Awesome Creative Coding 
Carefully curated list of awesome creative coding
resources primarily for beginners/intermediates.
Creative coding is a different discipline than programming systems.
The goal is to create something expressive instead of something
functional. Interaction design, information
visualization and generative art are all
different types of creative coding – which has become a household term
describing artworks articulated as code.
Please read the contribution
guidelines before contributing.
Contents
Books
- Generative
Art: A Practical Guide - Practical guide using Processing.
- Generative
Design - Visualize, Program, and Create with Processing.
- The Nature of Code -
Simulating natural systems with Processing.
- Programming Design
Systems - Practical introduction to the new foundations of graphic
design.
- Learning Modern 3D Graphics
Programming - Series of tutorials on using OpenGL to do graphical
rendering.
- Programming
Interactivity - Designer’s Guide to Processing, Arduino, and
openFrameworks.
- openFrameworks
Essentials - openFrameworks beginner Guide for programmer, visual
artist, or designer.
- Mastering
openFrameworks: Creative Coding Demystified - Advanced in depth
guide to openFrameworks.
- Algorithms
for Visual Design Using the Processing Language - Experiment with
design problems to create 3D animations, GUIs, and more.
- Foundation
HTML5 Animation with JavaScript - Everything you need to know to
create animation using the HTML5 canvas.
- Playing with chaos -
Programming Fractals and Strange Attractors in JavaScript.
- Ray
Tracing in One Weekend - Mini book about Ray Tracing.
- Processing
2: Creative Programming Cookbook - Guides you to explore the
Processing environment using practical and useful recipes.
- Data-driven Graphic
Design - Creative Coding for Visual Communication.
- Real-Time
Rendering - Learn how to use modern techniques to generate synthetic
three-dimensional images in a fraction of a second.
- Graphics
Shaders: Theory and Practice - Introduction to shader programming in
general, but focusing on the GLSL shading language.
- Anton’s
OpenGL 4 Tutorials - Practical guide to starting 3d programming with
OpenGL.
- Physics for
JavaScript Games, Animation, and Simulations - Teaches JavaScript
programmers how to incorporate real physics into their HTML5 games,
animations, and simulations.
- Math
for Programmers - Book teaches you to solve mathematical problems in
code.
- Synthèse
d’images avec OpenGL (ES) - Book in french, which covers OpenGL,
OpenGL ES and WebGL.
- Hands-On
Music Generation with Magenta - Explore the role of deep learning in
music generation and assisted music composition.
Online Books
Courses
- Create
3D Graphics in JS Using WebGL - Get started creating content with
WebGL without any frameworks.
- Learn
HTML5 Graphics and Animation - Introduction to the canvas 2D drawing
API.
- Interactive 3D
Graphics - Udacity course that teach you the principles of 3D
computer graphics.
- Interactive
Computer Graphics - Computer graphics course from Coursera.
- Kadenze Creative
Coding - Selection of Kadenze courses covering p5.js, TensorFlow,
Max/Jitter, and ChucK.
- Creative
Programming for Digital Media & Mobile Apps - Coursera course on
creative coding with processing.
- Imaginary Institute -
Learn how to create gorgeous interactive graphics.
- Future
Learn: Creative Coding - Use computer programming as a creative
discipline to generate sounds, images, animations and more.
- Intro
to JS: Drawing & Animation - Use JavaScript and the ProcessingJS
library to create drawings and animations.
- Advanced
JS: Natural Simulations - Combine JS, ProcessingJS, and mathematical
concepts to simulate nature in your programs
- Interactive
Data Visualization with Processing - Learn how to read, map, and
illustrate data with Processing.
- Programming
Data Visualizations: A Coding Toolkit for Processing - Join
information designer Nicholas Felton in the world of Processing.
- Introduction
to Data Visualization - Join Nicholas Felton for a smart,
comprehensive, and inspiring intro to data visualization.
