How do I share a Bret Victor-style explorable?

Explorable explanations turn reading into doing. Instead of describing how a system behaves, they let the reader operate it. The genre has a clear lineage — Bret Victor's writing, the Explorable Explanations community, the interactive essays of Nicky Case — and AI assistants have made the building far more accessible.

What is an explorable explanation?

It is an essay whose ideas are interactive. A paragraph introduces a concept; right beside it sits a diagram, a slider, or a small simulation the reader can play with. The reader tests the claim instead of taking it on faith. The format rewards curiosity, which is why it teaches so well.

Why is single-file HTML the right format?

An explorable has no server and no backend — it is text, styling, and interaction running in the browser. A single self-contained HTML file captures all of that in one place. There is nothing to build, nothing to deploy, and the file you wrote is the file you publish. That simplicity matches the spirit of the genre.

How do I build one with an AI assistant?

Write the explanation first — you know the idea better than the assistant does. Then, for each point that would benefit from interaction, ask for it specifically: "Add a slider that changes the growth rate and redraws the curve." Build the interactive pieces one at a time and ask for the whole thing as a single self-contained HTML file.

Where do I publish an explorable?

Paste the finished file at arcadelab.ai/publish for a permanent URL — no signup, no email. The explorable runs in a sandboxed iframe, so it stays safe to open and easy to embed elsewhere. For a shorter, single-concept version of this format, see how to make an interactive explainer with AI.

What about long or asset-heavy explorables?

Single-file HTML covers most explorables comfortably. If yours runs to many sections or depends on large media files, a static host like Netlify or Vercel may suit it better. Keep the interactive parts lean and the single-file format will carry a surprising amount.

Have an explorable ready? Publish it at arcadelab.ai/publish.