by [Raphaël de Courville](<https://twitter.com/sableRaph>) Like this page? You can buy me a coffee! And if you love it, consider supporting me on Patreon 💜
Last update: January 10, 2025
Creative Coding is a broad concept covering a wide range of artistic practices that use computer code as a medium. Creative coding is about expressing ideas in code, having fun with algorithms, and exploring what computers can do. While typical software development often relies on strict specifications designed to solve specific problems for a user, creative coders embrace open-ended exploration: writing code, seeing what it does, and refining it, usually without a fixed end goal in mind.
At the most basic level, p5.js is a way to draw shapes and colors using computer code. I like to start with p5.js because it works on the web and is easy to get started. Once you get the hang of the basics, p5.js has a ton of features to build more complex projects too.
If you'd like to take a step back and see what tool might be best for you, check out the Creative Coding Minilist created by Naoto Hieda and myself.
The best way to get familiar with p5.js is probably Daniel Schiffman’s Programming with p5.js for Beginners video series.
Or, if you prefer reading, https://creative-coding.decontextualize.com/first-steps/ is a great introduction.
And if you already know a little bit about programming, you can start coding right now in the web editor and read the tutorials on the p5.js website.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yPWkPOfnGsw
Give this Twitter thread a try to get a quick taste of generative art.
https://twitter.com/generativelight/status/1519759169045381127?s=20&t=RTFYBaMjg8LU2JVCbH5hqA