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Processing.js VS Paper.js

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

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Processing.js logo Processing.js

Processing.js is an open programming language, port of the ...

Paper.js logo Paper.js

Open source vector graphics scripting framework that runs on top of the HTML5 Canvas.
  • Processing.js Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-16
Not present

Processing.js features and specs

  • Easy Transition from Processing
    Processing.js allows developers familiar with the Processing programming language to easily transition their applications to the web environment without needing to rewrite significant portions of code.
  • Web-based Graphics
    Developers can leverage Processing.js to create visually appealing graphics that run directly in a web browser, eschewing the need for additional software like Java applets.
  • Interactive Visualizations
    The library supports dynamic and interactive visualizations, making it ideal for projects that require animated graphics and user interaction.
  • Open Source
    Being an open-source project, Processing.js fosters a community-driven development model where developers can contribute to and expand the library’s capabilities.
  • Quick Setup
    Processing.js requires only a simple script inclusion to start developing, making it relatively easy and quick to set up for those wanting to prototype graphics quickly.

Possible disadvantages of Processing.js

  • Performance Overhead
    Running animations and graphics through a JavaScript library in the browser can have performance limitations, especially when dealing with complex or resource-intensive tasks.
  • Browser Compatibility Issues
    Processing.js can have compatibility issues with different web browsers, which can lead to inconsistent visualizations across platforms.
  • Limited Community and Support
    The library has a relatively smaller user base compared to more recent JavaScript graphics libraries, meaning less community support and fewer updates.
  • Deprecated
    The project is effectively deprecated, as it hasn't received updates in recent years, and modern alternatives like p5.js offer more features and active development.
  • Not Full JavaScript Utility
    Since it's primarily designed to replicate the Processing language, it may not always take full advantage of typical JavaScript idioms or integrate seamlessly with other JavaScript frameworks.

Paper.js features and specs

  • Vector Graphics Support
    Paper.js excels in handling vector graphics, making it an excellent choice for creating and manipulating graphics with precision.
  • Scene Graph
    The library uses a scene graph, which facilitates hierarchical organization and management of graphical objects.
  • Rich API
    Paper.js offers a highly intuitive and rich API that simplifies tasks like working with paths, segments, and more.
  • Ease of Use
    With its clear documentation and straightforward syntax, Paper.js is beginner-friendly while remaining powerful for advanced users.
  • Cross-Platform
    Being JavaScript-based, Paper.js works across different platforms and browsers without requiring any additional plugins.
  • Interactive Graphics
    It allows for easy creation of interactive graphics, making it ideal for use in web applications needing dynamic graphic manipulation.
  • Built-In Animation Support
    Paper.js includes built-in support for animations, enabling smooth and complex animations with minimal effort.

Possible disadvantages of Paper.js

  • Performance
    Due to its high-level abstraction and ease of use, Paper.js may not perform as well as lower-level graphics libraries in performance-critical applications.
  • File Size
    Paper.js can be relatively large in terms of file size compared to some lightweight alternatives, which might affect load times.
  • Limited to Canvas
    Paper.js is limited to the HTML5 Canvas element, so it doesn't natively support other rendering contexts like SVG.
  • Animation Flexibility
    While it offers built-in animation support, the flexibility and feature set might not be as extensive as dedicated animation libraries.
  • Learning Curve for Complex Features
    Although it's beginner-friendly for simple tasks, mastering more complex aspects of Paper.js can have a steeper learning curve.
  • Community and Support
    Paper.js might not have as large a community or as extensive support as some other more widely-used JavaScript libraries such as D3.js or Three.js.

Processing.js videos

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Paper.js videos

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Revision clouds in AutoCAD using Paper.js

Category Popularity

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

Processing.js

Paper.js

Javascript UI Libraries
20 20%
Javascript UI Libraries
80% 80
Flowcharts
23 23%
Flowcharts
77% 77
Org Charts
100 100%
Org Charts
0% 0
Development
0 0%
Development
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

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

Processing.js Reviews

The Best Data Visualization Tools - Top 30 BI Software
Processing.js is a JavaScript library that uses the Processing visual programming language. It is web-oriented and lets you bring the power of Processing to create data visualizations for your web pages. Processing.js requires an HTML5-compatible browser to work.
Source: improvado.io

Paper.js Reviews

20+ JavaScript libraries to draw your own diagrams (2022 edition)
Paper.js is an open source vector graphics scripting framework that runs on top of the HTML5 Canvas. It offers a clean Scene Graph / Document Object Model and a lot of powerful functionality to create and work with vector graphics and bezier curves, all neatly wrapped up in a well designed, consistent and clean programming interface. It’s based on (and largely compatible)...
Source: modeling-languages.com
8 Best Free and Open-Source Drawing Libraries in JavaScript
The Paper.js library is another free and open-source solution for people who want to draw using JavaScript. The library uses canvas to handle its drawing animations. However, its primary focus is vector-based drawings instead of raster images.
Source: code.tutsplus.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Paper.js seems to be a lot more popular than Processing.js. While we know about 11 links to Paper.js, we've tracked only 1 mention of Processing.js. 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.

Processing.js mentions (1)

  • What are the main differences between processing.js and processing.py?
    With processing.js I think you mean p5.js, since the development of processing.js has been archived in 2018 (https://github.com/processing-js/processing-js ). Source: over 2 years ago

Paper.js mentions (11)

  • How Framer/Figma is built?
    I started with angular and paper.js: http://paperjs.org/. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Polygon JS libraries
    In a thread in the Processing forum, Boolean operations in polygons , user ErraticGenerator suggests using g.js or Paper.js. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Looking for a javascript library with good wrapping support
    It is likely that paper.js provides the functionality needed. I will probably investigate it at some point since it appears to be the more popular library Compare paper.js & bezier.js. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Animating an svg
    Just remember you can do some SVG displacement with Paper.JS. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Diagnosing RangeError: Maximum call stack size exceeded in React KeyEscapeUtils
    Our webapp is written with React and Redux using the official react-redux bindings. Another primary library used in this web app is PaperJS. We recently transitioned this to being a Redux app, though it has used React for a while. Source: almost 3 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Processing.js and Paper.js, you can also consider the following products

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.

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

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

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

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.

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