ABOUT THIS SOFTWARE
Processing is both a programming language (based on Java) and a user-friendly IDE that allows everyone—from beginners to advanced users—to create creative coding applications. The focus is on visuals, motion, sound and interaction. Thanks to example code and an active community, Processing is extremely popular in educational settings for prototyping, data visualization, generative art and rapid application development.
The language includes simple commands for graphical output (such as drawing, coloring, animation, image manipulation), sound and hardware integration (e.g. Arduino). Because of its focus on visual results, programming concepts quickly become tangible.
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Processing is completely free and open source. Code, IDE and associated libraries are available under the GNU GPL (for the IDE) and LGPL (for core libraries). Freely usable in educational, artistic, commercial or non-commercial contexts. No registration required.
The installation instructions for this software are explained during the lessons.
- Download the installer for your operating system (Windows, macOS or Linux).
- Unzip the file/open the installer and launch the Processing IDE.
- Type your code in the code window and click the ‘Play’ button (triangle) to run your program (sketch).
- Use examples via File > Examples for quick inspiration.
- Save your sketch via File > Save.