P5js IDE

kasperkamperman

I was wondering why there is developed a separate P5js environment/IDE. Why is there not a P5js mode (like the Pyton mode) in the current IDE.

I teach Processing and in my opinion the most powerful thing is the fact that you can type code and view it from that program. For sure there is a thought behind not providing a p5js mode in the current editor, so I'm curious what is the reason.

GoToLoop

My thoughts about it and some speculations and rants in between: ;;)

When I knew about p5.js the 1st thing I was looking for was how to run it.
Would there be anything like Processing IDE's modes?
Then I've found out it had only some separate IDE for Macs only.
Now there's a Windows version. But they're still developing 1 for Linux.

The odd thing is that they coulda easily picked Java Mode tool and adapt it to use p5.js framework instead of pjs.
After all, the only thing it does is create an ".html" template which loads "processing.js" along w/ our ".pde" & ".js" files.
Then create a mini server and open default browser in order to display it.

Then all of a sudden I realized Processing.JS (pjs) was removed as an "official" Processing Foundation project! And w/o any surprise, p5.js was the 1 which had replaced it!

It became very clear that Processing Foundation had given up on Java and decided to focus primarily on JS language via p5.js.
That is, they've given up on writing sketches in Java syntax and have them deployed as JS via pjs.

That is good and dandy when we know how to properly program in JS.
However for many of Processing's main targeted public, the artists, debugging a JS sketch inside a browser is a lot harder & less intuitive than what Java Mode offers!

And it gets even worse when it comes to OOP.
That is, in order to emulate Java's classes, we need to learn the quirkiness of JS' prototype pattern.
And let's not forget that this isn't contextually bound to a class but the reference which called its method.

Well, until ECMA 6 is finally widespread. Since it brings classes & other Java goodies to JS!

GoToLoop

Forgot about to tell why I think they made an IDE outside PDE's modes:
Since the other mode projects aren't "official" anymore, perhaps they decided not to use any of them, like the mentioned JavaScript Mode, as an IDE base for the newest p5.js project.
Those tools are written in Java and they preferred to program p5.js' IDE in JavaScript instead. ~O)

blindfish

IMHO you don't need a dedicated IDE for p5.js: it's based on JS which is an established web technology... So there are already loads of well established tools that support JS syntax. These are the tools students would land up using if they take up JS professionally. I think it would be better to deliver plugins for a few of the more popular text editors to do syntax highlighting on p5.js methods.

For students I'd recommend Adobe Brackets: the built-in test server avoids cross domain issues when testing with local files and is there out of the box. I keep meaning to update my post on alternatives to Sublime Text with some pros/cons to my suggestions.

REAS

For clarity, Processing.js was never "removed." It is a separate project, created by a different group of people with full autonomy from Processing. JavaScript Mode was created individually by Florian to bridge the PDE with Processing.js. He plans to update the Mode for Processing 3, but hasn't done it yet -- that's his call and schedule, not a decision to abandon anything by the Foundation. This project is extremely decentralized outside of the Core and PDE.