Resources for teaching programming

for artists, designers and architects (repository)

Extended table of Hosts, Platforms & Languages

Drawing or 3D modeling software that embeds a scripting language on the user interface or allows automation with a very limited number of steps between programming and code execution.

Tools aimed at teaching programming in a visual or graphic context.

[Ad hoc: tools that have shown potential for teaching in a visual or graphic context.]


SORTABLE VIEW OF THE TABLE	CSV on GitHub	raw CSV

An earlier version of this table was published as: VILLARES, A. B. A., & MOREIRA, D. (2017). Python on the Landscape of Programming Tools for Design and Architectural Education. Presented at the SIGRADI 2017, Concepcíon, Chile.

Processing + Python tools table

Name	Processing features	based on (& Python version)	Python standard library	libraries ecosystem	main features	main limitations
Processing Python Mode	Processing Java	Jython (Python 2)	complete	Java & Processing Java	available inside Processing IDE, very Processing compatible	no web deployment, no modern Python libs
p5py	a new inplementation (incomplete)	Python 3	complete	Python only	truly Python compatible	no web deployment, still incomplete
pyp5js (transcrypt mode)	p5.js	Transcrypt (Python 3)	incomplete	JavaScript & p5.js	web ready sketches, very p5js compatible and nice browser editor	JS libraries only, p5.js features only (compared to Processing Java/Python modes)
pyp5js (pyodide mode)	p5.js	Pyodide (Python 3)	complete	Python, JavaScript & p5.js	web ready sketches! very p5.js compatible & very Python compatible	Experimental, p5.js features only (compared to Processing Java/Python modes)
SkulptIDE and trinket.io	ProcessingJS	Skulpt (Python 2, going to 3 now)	partial	unknown, possibly JavaScript	very nice web IDE, browser based sketches	ProcessingJS is defunct; not extensible
BrythonIDE and p5py.com	p5.js	Brython (Python 3)	fairly complete	JavaScript & p5.js	browser IDE, browser based sketches & very p5.js compatible	p5.js features only (compared to Processing Java/Python modes)

Other FLOSS + Python options to explore

3D

FreeCAD (also 2D if you want)
CADQuery & CQ-Editor
Blender
OpenPySCAD, SolidPython and PythonOpensCAD
PyPlasm

2D

ShoeBot - related to the DrawBot/NodeBox1/PlotDevice family of tools
PageBot
Flat + Allison Parrish’s Bezmerizing
Pero - unified API for multiple drawing backends

Books and references

| | | | | — | — | — | | sortable table | CSV on GitHub | raw CSV |

Please consider feedback, colaboration by means of pull requests, and/or a small donation!

Alexandre Villares