My 10 favorite Processing-libraries
So called “libraries” extend the functionality of the software-development-enviroment Processing. Please handle those extensions with care: If you are a beginner, i would recommend you to question each extra piece of software you add to your sketch, because the base functionality of Processing is already very rich and hard to understand. Libraries sometimes have their edges and debugging can be extremely hard. If you seriously wanna learn programming with Processing, do not overwhelm yourself! Use only those libraries you really need. No more and no less. Ok, let’s go!
Video-Export
Export videos from your Processing-sketches easily. The setup is simple, the results are brilliant. Many options, great examples. I can’t imagine a life without this lib. Note: It requires FFMPEG, a software that can convert any video-format into another. If you use a mac, you can install FFMPEG with homebrew.
Ani
A brilliant tool to animate parameters of any Processing-sketch. Even complex sequences are possible. It enables you to create fine-graded motion-graphics.
GifAnimation
Export animated Gifs with Processing. Super simple to use. The only problem is, that it’s currently not maintained. But you can install a working version from the Processing-libraries-dialogue.
ControlP5
CP5 is a versatile UI-library that lets you create complex UI-elements like buttons, sliders and knob. Easy to use and very helpful.
Tramontana
My newest exploration. Tramontana gives us access to sensors. I will use it in the future to control my sketches through the sensors of my phone to fake AR- and VR-enviroments. Stay tuned!
OscP5
Another possibility to control a sketch with an UI. But in this case the UI is an external application like TouchOSC that runs on a separate device (just like an tablet or a phone). I use this library very often, because it simplifies the design-process of a sketch with many parameters.
Geomerative
This library gives you access to the vertex-points of any vector-graphic or text. It comes with many possibilities to recalculate the shapes. Don’t get confused by the horrible documentation. The examples in the library-folder are pretty good!
Queasycam
Imagine your sketch as a gigantic three-dimensional space you can navigate through: Queasycam is an intuitive tool to control the camera in Processing as we know it from first-person-shooters: With the keys “W”, “A”, “S”, “D”, the arrows and the mouse. Slick!
Ok, that’s it. Which are your favorite Processing-libraries? Join the discussion in this facebook-group. Any important additions? Drop me a line!
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