Squeak 6.1

Squeak 6.1 is the latest release of the Smalltalk-based open-source development environment, marking a significant milestone in its 30-year history. This update consolidates over 1700 patches and nearly 10,000 method changes that have been integrated over the past four years. In addition to documenting technical improvements, these release notes aim to provide an overview of the major developments and offer a practical guide to exploring new features in Squeak.

Several key areas have undergone substantial enhancements in this version, including the Morphic environment, Tools package, ToolBuilder, SUnit, Shout (Syntax Highlighting), Kernel, Collections, MethodMassage, and the Network, SqueakSSL, WebClient, Regex, and PreferenceBrowser packages. The revival of the MethodMassage package, which enables the disassembly and reassembly of compiled methods, exemplifies the innovative spirit driving this release.

Moreover, the release addresses a set of major deprecations and minor changes across various modules, ensuring a smoother transition for users while maintaining compatibility with previous versions. This comprehensive update reflects the ongoing commitment to refining Squeak as a versatile and adaptable platform for software development.