p5.js VS GoJS

Compare p5.js VS GoJS and see what are their differences

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p5.js

JS library for creating graphic and interactive experiences

GoJS

GoJS is a JavaScript library for building interactive diagrams on HTML web pages. Build apps with flowcharts, org charts, BPMN, UML, modeling, and other visual graph types.

Landing page //
2023-07-22

Landing page //
2023-03-21

p5.js

Website: p5js.org
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GoJS

Website: gojs.net
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p5.js features and specs

Ease of Use
p5.js simplifies the process of learning and creating interactive graphics with its intuitive syntax, making it accessible for beginners.
Web-Based
As a JavaScript library, p5.js runs directly in the web browser, enabling easy sharing and embedding of interactive sketches online without the need for additional plugins.
Creative Coding Community
p5.js is supported by a vibrant community that shares a plethora of examples, tutorials, and resources, facilitating learning and troubleshooting.
Extensibility
Its modular architecture allows for easy integration with other libraries like p5.sound, p5.dom, and even external JavaScript libraries, enhancing its functionality.
Accessibility
p5.js emphasizes inclusivity, offering features that make it easier to create accessible web content, such as screen reader support.

Possible disadvantages of p5.js

Performance
p5.js may not be as performant as other lower-level graphics libraries or frameworks, which can be a limitation for highly intensive graphical applications.
Learning Curve for Advanced Features
While beginner-friendly, mastering complex features and fine-tuning performance in p5.js can require significant effort and understanding of JavaScript.
Not Ideal for Large Projects
Due to its simplicity and focus on learning and prototyping, p5.js might not be suitable for large-scale, production-grade applications.
Limited 3D Support
Although p5.js offers 3D rendering capabilities, these are less developed and performant compared to dedicated 3D libraries like Three.js.
Dependency on JavaScript
Since p5.js is built on JavaScript, it inherits the language's limitations and quirks, which might be a hindrance for developers accustomed to other programming languages.

GoJS features and specs

Rich Feature Set
GoJS offers a comprehensive set of features designed for creating interactive diagrams, charts, and complex visualizations. This includes node and link modeling, custom styling, data binding, automatic layouts, and more.
Extensive Documentation
The library is well-documented, providing developers with thorough guides, a detailed API reference, and numerous examples to assist in the implementation and troubleshooting of applications.
High Performance
GoJS is optimized for performance, enabling the creation of responsive web applications that can handle a large number of nodes and complex interactions efficiently.
Flexibility and Customization
GoJS offers great flexibility, allowing developers to customize the appearance and behavior of diagrams entirely, which makes it suitable for a wide range of use cases.
Active Support and Community
The GoJS team provides active support to users through their forum and is responsive to issues and feature requests. This is complemented by a growing community of users sharing insights and solutions.

Possible disadvantages of GoJS

Commercial Licensing
GoJS is a commercial product, and while it offers a free trial, a license is required for sustained use. This might be a constraint for projects with limited budgets.
Steep Learning Curve
Due to its extensive capabilities and myriad of options, there can be a steep learning curve for developers new to GoJS to understand and effectively use all its features.
Complexity for Simple Diagrams
While GoJS is powerful for complex diagrams, it might be considered overkill for simpler visualizations, where a lightweight library might suffice.
Browser Compatibility
Although modern browsers are generally supported, there might be some compatibility issues or performance differences to manage when targeting older or less common browsers.
File Size
The library's comprehensive feature set comes with a relatively large file size, which could impact loading times, particularly in environments with limited bandwidth.

p5.js videos

+ Add

Processing or p5.js? My opinions

GoJS videos

+ Add

GoJS in 12 Minutes: JavaScript Diagramming Library Tutorial

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to p5.js and GoJS)

p5.js

GoJS

Javascript UI Libraries

81 81%

Javascript UI Libraries

19% 19

Flowcharts

52 52%

Flowcharts

48% 48

Charting Libraries

100 100%

Charting Libraries

0% 0

100 100%

0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using p5.js and GoJS. For example, how are they different and which one is better?

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare p5.js and GoJS

p5.js Reviews

20+ JavaScript libraries to draw your own diagrams (2022 edition)

A JS client-side library for creating graphics and interactive experiences, based on the core principles of Processing to make coding accessible to artists, designers and educators. Beyond drawing, this project provides offers web audio functionality, collision detection and even generation of graphical user interfaces from p5.js sketches.