- Programming
Graphics I, 2,
3
- Learn generative art and Processing with art with Joshua Davis.
- Creative
Coding with Canvas & WebGL - Workshop by Matt DesLauriers. that
teaches you about generative art, interactive animations, 3D graphics,
and shaders.
- Advanced
Creative Coding with WebGL & Shaders - Workshop by Matt
DesLauriers that go deeper into graphics programming, math and
shaders.
- Three.js Journey - This
course by Bruno Simon will teach you the secrets to create the coolest
WebGL websites with Three.js whether you are a beginner or an advanced
developer.
- 3D
Computer Graphics Programming - Learn all the theory and the math
behind 3D graphics while creating a software renderer from scratch using
the C programming language
Frameworks • Libraries •
Ecosystems
- Processing [Cross-platform] -
Computer programming language and IDE for visual arts.
- py5 [Cross-platform] - A library
that integrates Processing into the Python 3 ecosystem.
- Cinder [Cross-platform] - Open
source library for professional-quality creative coding in C++.
- openFrameworks
[Cross-platform] - Open source C++ toolkit for creative coding.
- NAP [Cross-platform] -
Open source data-driven real-time control & visualization platform
suited for professional installations in C++, incl. Vulkan
renderer.
- C4 [iOS] - Open-source creative
coding framework for iOS.
- Unity [Mac, Win] - Game engine,
but useful for creative coding and installations.
- Godot [Cross-platform] - Open
source game engine, that can also be used for all sorts of things.
- PlayCanvas [Cross-platform] -
Open source, realtime collaborative WebGL engine.
- hg_sdf [Cross-platform] -
GLSL library for building signed distance functions.
- nannou [Cross-platform] -
Open-source creative coding framework for the Rust language.
- thi.ng [Cross-platform] - Open source
collection of computational design tools for JavaScript, TypeScript,
Clojure and ClojureScript languages.
- PixelKit
[iOS, Mac] - Open source, live graphics, Swift framework, powered by
Metal.
- OPENRNDR [Cross-platform] - Open
source library for creative coding written in Kotlin.
- Phaser [Cross-platform] - HTML5
framework for building games, uses both a Canvas and WebGL
renderer.
- Canvas-sketch
[Cross-platform] - HTML5 framework for making generative artwork in
JavaScript and the browser.
- AsyncGraphics
[iOS, macOS] - Open source, live graphics, async / await, Swift package,
powered by Metal.
- Lygia
[Cross-platform] - Granular and multi-language (GLSL, HLSL, WGSL, MSL
and CUDA) shader library designed for performance and flexibility.
- Fragment.tools
[Cross-platform] - A web development environment for creative
coding.
Visual Programming Languages
- vvvv [Win] - Hybrid
visual/textual live-programming environment for easy prototyping and
development.
- NodeBox [Mac, Win] -
Cross-platform, node-based GUI for efficient data visualizations and
generative design.
- TouchDesigner [Mac, Win] -
Visual development platform to create realtime projects.
- Quartz
Composer [Mac] - Development tool for processing and rendering
graphical data.
- Vuo [Mac] - Live interactive-media
programming environment.
- Max [Mac, Win] -
Visual programming language for media.
- Pure Data [Cross-platform] -
Open source visual programming language for multimedia.
- ossia score [Cross-platform] -
Interactive, intermedia audio-visual sequencer.
- tooll [Win] - Open source tool for
creating interactive 3d content and animations.
- XOD [Cross-platform] - Open source
visual programming language and environment for microcontroller-based
projects.
- Isadora [Cross-platform] -
Scene based media control software with integrated projection
mapper.
- cables [Cross-platform/Web] - Your
model kit for creating beautiful interactive content. Currently in
private beta, invites can be requested.
- eternal [Web] -
Programs as graphs and graphs as compositional tools for creation
- Notch Builder [Win] - Node-based
authoring tool with a strong focus on real-time graphics. Currently in
beta.
- JOY.JS - Realtime visual coding
tool, easy to understand and aimed at beginners.
- Circles [iPhone, iPad, Mac] -
Live graphics node editor, powered by AsyncGraphics.
- TIC-80 - Make pixel art style games
and art on a 240*136 pixel screen.
Sound Programming Languages
- SuperCollider
[Multi-platform] - Platform for audio synthesis and algorithmic
composition.
- ChucK -
Strongly-timed, concurrent, and on-the-fly music programming
language.
- TidalCycles - Domain specific
language for live coding of pattern.
- Sonic Pi - The live coding music
synth for everyone.
- Csound - A sound and music
computing system.
- Orca - Live coding
environment to quickly create procedural sequencers.
- handel - A small
procedural programming language for writing songs in browser.
- Overtone - An open source
audio environment designed to explore new musical ideas from synthesis
and instrument building to live-coding.
- Melrōse - A MIDI producing
environment for creating (live) music.
- Glicol - Graph-oriented live coding
language and music/audio DSP library written in Rust.
Web Programming • Libraries
- three.js -
JavaScript 3D library.
- regl - Functional
WebGL.
- Stackgl - Open software ecosystem
for WebGL, built on top of browserify and npm.
- Paper.js - The swiss army knife
of vector graphics scripting.
- Pixi.js - HTML 5 2D rendering
engine that uses webGL with canvas fallback.
- p5.js - JavaScript library that
starts with the original goal of Processing.
- Pts.js - JavaScript library for
visualization and creative-coding.
- Fabric.js - JavaScript canvas
library, SVG-to-canvas parser.
- Maker.js - Parametric line
drawing for SVG, CNC & laser cutters.
- OpenJSCAD - Programmatic 3D
modeling in JavaScript.
- Sketch.js -
Minimal JavaScript creative coding framework.
- Two.js - Two-dimensional drawing
api geared towards modern web browsers.
- lightgl.js - A
lightweight WebGL library.
- picogl.js - A
minimal WebGL 2 rendering library.
- Alfrid - A WebGL tool
set.
- Babylon.js -
complete JavaScript framework for building 3D games with HTML 5 and
WebGL.
- twigl - A Tiny
WebGL helper Library.
- luma.gl - WebGL2
Components for Data Visualization.
- css-doodle - A web component
for drawing patterns with CSS.
- OGL.js - JavaScript 3D
library (WebGL).
- Zdog - A pseudo-3D engine for canvas
& SVG.
- Oimo.js -
Lightweight 3d physics engine for javascript
- Ammo.js - Direct
port of the Bullet physics engine to JavaScript using Emscripten.
- Theatre.js -
Motion design library with visual tools
Projection Mapping • VJing
- MadMapper [Mac] - Video
mapping projections and Light mapping.
- VDMX [Mac] - Realtime multimedia
performance application.
- Modul8 [Mac] - Real time video
mixing and compositing.
- Resolume [Mac, Win] - Mixing of
digital video and effects in a realtime.
- CoGe VJ [Mac] - VJ software
designed for realtime HD video mixing and compositing with a modular
user interface.
- VirtualMapper
- Realtime preview tool for projection mapping.
- Millumin [Mac] -
A software to create and perform interactive audiovisual shows.
- Smode [Win] - A real-time 2D/3D
creation, compositing and video-mapping engine.
- Veejay [Linux] - A live
performance tool featuring simple non-linear editing and mixing from
multiple sources (files, devices, streams…)
Online
- Shadertoy - Build and share
shaders with the world and get inspired.
- Shader Park - A JavaScript
library for creating interactive procedural 2D and 3D shaders.
- GLSL Sandbox - Online shader
editor and gallery.
- Shdr Editor - Online shader
editor.
- CodePen - Show case of advanced
techniques with editable source code.
- Shadershop -
Interface for programming GPU shaders.
- Vertexshaderart -
Online shader editor and gallery.
- Cyos - Online shader
editor.
