Creative Coding
Code that makes pretty things instead of boring apps
Use programming to create visual art, animations, interactive installations, and generative designs. Creative coding is where logic meets beauty. Write a few lines of code and watch mesmerizing patterns bloom on your screen. Tools like p5.js let you create in your browser with zero setup, just type and see results instantly.
How to start
- 1Open the p5.js web editor at editor.p5js.org, no installation needed
- 2Draw your first shape: a circle that follows your mouse takes 3 lines of code
- 3Follow Daniel Shiffman's Coding Train tutorials on YouTube, they're energetic and fun
- 4Experiment with randomness, loops, and color to generate abstract art
- 5Share your sketches on OpenProcessing and explore what others have made
What you'll need
- Web browserEssentialFree
- p5.js web editor (free)EssentialFree
Where to learn more
Plot twists
Ways to spice this up when the basics get boring.
- Generate art that responds to music in real time
- Create a screensaver with generative patterns
- Code a virtual aquarium with flocking behavior
- Make generative art and print it as a poster for your wall
- Build an interactive toy that people can play with in their browser
The instant visual feedback is incredibly satisfying, change a number and watch the art transform in real time. You can get a beautiful result in under 5 minutes.
Creative coding pioneer Casey Reas co-created Processing in 2001, which has since been used by millions of artists, designers, and students worldwide.
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