p5.js VS Processing

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

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p5.js

JS library for creating graphic and interactive experiences

Processing

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

Landing page //
2023-07-22

Landing page //
2023-06-12

We recommend LibHunt Processing for discovery and comparisons of trending Processing projects.

p5.js

Website: p5js.org
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Processing

Website: processing.org
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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.

Processing features and specs

Ease of Use
Processing has a simple and straightforward syntax, making it accessible for beginners and quick for prototyping.
Visualization Capabilities
Processing excels at creating visually appealing graphics, animations, and interactive content.
Active Community
Processing has a large, active community that contributes tutorials, examples, libraries, and forums support.
Cross-Platform
Processing is cross-platform, allowing developers to run their sketches on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Educational Focus
Processing is designed with teaching in mind and is widely used in educational settings to teach programming concepts.
Integration with Other Tools
Processing can be easily integrated with other creative coding tools and software such as Arduino.

Possible disadvantages of Processing

Performance Limitations
Processing may not be the best choice for highly performance-critical applications, especially those requiring intense computation.
Limited Functionality
While great for graphics and animation, Processing might be limited for other types of development like database-driven applications.
Java Dependency
Processing is built on top of Java, which may not be ideal or preferred for all users, especially those who do not wish to work with Java.
Scalability Issues
Processing sketches might face challenges when scaling up to large or more complex projects.
Basic IDE
The Processing IDE is quite basic compared to more advanced development environments, potentially limiting for complex project management.

Analysis of p5.js

Overall verdict

p5.js is a highly regarded tool for creative coding, offering a versatile platform for interactive graphics and art. Its simplicity and powerful functionality make it a popular choice in the creative coding community.

Why this product is good

p5.js is considered good due to its user-friendly interface and extensive documentation, which make it accessible for both beginners and experienced developers. It's designed to make coding easy and approachable for artists, designers, educators, and beginners, focusing on the creative potential of programming.

Recommended for

Artists
Designers
Educators
Students
Beginners in programming
Anyone interested in creative coding and visual arts

Analysis of Processing

Overall verdict

Yes, Processing is considered to be good, especially for artists, designers, and beginners who are interested in creative coding. Its simplicity and focus on visual output make it an excellent entry point for those looking to merge programming with art.

Why this product is good

Processing is a flexible software sketchbook and a language for learning how to code within the context of the visual arts. It's highly appreciated for its simplicity and ease of use, making it accessible for beginners. Additionally, it has a strong community and a wealth of tutorials and examples that help users to quickly get started with creating visual art and interactive media.

Recommended for

Artists and designers who want to learn coding
Educators looking for a tool to teach coding in a visual context
Beginners interested in interactive graphics and visualizations
Developers who want to quickly prototype visual ideas

p5.js videos

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Processing or p5.js? My opinions

Processing videos

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Processing - Kickstarter Board Game Review

Category Popularity

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

Processing

Javascript UI Libraries

74 74%

Javascript UI Libraries

26% 26

24 24%

76% 76

Charting Libraries

100 100%

Charting Libraries

0% 0

Flowcharts

100 100%

Flowcharts

0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using p5.js and Processing. 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 Processing

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

Processing Reviews

We have no reviews of Processing yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Processing should be more popular than p5.js. It has been mentiond 343 times since March 2021. 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 / 7 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 / 7 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 / 8 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 / 11 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 / 11 months ago

Processing mentions (343)

The Little Book of Linear Algebra
As an autodidact who never learned this stuff at school/uni, his lectures are what made linear algebra really click for me. I can only recommend them to anyone who wants to get a visual intuition on the fundamentals of LA. What also helped me as a visual learner was to program/setup tiny experiments in Processing[1] and GeoGebra Classic[2]. - [1] https://processing.org. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
DevLog 20250611: Audio API Design for Divooka Glaze!
Glaze! Is an interactive media framework in Divooka that features a Processing-like interface. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
What is a modern successor to HyperCard?
I have been following HyperCard clones for years. It would take me some time to gather what I found, but the short answer is to download a Mac OS 9 emulator (it works) and load up HyperCard 2.4.1 and have fun. Emulators page with links to versions for MacOS and Windows. https://mendelson.org/emulators.html Hypercard 2.4.1 is available at the Macintosh Repository... - Source: Hacker News / 4 months ago
Processing Foundation is hiring a Processing Project Lead!
You can learn more about the Processing software and community at processing.org, or visit the Processing4 repository, Processing website repository, and our roadmap. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
Cloth
>web dev/gradle/java knowledge to build something like this Web dev (and not just in java) is dominated by "component integration" concerns, containing lots of structure but little content. Computation is delegated to libraries, and the problems more about complexity of integration (at build time) scaled distributed systems (at runtime). In contrast, writing a simulation is computationally intensive, so... - Source: Hacker News / 5 months ago