- GlslEditor -
Simple WebGL Fragment Shader Editor.
- OpenProcessing -
Algorithmic Designs Created with Processing, p5js and processingjs.
- P5.js Editor - Online web
editor for P5.js.
- LiveCodeLab - Run-as-you-type
tool for VJs, musicians, teachers, students, kids.
- Turtletoy - Minimalistic API
and online showcase for generative code. (JavaScript)
- ShaderGif - Open source home
for art made with code (WebGL1/2, JavaScript Canvas & P5.js).
- P5LIVE - p5.js
live-coding environment.
- NEORT - Digital art platform
for creative coders (Fragment Shader, JavaScript Canvas).
- Shelly - Learn programming by
issuing instructions to a turtle.
- tixy.land - The most minimalist
creative coding environment is alive.
- BBC Micro bot - Run your
tweet on an 8-bit computer emulator.
- Hydra - Live code-able video
synth and coding environment.
Hardware
- Arduino - Open source
microcontroller kits for building digital devices and interactive
objects.
- Raspberry Pi - Small
single-board computers.
- Puck.js - Open source
JavaScript microcontroller you can program wirelessly.
- BeagleBoard - Low-power open
source single-board computers.
- Makey Makey - Turn everyday
objects into touchpads and combine them with the internet.
- Leap Motion - Sensor
device that supports hand and finger motions as input.
- AxiDraw - Simple, modern, and
precise pen plotter.
- Phidgets - Sensors, input
devices and controllers for computers.
- Teensy - USB-based
microcontroller development system.
- Lightform - AR projection
mapping with built-in depth sensor.
Other
- Structure Synth
[Cross-platform] - Application for generating 3D structures by
specifying a design grammar.
- F3 [Mac] -
Powerful 3D design app that enables you to live code 3D form.
- Fragment [Mac]-
App to live code GLSL graphics.
- ShaderTool
[Win] - Modern shader IDE for programmers and FX artists.
- Syphon [Mac] - Allows
applications to share frames with one another in realtime.
- KodeLife -
Real-time GPU shader editor, live-code performance tool and graphics
prototyping sketchpad.
- ISF - GLSL
shaders for use in interactive applications.
- glslViewer -
Live-coding console tool that renders GLSL Shaders.
- shoebot [Cross-platform] -
Shoebot is a creative coding environment designed for making vector
graphics and animations with Python.
- DrawBot [Mac] - Education
oriented 2d graphics programming environment based on Python.
- Klak - A collection of
scripts for creative coding with Unity.
- basil.js - Scripting (JS) in
InDesign for designers and artists in the spirit of Processing.
- Konstrukt
[Cross-platform] - A commandline tool to generate different scalable
patterns as SVGs.
Learning Resources
Videos
Talks
Articles • Tutorials
Shaders • OpenGL • WebGL
- Introduction
to shaders - Part 1 of an introduction to shaders using
threejs.
- Three.js
101 - Introduction to three.js from a creative coder
perspective.
- lwjgl:
Shaders - Shader tutorial in the context of lwjgl-basics.
- Shaders:
A primer - A primer on shaders.
- Shaders:
Second stage - The second part to the previous.
- WebGL
Lessons — Fragment Shaders - A brief introduction to fragment
shaders.
- WebGL
Lessons — ThreeJS Shaders - Using custom vertex and fragment shaders
in ThreeJS.
- ThreeJS
post-process example - example of post-processing effects in
ThreeJS.
- Ray
Marching and Signed Distance Functions - Introduction to ray
tracing.
- Introduction
to Ray Tracing - A simple method for creating 3D images.
- GLSL
lighting walkthrough - Phong shading tutorial with glslify.
- Three
glslify example - Example on how to use three.js with glslify.
- WebGL
Beyond Dom - Greg Tatum explains the basics of WebGL using
Regl.
- FBO particles -
Article about FBO/GPGPU particles by @nicoptere.
