About

C++ Mode is a plugin for the Processing 4 IDE that lets you write sketches in C++ instead of Java. The idea is to take everything that makes Processing easy to pick up and bring it to C++.

Why C++ Mode?

Getting started with C++ is hard. Before you can draw anything on screen you need to set up a build system, open a window, initialize OpenGL, and write a lot of setup code. Most people give up before they see anything.

Processing solved this problem for Java. C++ Mode does the same thing for C++. You type ellipse(300, 300, 50, 50), hit Run, and something appears on screen. The window, the event loop, the OpenGL context, all of it is taken care of.

A friendlier path into C++

If you already know Processing, you already know most of the API. setup(), draw(), background(), mouseX, fill() all work the same way. The only difference is that you are now writing C++.

You can take it step by step. Start with sketches that look almost identical to what you would write in Java. Then start introducing C++ concepts at your own pace: structs, vectors, pointers, templates. The visual feedback makes it easier to understand what your code is actually doing.

Who is it for

C++ Mode is for Processing users who are curious about C++ and want a familiar starting point. It is for students taking a C++ course who want to make something visual while they learn. It is for developers who already know C++ and want a fast creative coding environment. And it is for artists who want their sketches to run as fast as possible without giving up the simplicity of the Processing API.

Made by Jose Gonzalez Llamas. Contributions welcome on GitHub.