Working with L5 this summer!
What is L5?
https://l5lua.org/ External Link • l5lua.orgL5 is a creative coding library built in Lua, but ported from Processing and p5.js. Lua* is an exceptionally lightweight and fast scripting language with the ability to work cross-platform.
In an email written by Mike Pall in 2007
Subject: Re: Lua on cell phones - Lua is small: the Lua interpreter easily fits in under 100 kilobytes including the base libraries. - Lua is simple, but not simplistic: Lua has a simple, yet powerful syntax which fits on a single page. The semantics are consistent and intuitive.
This is particularly desirable in an age where versioning feels out of control* and Lua has only had minor updates since 2003.
From https://www.lua.org/images/timeline.png
So it can run super-crazy fast on a modern machine, but it also works with low-power and older machines. Not only that, but think about what you could do with a microcontroller!
L5 built with Permacomputing Philosophies
Permacomputing is both a concept and approach to handling resilience in technology. It is a philosophy centered around limiting e-waste through sustainable development and usage of these tools.
My mentor and core contributor of the L5 project, Lee Tusman, wrote about it here:
https://permacomputing.net/L5/ External Link • permacomputing.netThese regenerative practices stem from permaculture*, a resource-sensitive agricultural design. For computers, this centers the material contexts in which technology is derived. As we become increasingly "modern", the physicality of a device (or person) becomes increasingly abstracted. So, it becomes ever more important of highlighting and building software that is mindful of material.
Lee also organizes the NYC permacomputing meetups. Although we are on hiatus for the summer, this past meetup discussed energy and material led by speaker Alex Nathanson, who built Solar Protocol.
https://solarprotocol.net/ External Link • solarprotocol.netWhat's my deal?
Yeah, who am I? As a creative coding educator, I spend a lot of my time teaching and exploring JavaScript and p5. This summer I will be working on L5 with Lee and the Processing Foundation, funded through Google Summer of Code.
Although typically targeted towards students, the program through Google is designed to introduce new contributors to projects in open source communities. By submitting a proposal to a specific project (L5) that is affiliated with an organization (Processing Foundation), you (I) can get paid for your (my) open source contributions. They do this every summer with the intention of increasing interest and development of open source projects.
Official GSoC Proposal (+ Updates)
https://summerofcode.withgoogle.com/programs/2026/projects/H2LUlwc4 External Link • summerofcode.withgoogle.comThere are three central arcs to the summer:
From my original proposal, I refined the timeline with Lee and Kit to solidify more of the weekly objectives.
A Call for Contributors
If you got to the end here and you are interested or want to get involved in this process there are a couple ways.
Follow the website documentation updates. You are welcome to contribute to the code base based on any issues you have found (or issues that I have made!)
https://github.com/L5lua/L5-website External Link • github.comFollow the tooling updates. These will probably not be in the L5 code base itself, but will be a new repository under the L5 organization.
https://github.com/L5lua External Link • github.comIf you want to be contacted about new features or want to beta-test some upcoming changes, please fill out this form:
https://forms.gle/jhmrAPk4Jzufe5X17 External Link • forms.gleAnyway
That's all for now! I will be making some longer posts on this Leaflet about this project that will be tagged
But am also trying be better about a public writing practice.
xx smh
Discussion in the ATmosphere