Sonic Pi is a free open-source live coding environment based on Ruby, originally designed to support both computing and music lessons in schools, developed by Sam Aaron initially in the University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory in collaboration with Raspberry Pi Foundation, and now independently funded primarily via donations from users.
Thanks to its use of the SuperCollider synthesis engine and accurate timing model, it is also used for live coding and other forms of algorithmic music performance and production, including at algoraves. Its research and development has been supported by Nesta, via the Sonic PI: Live & Coding project.
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What is Sonic Pi?
Sonic Pi by Sonic Pi is open-source Windows software in the music players category. It ranks 7th by popularity among music players in this catalogue. The first release dates back to 2012. It is written in Ruby, Erlang, and Elixir. Besides Windows, it is available for Linux, macOS and Raspberry Pi OS.
Installation and requirements
The publisher provides MSI installers for 64-bit and ARM64 Windows. The main installer is 167.2 MB. Installation asks for administrator rights. A silent install is possible with the installer’s documented switches. An MSI package is available for deployment with Group Policy, Intune or Configuration Manager.
Updates and version history
The current version is 5.0.0, released on August 7, 2026. The version history goes back to February 6, 2022: 19 releases, all linked to the official files. That is about 3.4 releases a year.
Popularity and file types
The Chocolatey package has been downloaded 13,530 times. The source code on GitHub (sonic-pi-net/sonic-pi) has 12,218 stars. Wikipedia has an article about it in 12 of our languages. Similar programs include Spotify, iTunes and FLAC.
Project description on GitHub: “Code. Music. Live.”
Pros / Cons
Pros
- Open source: the code can be inspected and built by anyone
- Native ARM64 build for Windows on Arm
- MSI package for managed deployment
- Documented silent install
- Also runs on Linux, macOS and Raspberry Pi OS
- Large user base
- Mature project (since 2012)
Cons
- Installation needs administrator rights
In short: Sonic Pi is an open-source music player tool for 64-bit and ARM64 PCs. Administrators can deploy it unattended.
Key features
- Simple enough for computing and music lessons.
- Powerful enough for professional musicians.
- Free to download with a friendly tutorial.
- Diverse community of over 1.8 million live coders.
AppStream · Flathub
Screenshots
Is Sonic Pi safe to download?
- The file is served by sonic-pi.net, the publisher’s own domain
- The download link uses HTTPS
- A SHA256 hash is published, so you can verify the file:
58C12BA5F66894DFDDE3F62CA12649530B6FE80A6CC4F15AF70B9349D76FDB48· Open the VirusTotal report for this hash - The link answered when we last checked it (October 22, 2026)
- 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 sonic-pi-net/sonic-pi repository on GitHub by the Open Source Security Foundation, last run on October 19, 2026.
- Actively maintained10
- No dangerous workflows10
- Fuzzing10
- No binaries in the repository10
- Licence declared9
- Code review1
- Restricted token permissions0
- OpenSSF Best Practices badge0
- Security policy0
- Static code analysis0
- Pinned dependencies0
The score rates how the project is developed and released, not whether the program is safe to install. scorecard.dev
Recent versions
All 19 versions ›19 versions over 6 years · about 3.4 a year
| Version | Date | Size | Files |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5.0.0Latest | August 7, 2026 | 167.2 MB | ARM64 MSI64-bit MSI |
| 4.6.0 | June 26, 2025 | 281.8 MB | 64-bit MSI |
| 4.3.0 | September 30, 2022 | 212.8 MB | 64-bit MSI |
| 3.3.1 | February 1, 2021 | 174.3 MB | 64-bit MSI |
| 3.3.0 | February 6, 2022 | 173.6 MB | 64-bit MSI |
| 3.2.2 | February 6, 2022 | 169.8 MB | 64-bit MSI |
| 3.2.1 | February 6, 2022 | 169.8 MB | 64-bit MSI |
| 3.2.0 | February 6, 2022 | 169.0 MB | 64-bit MSI |
Install from the command line
Silent install ›winget install --id SonicPi.SonicPi -echoco install sonicpi -yscoop install extras/sonic-pimsiexec /i Sonic-Pi-for-Win-x64-v5.0.0.msi /qn /norestartmsiexec /x {8BDA3577-D98A-40C5-88C8-EC65F4EE9AB1} /qn /norestartRelated guide: How to use winget: install and update apps
Also for other systems
brew install --cask sonic-piflatpak install flathub net.sonic_pi.SonicPiInformation
- Publisher
- Sonic Pi
- Category
- Music players
- Licence
- MIT
- Price
- Free
- Source code
- github.com/sonic-pi-net/sonic-pi
- Written in
- Ruby, Erlang, and Elixir
- Content rating
- All ages
- Requires
- Windows 11 / 10
- Architecture
- 64-bit, ARM64
- Installer
- MSI
- Other platforms
- Linux, macOS, Raspberry Pi OS
- Version
- 5.0.0
- Released
- August 7, 2026
- First release
- 2012
- Added to the catalogue
- February 6, 2022
- Versions listed
- 19
- Updates / year
- 3.4
- Chocolatey downloads
- 13,530
- GitHub stars
- 12,218
- GitHub forks
- 1,000
- Website
- sonic-pi.net
- winget ID
- SonicPi.SonicPi
- Chocolatey package
- sonicpi
- Scoop package
- extras/sonic-pi
- MSI product code
- {8BDA3577-D98A-40C5-88C8-EC65F4EE9AB1}
Ratings and reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to rate it.
Alternatives to Sonic Pi
See all ›-
Proprietary5.4M ↓ -
iTunes12.13.11.1iTunes offers the world’s best way to play — and add to — your collection of music, movies, TV shows, podcasts, audiobooks, and more.Proprietary2.9M ↓ -
Open source15.7K ↓ -
SuperCollider3.14.1SuperCollider is a platform for audio synthesis and algorithmic composition, used by musicians, artists, and researchers working with sound.Open source20.4K ↓ -
Open source80.9K ↓ -
Open source21K ↓ -
Free409.5K ↓ -
Open source19.4K ↓
Frequently asked questions
Is Sonic Pi free?
Yes. Sonic Pi is open-source software under the MIT licence.
Is Sonic Pi safe to download?
The download comes from sonic-pi.net, 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 Sonic Pi 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.
Can Sonic Pi be installed silently?
Yes. The silent install page lists the exact command for each installer, including msiexec for the MSI package.
Does Sonic Pi run on ARM (Windows on Arm)?
Yes, there is a native ARM64 installer.
Where can I download an older version of Sonic Pi?
The versions page lists all 19 versions with links to their official installer files, back to February 6, 2022.
What are alternatives to Sonic Pi?
Spotify, iTunes, FLAC, SuperCollider and Mixxx. The alternatives page compares them.
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