Installation (for DEVs)

This type of installation is only needed, if you plan a deep dive into development, e.g. because you would like to add additional NodeJS modules or want to compile the electron app yourself.

Tip

In most cases you will not need to read on because using the precompiled Controller App will save you all of this installation nightmare. This instruction is only for developers who need to do a real deep dive.

Choose the installation guide for Mac and Windows:

What am I installing?

npm

npm stands for “Node Package Manager”. It allows you to install NodeJS software packages on your computer using the command line. You will need npm to compile and run arduino-p5js and to build executeable desktop-applications for Macintosh (app) and Windows (exe).

arduino-p5js

This is a boilerplate (a simple “template”) that has everything you need to get started with your project. It takes care of the “dirty work” and bridges the communication between your p5js-sketch and the Arduino Board. It ships with many nice features that make developing more fun:

  • SCSS-Support: write your CSS using nested SCSS-syntax

  • Standalone development: Everything you need is in one, simple container. No need to run an additional Serialport-Server software like the p5bots-server

  • Deploy your project as a standalone app for Mac or exe for Windows using electron

nnarduino-sketch

This is the software that needs to be installed on your Arduino Board using the Arduino IDE It reads and writes to the Serial Port and allows the use of JSON to communicate between Nodes’s serialport and the Board.

Installation Guide: