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How to optimize and reduce Scratch project file size

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PO

ProjectOptimizer_Sarah

Posted on July 20, 2025 • Advanced

📊 Project hitting the 5MB size limit - need optimization help!

Hi everyone! I’m working on a complex project that’s approaching Scratch’s 5MB file size limit. The project has:

  • Extensive use of lists and variables for data management
  • Complex game mechanics with lots of code
  • Multiple sprites with custom blocks
  • Already optimized with cloning and reusable code blocks

I’m wondering if consolidating lists would help (e.g., combining two 20-item lists into one 40-item list), or if there are other techniques to reduce file size without losing functionality. Any optimization experts have suggestions? 🤔

SE

ScratchExpert_Mike

Replied 5 hours later • ⭐ Best Answer

Great question @ProjectOptimizer_Sarah! File size optimization is crucial for large projects. Here’s a comprehensive approach:

📈 Project Size Analysis Flow

Here’s how to systematically reduce your project size:

flowchart TD A[🔍 Analyze Current Size] --> B[📊 Identify Major Contributors] B --> C{What's Taking Space?} C -->|Lists & Variables| D[🗂️ Optimize Data Storage] C -->|Monitors| E[🖥️ Clean Up Monitors] C -->|Code Blocks| F[⚙️ Refactor Code] C -->|Assets| G[🎨 Compress Media] D --> H[📝 Encode Lists as Strings] D --> I[🔄 Use Dynamic Loading] D --> J[🗜️ Compress Data Format] E --> K[❌ Remove Unused Monitors] E --> L[📱 Hide Variable Displays] F --> M[🧩 Merge Similar Blocks] F --> N[🔄 Use More Cloning] G --> O[🖼️ Optimize Images] G --> P[🎵 Compress Audio] H --> Q[✅ Test & Validate] I --> Q J --> Q K --> Q L --> Q M --> Q N --> Q O --> Q P --> Q Q --> R[📏 Measure New Size] R --> S{Under 5MB?} S -->|No| T[🔄 Apply More Techniques] S -->|Yes| U[🎉 Optimization Complete] T --> D style A fill:#e1f5fe style Q fill:#f3e5f5 style U fill:#e8f5e8

🔧 Step 1: Identify Size Contributors

First, analyze what’s taking up space in your JSON file:

    // Size analysis custom block
define analyze project size
set [Total Lists v] to [0]
set [Total Variables v] to [0]
set [Monitor Count v] to [0]
set [Code Blocks v] to [0]

// Count data structures
repeat (length of [All Lists v])
change [Total Lists v] by (length of (item (counter) of [All Lists v]))
end

// Estimate sizes
set [List Size Estimate v] to ((Total Lists) * [50]) // ~50 chars per item
set [Monitor Size Estimate v] to ((Monitor Count) * [200]) // ~200 chars per monitor

say (join [Lists: ] (join (List Size Estimate) [ bytes])) for [2] seconds
say (join [Monitors: ] (join (Monitor Size Estimate) [ bytes])) for [2] seconds

🗂️ Step 2: List Optimization Techniques

Consolidating lists can help, but encoding is more effective:

    // Method 1: List Consolidation
// Instead of multiple small lists, use one large list with separators
define consolidate lists
delete all of [Master List v]
repeat (length of [List 1 v])
add (item (counter) of [List 1 v]) to [Master List v]
end
add [---SEPARATOR---] to [Master List v]
repeat (length of [List 2 v])
add (item (counter) of [List 2 v]) to [Master List v]
end

// Method 2: String Encoding (More Efficient)
define encode lists to string
set [Encoded Data v] to []
repeat (length of [Original List v])
set [Encoded Data v] to (join (Encoded Data) (join (item (counter) of [Original List v]) [|]))
end
// Now delete the original list to save space
delete all of [Original List v]

🖥️ Step 3: Monitor Cleanup

Monitors are a huge space waster - here’s how to clean them:

    // Monitor management system
when flag clicked
// Hide all variable displays to prevent monitor creation
hide variable [Score v]
hide variable [Lives v]
hide variable [Level v]
hide list [Inventory v]
hide list [High Scores v]

// Use custom display instead of built-in monitors
define show custom display (variable name) (value)
set [Display Text v] to (join (variable name) (join [: ] (value)))
go to x: [-200] y: [150]
say (Display Text) for [0.1] seconds

🔄 Step 4: Dynamic Data Loading

Load data only when needed:

    // Dynamic loading system
define load data section (section number)
if <(section number) = [1]> then
// Decode level 1 data
set [Current Level Data v] to [1,2,3,4,5|enemy,coin,platform,door,key]
else
if <(section number) = [2]> then
// Decode level 2 data
set [Current Level Data v] to [2,3,4,5,6|boss,treasure,trap,switch,portal]
end
end

// Parse the loaded data
define parse current data
set [Data Parts v] to (split (Current Level Data) by [|])
set [Numbers v] to (item [1] of [Data Parts v])
set [Objects v] to (item [2] of [Data Parts v])
// Process as needed...

