
- Released
- September 22, 2026
- Added to the catalogue
- July 23, 2024
- Versions listed
- 13
- Updates / year
- 6
- GitHub stars
- 2,772
- GitHub forks
- 140
- Website
- strlen.com
- winget ID
- Aardappel.lobster
- Scoop package
- main/lobster
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Frequently asked questions
Is lobster free?
Yes. lobster is open-source software under the Apache-2.0 licence.
Is lobster safe to download?
The download comes from github.com, which belongs to the publisher; ExeAtlas does not host or change the file. Compare its SHA256 hash with the one shown here, or open the VirusTotal report for that hash.
How do I install lobster with winget?
Open PowerShell or Windows Terminal and run the winget command shown on this page. winget downloads the official installer and checks its SHA256 hash before running it.
Does lobster run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
There is no ARM64 build; Windows 11 on Arm can run the 64-bit version through emulation.
Where can I download an older version of lobster?
The versions page lists all 13 versions with links to their official installer files, back to July 23, 2024.
Can I use lobster without administrator rights?
Yes, it is portable: unpack and run it.