- Ray marching (with
THREE.js) - Article about ray marching with three.js by @nicoptere.
- Custom
shaders with Three.JS - Introduction to custom shaders, uniforms,
textures and lighting in three.js.
- An
intro to modern OpenGL - First part of an introduction to modern
OpenGL.
- Modern OpenGL
Series - Good introduction to some of the OpenGL terms.
- Smooth
minimum - Article about the smooth based primitive union.
- Modeling
with distance functions - Collection of distance functions in one
centralized place.
- Volumetric
rendering - Explains how to create complex 3D shapes inside
volumetric shaders.
- Real-time Rendering
- Book, blog and collection of resources regarding real-time
rendering.
- OpenGL 4
Shaders - Short and sweet introduction to OpenGL shaders by Anton
Gerdelan.
- On
ray casting, ray tracing, ray marching and the like - The title says
it all. Introduction by Adok.
- Writing
a small software renderer - Really good introduction to how basic
software rendering works.
- WebGL Tutorials -
Website with a really good collection of WebGL tutorials.
- Generating
Geometry: 1, 2,
3
- Beginner introduction on how to create geometry object.
- Into
Vertex Shaders - Series of tutorials about WebGL, Three.js, and
Three.bas.
- The
Spaces of WebGL - Brief overview over the different coordinate
systems throughout the 3D graphics pipeline.
- WebGL Workshop - Short and
sweet online introduction to WebGL.
- THREE.js & instanced
geometry - Fluffy predator with three.js and instanced
geometry.
- Particle
Effects via Billboards - How to create a particle effects with
billboarding and WebGL.
- Beautifully
Animate Points with WebGL and regl - How to create GPGPU particles
with regl.
- WebGL
Tutorial: Directional Shadow Mapping without extensions -
Introduction to the concepts behind real time directional light shadow
mapping.
- WebGL
Quest - A tutorial and a list of useful resources to use WebGL
raymarching and distance functions easily.
- Exploring
bump mapping with WebGL - Introduction to different bump mapping
techniques.
- OpenGL/GLSL
Shader Programming - Deck on OpenGL/GLSL shader programming.
- Particles
in a Simplex Noise Flow Field - Perlin noise flow field
tutorial.
- Flow
Fields, Part 1 - Introduction to flow fields also known as vector
fields.
- Flow
Fields, Part 2 - Introduction to flow fields also known as vector
fields.
- Graphics
for Games - Introduction to 3D graphics programming including
shaders, math post-processing etc. from Newcastle University.
- Three.js
Basics - Introduction to Three.js by Eric Haines.
- An
Interactive Introduction to WebGL and three.js - Slides from the
SIGGRAPH 2017 WebGL workshop.
- How
to Start Learning Computer Graphics Programming - Advice and
thoughts on how to get started by Eric Arnebäck.
- What
Every Coder Should Know About Gamma - Deep dive into the importance
of gamma.
Canvas
Hardware
Other
Interactive
Quick References • Cheat
Sheets
- Shaderific GLSL -
OpenGL ES shading language reference.
- The Book of Shaders
Glossary - Shader glossary by theme.
- gltut
glossary pages: 1, 2,
3,
4,
5,
6,
7,
8
- OpenGL 3D programming glossary.
- Canvas
Cheatsheet - Quick and visual canvas cheatsheet.
- WebGL
Cheatsheet - WebGL 1.0 API reference card.
- Glossary
of Computer Graphics - Glossary of terms relating computer
graphics.
- GLSL
Reference Guide - OpenGL Shading Language quick reference
guide.
- 3D
Maths Cheat Sheet - Math cheatsheet by Anton Gerdelan, from his
OpenGL book.
- docs.GL - Improvement of the official
OpenGL documentation.
- OpenGL
Shading Language - Khronos Group GLSL wiki.
- OpenGL
4.3 Reference Card - PDF Reference Card for the OpenGL 4.3 API.
- Easings - Interactive easing
functions cheatsheet.