🗜️ Step 5: Advanced Compression Techniques

Use compression algorithms for large datasets:

    // Simple run-length encoding
define compress data (input string)
set [Compressed v] to []
set [Current Char v] to (letter [1] of (input string))
set [Count v] to [1]
set [Position v] to [2]

repeat ((length of (input string)) - [1])
if <(letter (Position) of (input string)) = (Current Char)> then
change [Count v] by [1]
else
set [Compressed v] to (join (Compressed) (join (Count) (Current Char)))
set [Current Char v] to (letter (Position) of (input string))
set [Count v] to [1]
end
change [Position v] by [1]
end

// Add final group
set [Compressed v] to (join (Compressed) (join (Count) (Current Char)))

⚡ Step 6: Code Optimization

Reduce code redundancy:

    // Generic event handler instead of multiple similar blocks
define handle event (event type) (parameter 1) (parameter 2)
if <(event type) = [collision]> then
// Handle collision
change [Health v] by (parameter 1)
set [Last Hit v] to (parameter 2)
else
if <(event type) = [pickup]> then
// Handle item pickup
change [Score v] by (parameter 1)
add (parameter 2) to [Inventory v]
else
if <(event type) = [movement]> then
// Handle movement
change x by (parameter 1)
change y by (parameter 2)
end
end
end

🛠️ Recommended Tools:

  • JSON Minimizer: Automatically removes monitors and unused data
  • Project Analyzer: Shows detailed size breakdown
  • List Optimizer: Suggests consolidation opportunities
  • Code Deduplicator: Finds and merges similar code blocks

Pro Tip: Always backup your project before applying optimization techniques! Some changes are irreversible. 💾

PO

ProjectOptimizer_Sarah

Replied 2 hours later

@ScratchExpert_Mike This is incredibly comprehensive! Thank you! 🙌

I had no idea about the monitor issue - that explains a lot! I tried the JSON minimizer tool and it reduced my project from 4.8MB to 3.2MB just by removing monitors. The string encoding technique is brilliant too!

Quick question: Does the order of items in lists affect file size, or is it just the total content that matters?

DA

DataArchitect_Alex

Replied 1 hour later

@ProjectOptimizer_Sarah Great question about list ordering! The order doesn’t affect file size directly, but it can impact compression efficiency:

    // Sorting for better compression
define optimize list order (list name)
// Sort similar items together for better compression
set [Temp List v] to []
repeat (length of (list name))
// Group similar items
if <(letter [1] of (item (counter) of (list name))) = [a]> then
add (item (counter) of (list name)) to [Temp List v]
end
end
// Continue for other starting letters...

// Replace original list
delete all of (list name)
repeat (length of [Temp List v])
add (item (counter) of [Temp List v]) to (list name)
end

Also, here’s a neat trick for ultra-compact data storage:

    // Base64-style encoding for maximum compression
define encode to compact format (data)
set [Alphabet v] to [0123456789ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZabcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyz+/]
set [Encoded v] to []
// Convert your data to this compact alphabet
// Much smaller than storing full words!
PT

PerformanceTuner_Jordan

Replied 30 minutes later

Don’t forget about runtime optimization too! Smaller projects run faster:

  • Lazy Loading: Only load data when you need it
  • Data Caching: Store frequently used calculations
  • Memory Management: Clear unused variables regularly
  • Efficient Algorithms: Use better search/sort methods
    // Memory cleanup routine
define cleanup unused data
// Clear temporary variables
set [Temp Calculation v] to [0]
set [Loop Counter v] to [0]
delete all of [Temp Results v]

// Reset large lists that aren't needed
if <not <(Game State) = [playing]>> then
delete all of [Enemy Positions v]
delete all of [Particle Effects v]
end

These techniques can help you stay well under the 5MB limit while improving performance! 🚀

VB

Vibelf_Community

Pinned Message • Moderator

🚀 Master Advanced Project Optimization!

Fantastic discussion on project optimization! For developers working on large-scale Scratch projects, our expert community can help you with:

  • 📊 Advanced data structure design
  • ⚡ Performance profiling and optimization
  • 🗜️ Custom compression algorithms
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