Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Vvvv VS OpenFrameworks

Compare Vvvv VS OpenFrameworks and see what are their differences

Vvvv logo Vvvv

vvvv is a graphical programming environment for easy prototyping and development.

OpenFrameworks logo OpenFrameworks

openFrameworks
  • Vvvv Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-24
  • OpenFrameworks Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-30

Vvvv features and specs

  • Visual Programming
    vvvv is a graphical programming environment. It allows users to create applications by simply dragging and connecting nodes, making it intuitive for designers and artists without extensive coding experience.
  • Real-time Processing
    vvvv excels in real-time audio-visual processing, making it ideal for projects that require live interaction, such as multimedia installations, live performances, and interactive applications.
  • Community and Resources
    vvvv boasts a strong and active community, with a wealth of tutorials, forums, and user-contributed patches. This support network can help users troubleshoot and discover creative solutions.
  • Versatility
    It supports a wide range of applications, from 3D graphics and video processing to physical computing and IoT applications. This versatility makes it suitable for a diverse array of projects.
  • Free for Non-Commercial Use
    vvvv offers a free version for non-commercial use, which is great for students, hobbyists, and those looking to experiment without financial commitment.

Possible disadvantages of Vvvv

  • Learning Curve
    Despite being a visual programming tool, vvvv has a steep learning curve. Users still need to understand programming concepts and the specifics of the environment, which can be challenging for beginners.
  • Windows Only
    vvvv is currently only available for Windows. This exclusivity can be a significant limitation for Mac and Linux users who either need to use a virtual machine or dual-boot setup to access the software.
  • Commercial License Cost
    While the non-commercial version is free, the commercial license of vvvv can be quite expensive. This could be a barrier for small businesses and independent developers.
  • Limited Mainstream Adoption
    vvvv is not as widely adopted or recognized as some other creative coding environments (like Processing or TouchDesigner). This can lead to difficulties in finding specific resources or job opportunities that require vvvv skills.
  • Performance Overheads
    As with many visual programming environments, vvvv can have performance overheads compared to traditional programming languages, which may impact the efficiency and execution speed of complex projects.

OpenFrameworks features and specs

  • Open Source
    OpenFrameworks is open-source, allowing developers to access, modify, and contribute to its codebase. This fosters a community-driven development environment and encourages collaboration.
  • Cross-Platform
    It supports multiple platforms, including Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, and Android, making it versatile for developing applications across various operating systems.
  • Rich Collection of Add-ons
    OpenFrameworks offers a wide range of add-ons and libraries contributed by the community, which extend the framework's capabilities and provide tools for graphics, sound, video, computer vision, and more.
  • Community Support
    The framework has a robust community that provides support via forums, tutorials, and a wealth of shared projects and code snippets, making it easier to learn and troubleshoot.
  • Artistic and Creative Focus
    OpenFrameworks is particularly well-suited for projects that emphasize creativity and artistic output, making it popular among artists and designers working on interactive installations and media art.

Possible disadvantages of OpenFrameworks

  • Steep Learning Curve
    While OpenFrameworks is powerful, its complexity can be daunting for beginners, especially those without experience in C++ programming.
  • Limited Documentation
    Although there is community support, the official documentation can sometimes be sparse or outdated, which can pose challenges for developers seeking detailed explanations or examples.
  • Performance Overhead
    As an abstraction layer over native OpenGL, OpenFrameworks might introduce performance overhead compared to writing raw OpenGL code, which can be a concern for high-performance applications.
  • Dependency Management
    Managing dependencies and ensuring compatibility across different platforms can be complex, especially when dealing with various libraries and add-ons.
  • Not Ideal for All Types of Applications
    OpenFrameworks is tailored towards creative coding and may not be the best choice for applications that require extensive GUI features or are more business-logic-oriented.

Vvvv videos

Classic Game Room - VVVVVV review

More videos:

  • Review - VVVVVV for Nintendo Switch Review

OpenFrameworks videos

Part 2 of GAFFTA OpenFrameworks for Processing Coders

More videos:

  • Tutorial - openFrameworks tutorial - 000 intro to openFrameworks
  • Review - [openframeworks] Box2d study - Burst -

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Vvvv and OpenFrameworks)
3D
49 49%
51% 51
VJ
45 45%
55% 55
Interactive Presentations
Interactive Exhibits
39 39%
61% 61

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, OpenFrameworks should be more popular than Vvvv. It has been mentiond 32 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.

Vvvv mentions (11)

  • 12-factor Agents: Patterns of reliable LLM applications
    Is very attractive here. Of course, some questions in my case would be quite abstract, but anyway. Also, multistage pipelines are also very interesting. [1]: loose set of bulletpoints brainstorming the idea if curious, not organised: https://kfs.mkj.lt/#audiovisllm (click to expand description) [2]: https://vvvv.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 20 days ago
  • VVVV – A hybrid visual/textual development environment for .NET
    Seems to be an iteration of https://vvvv.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 11 months ago
  • IntelligentPad (1989) a component-based drag-and-drop software creator
    Never heard of it but this vaguely reminds me of labview (still widely used in factory infrastructure and R&D) another similar environment that 20 years ago I thought would become the new desktop/programming metaphor is vvvv[0] [0] https://vvvv.org/. - Source: Hacker News / almost 2 years ago
  • Do you know any 3d DAW?
    There's things like https://vvvv.org/ - if you'd use the 3D engine there you could probably build something like this:. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Kanye West's Stem Player - An engineering disaster
    I'm pretty sure "node based" doesn't refer to node.js in this context. Many compositing software have a node based interface, that is, nodes with inputs and outputs in a graph (examples: Nuke, vvvv, Blender). Source: over 2 years ago
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OpenFrameworks mentions (32)

  • Ask HN: Who Are Your Favorite Photography and Generative Coding Artists?
    Zach Lieberman https://x.com/zachlieberman does his work in C++ with https://openframeworks.cc/. - Source: Hacker News / 2 months ago
  • Resolume
    Not exactly VJ, but could be used for it. https://openframeworks.cc. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • VVVV – A Hybrid Visual/Textual Development Environment
    - openFrameworks https://openframeworks.cc/ C++. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 year ago
  • Valve Says Counter-Strike 2 for macOS Not Happening, There Aren't Enough Players
    Vulkan is sort of a post-API API. It seems to be designed specifically with high performance render pipelines in mind, and "end users" should interface with it through an intermediary layer. Ie, you might prefer bgfx[0], cinder[1] or openframeworks[2]. 0: https://github.com/bkaradzic/bgfx 2: https://openframeworks.cc/. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • I'm starting to get tired
    Since you have C# experience, take this time to learn more about C++ while you continue to look. While yes, it is very easy to write bad code, it's not a huge deal since you just graduated and are just hacking around. Plus there are a lot of helpers these days to make writing bad code a little less likely.A former mentor of mine gifted me "C++ Without Fear" by Brian Overland which I can recommend. It's not too... Source: about 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Vvvv and OpenFrameworks, you can also consider the following products

TouchDesigner - TouchDesigner is a visual development platform that equips you with the tools you need to create stunning realtime projects and rich user experiences.

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

Pure Data - Pd (aka Pure Data) is a real-time graphical programming environment for audio, video, and graphical...

Cinder - CINDER PROVIDES A POWERFUL, INTUITIVE TOOLBOX for programming graphics, audio, video, networking...

Nodebox - NodeBox is a new software application for creating generative art using procedural graphics and a...

Vuo - Design and build live interactive media.