- PixelSpirit - GLSL library
on the back of tarot cards, for learning and reference.
- Procedural
Patterns And Noises - Collection of procedural patterns and
procedural noises.
- Visual Noises -
Visualize noise algorithms in 1D and 2D.
- Trigonoparty -
Simple trigonometry visualisation.
- Morphogenesis
- Exploration of how shapes, forms, and patterns emerge in nature.
Communities
Subreddits
Slack
Other
Math
Machine learning • Computer
Vision • AI
- ml4a - Machine learning for
artists.
- Keras.js -
Run Keras models (tensorflow backend) in the browser, with GPU
support.
- Tesseract.js -
Pure JavaScript Multilingual OCR.
- Google ML - Cloud machine
learning by Google.
- TensorFlow - Open source
software library for machine intelligence.
- ConvNetJS
- Deep Learning in your browser.
- Wekinator - Allows anyone to
use machine learning.
- Machine
Learning - Coding Train repo with links to machine learning
resources.
- CreativeAi.net - Space to
share creative Ai projects.
- AI Playbook - Ai microsite
intended to help newcomers get started.
- Teachable
Machine - Explore how machine learning works, live in the
browser.
- TensorFlow.js - JavaScript
library for training and deploying ML models in the browser and on
Node.js.
- Hello TensorFlow -
Fully commented TensorFlow.js demo.
- ml5.js - Friendly machine learning
for the web.
- Model Zoo - Discover open source
deep learning code and pretrained models.
- Runway - Toolkit that adds
artificial intelligence capabilities to design and creative
platforms.
- Lobe - Build, train, and ship custom
deep learning models using a simple visual interface.
- ModelDepot - Platform for
discovering, sharing, and discussing easy to use and pre-trained machine
learning models.
Inspiration
Events
- OFFF Festival - Digital design
festival (Online Flash Film Festival).
- Gray Area Festival -
Creative coding, art and technology festival.
- Signal Festival -
Showcase of light art and emerging technologies in Prague, the Czech
Republic.
- Eyeo Festival - Bring
together creative coders, data designers and creators working at the
intersection of data, art and technology.
- Mutek - Organization dedicated
to digital creativity in sound, music, and audio-visual art.
- Node - An open platform for the
exchange on culture, arts and technology.
- Digital Design Days - 3 day event
offering conferences, workshops, digital showcases &
installations.
- CODAME ART+TECH - Projects and
nonprofit events, to inspire through experience.
- NextArt Night - Inspiring people
through creative uses of tech.
Museums • Galleries
Schools • Workshops
Blogs • Websites
- CreativeApplications.Net
[CAN] - Famous digital art blog.
- iquilezles.org - Home of Íñigo
Quílez, specialised in GLSL and math snippets.
- bit-101.com - Blog by
Keith Peters, specialised in creative coding.
- ibreakdownshaders -
Explore the math behind shaders.
- adriancourrèges.com -
Blog of software engineer Adrian Courrèges. Articles about game graphics
studies etc.
- clicktorelease.com -
Home of Jaume Sanchez Elias, with demos, talks, articles on WebGL and
WebVR.
- syntopia - Blog about
generative art and systems, by Mikael Hvidtfeldt Christensen.
- madebyevan.com - WebGL
experiments and articles by Evan Wallace.
- songho.ca - Home of Song Ho Ahn,
with a good collection of tutorials on OpenGL and math.
- simonschreibt.de - Game art
tricks, design tricks by Simon Schreibt.
- sighack.com - Blog about
generative art algorithms and techniques, by Manohar Vanga.
- jsdo.it-archives -
Compilation of WebGL experiments including comparisons on WebGL
frameworks and physics engine (oimo.js, cannon.js, ammo.js)
- WebAudio Weekly -
Newsletter to know everything about the WebAudio API
License
To the extent possible under law, Terkel
Gjervig has waived all copyright and related or neighboring rights
to this work.
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