Source: modeling-languages.com

8 Best Free and Open-Source Drawing Libraries in JavaScript

The p5.js library is a great option for people who are looking for a library that doesn't have a steep learning curve, but which can create very complicated systems if necessary. The get started with P5.js page on the official website has a functional example that draws circles wherever you move your mouse in only a few lines of code.

Source: code.tutsplus.com

GoJS Reviews

20+ JavaScript libraries to draw your own diagrams (2022 edition)

GoJS offers many advanced features for user interactivity such as drag-and-drop, copy-and-paste, transactional state and undo management, palettes, overviews, data-bound models, event handlers, and an extensible tool system for custom operations. They provide over 150 interactive samples to help you get started with diagrams such as BPMN, flowchart, state chart, visual...

Source: modeling-languages.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, p5.js seems to be a lot more popular than GoJS. While we know about 146 links to p5.js, we've tracked only 13 mentions of GoJS. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

p5.js mentions (146)

Ask HN: Who Are Your Favorite Photography and Generative Coding Artists?
p5.js is a JavaScript library that I've enjoyed messing with. It's related to Processing. https://p5js.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 2 months ago
Art Blocks and the Future of Open Source with Blockchain
Art Blocks, founded by Erick Calderon in 2020, is a platform that enables artists to create generative art using blockchain technology. It operates on the Ethereum blockchain, leveraging smart contracts to mint unique art pieces as NFTs. The process begins with artists submitting scripts that define the artwork's parameters. Once approved, these scripts generate unique pieces upon purchase, offering collectors a... - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
Rant: state of generative AI in code generation.
In my experience with AI code generation, in visual projects like UI development or JavaScript based animation (using three.js or p5.js) etc. AI tools work pretty well. - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
Procedural Generation and Noise
For this most recent assignment we were tasked with contributing a larger feature to an open source project. During my time with the previous assignment I worked on a game engine called Litecanvas, inspired engine by libraries like raylib and p5.js/Processing. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
Antirez/load81: SDL based Lua programming environment for kids similar to Codea
Let’s not forget P5js which has a long and esteemed history of helping to teach kids and more to program. It’s browser based so it’s compatible with every OS and requires no install. FOSS with an active community of users and contributors. I personally taught some middle schoolers with zero programming experience how to make interactive monsters in 1 hour. It was awesome! https://p5js.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 6 months ago

GoJS mentions (13)

Ask HN: What do you use to create diagrams?
Well I make https://gojs.net, so I just use the GoJS diagramming library to make diagrams :D Of course, its made for developers trying to make applications, not end users. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
Ask HN: What is the best software to visualize a graph with a billion nodes?
My library (https://gojs.net) can do that easily. Give it a look, and if you think the price is acceptable for your project, contact us and we can make you a proof-of-concept. - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
Your 14-Day Free Trial Ain't Gonna Cut It
If you click on their username, it takes you to their profile. https://news.ycombinator.com/user?id=simonsarris. - Source: Hacker News / 12 months ago
Burning money on paid ads for a dev tool – what we've learned
Have spent six figures yearly on ads, mostly for reach for the developer-focused diagram library GoJS (https://gojs.net) > Each experiment will need ~$500 and 2 weeks I would add a zero if you want serious data. I would also double the timescale. $5,000 over 4 weeks I second the uselessness of Google Display, it might look like conversions numbers are good but they are 100% too good to be true. As soon as you look... - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
Any Ideas How to Create a Graph Builder UI in React?
Used goJS in one project and konva in another. Source: over 2 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing p5.js and GoJS, you can also consider the following products

Pixi.js - Fast lightweight 2D library that works across all devices

mxGraph - mxGraph is a fully client side JavaScript diagramming library - jgraph/mxgraph

Processing - C++ and Java programming at the speed of thought.

Konva - Konva is 2d Canvas JavaScript framework for drawings shapes, animations, node nesting, layering, filtering, event handling, drag and drop and much more.

Three.js - A JavaScript 3D library which makes WebGL simpler.

jsPlumb - jsPlumb is an advanced, standards-compliant and easy to use JS library for building connectivity based applications, such as flowcharts, process flow diagrams, sequence diagrams, organisation charts, etc. More than just a diagram library.