Why I Chose Processing for My Passion Project
For my generative art project, I needed a tool to create procedural fonts and export them as SVGs for refinement in Glyphs App. After comparing Processing and p5.js, I decided on Processing because it better suits my needs. Here’s why:
Procedural Font Creation
Processing is ideal for creating procedural fonts. Its powerful drawing functions allow me to:
- Programmatically design unique typefaces.
- Experiment with shape manipulation and creative distortions.
- Control grids and alignments for typography exploration.
While p5.js also supports procedural design, Processing’s performance-focused desktop environment is better suited for complex shapes and patterns.
SVG Export
A key requirement for my project is exporting designs as SVG files for scalability and refinement in Glyphs App. Processing offers native support for SVG export using the processing.svg library, which ensures:
- High-quality, scalable designs.
- Smooth integration with tools like Illustrator or Glyphs.
p5.js, on the other hand, requires additional libraries for SVG export, adding unnecessary complexity.
Processing vs. p5.js
Here’s how the two compare for my project:
- Performance: Processing, as a standalone desktop application, is faster for complex rendering. p5.js, being browser-based, can slow down with resource-heavy tasks.
- SVG Export: Processing has seamless native support, while p5.js needs extra setup.
- Environment: Processing works locally on desktop, while p5.js is browser-based, making it better for interactive web projects.
Future Plans
For now, I’m focused on using Processing to build and refine my tool for procedural fonts. In the future, I might adapt it to p5.js to make it browser-friendly, allowing others in the creative coding community to experiment and build on my ideas.