Processing

Processing

Processing is a flexible software sketchbook and a language designed for learning how to code within the context of visual arts. Since its inception in 2001, it has been dedicated to promoting software literacy within the visual arts and visual literacy within technology.

Features

• Simplified Coding Environment: Processing offers an accessible and user-friendly coding environment, making it easier for artists, designers, and beginners to start programming.
• Visual Output: Designed with visual output in mind, Processing allows users to create interactive graphics, animations, and visualizations with minimal code.
• Extensive Libraries: A wide range of libraries are available to extend Processing's capabilities, including libraries for video processing, computer vision, networking, and more.
• Cross-Platform Compatibility: Processing is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, ensuring that projects can be easily shared and run across different platforms.
• Open Source: As an open-source project, Processing is free to use and distribute, encouraging community contributions and collaboration.

Use Cases

• Interactive Art Installations: Artists can use Processing to create interactive installations that respond to user input or environmental data.
• Data Visualization: Processing can be used to visualize complex datasets, making it easier to identify patterns and trends.
• Generative Design: Designers can use Processing to create generative designs, where algorithms are used to automatically generate visual forms.
• Educational Tool: Processing is widely used in educational settings to teach programming concepts to students in a visual and engaging way.
• Prototyping: Developers can use Processing to quickly prototype visual interfaces and interactions before implementing them in other programming languages.

Technical Details

• Language: Processing uses a simplified version of Java, making it easier to learn for beginners.
• IDE: The Processing Development Environment (PDE) provides a simple and intuitive interface for writing and running Processing code.
• Graphics: Processing uses OpenGL for rendering graphics, allowing for hardware-accelerated performance.
• Libraries: Libraries can be easily added to Processing projects to extend their functionality. Libraries are written in Java and can be easily integrated into Processing code.

Processing 4 introduces major improvements behind the scenes, with the primary goal to keep your code running smoothly on the latest hardware and operating systems.

void setup() {
  size(640, 480);
  background(255);
}
 
void draw() {
  ellipse(mouseX, mouseY, 50, 50);
}