If you know me, you probably know I’ve been experimenting with animation since the late ’90s. I even worked as a Flash designer and developer back in the day. But when Steve Jobs – and soon after, the whole web industry – publicly rejected Flash in the 2010s, I found myself lost in the shifting landscape of front-end web design.

The common advice at the time was that ex-Flash designers could just recreate the same content using HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript libraries. But here’s the thing: most visual artists, myself included, aren’t naturally inclined towards heavy scripting. Flash allowed us to create visually rich, interactive experiences without needing deep programming knowledge. Simply switching to raw JavaScript wasn’t a realistic option.

Still, I wasn’t ready to give up on my passion for interactive animation.

Discovering Processing and p5.js

Nine years ago, while living in Portland, I was wandering through Powell’s City of Books – the largest bookstore in the U.S. – when I stumbled upon a fascinating book in the tech section. It was about something called Processing. The cover had a mesmerizing abstract, math-driven visual pattern that reminded me of an old Flash book I once owned.

Curious, I checked out the books nearby and found at least one dedicated to p5.js, which seemed eerily similar to Processing. A little research led me to realize that p5.js (or just p5) is essentially a JavaScript-based version of Processing. That was a game-changer.

I quickly saw the creative potential these languages held for someone like me. They felt like the perfect bridge between art and code, the kind of geeky-yet-artistic medium I had always gravitated towards. Looking back, I realized I never fully pushed the boundaries of what I could do with Flash. This felt like my second chance to truly explore interactive digital art.

Why I Chose p5.js Over Processing

I knew this would be more challenging than Flash, but I was ready for it. Between Processing and p5, I opted for p5.js because I already had some JavaScript experience – and I had zero interest in learning Java (which Processing is based on). At that time, I was also conscious of not spreading myself too thin with too many new skills.

So, I dove into p5.js, and it felt like coming home.