# p5.asciify ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
| [](https://p5js.org/) [](https://www.typescriptlang.org/) [](https://www.khronos.org/webgl/) [](https://vitejs.dev/) | [](https://p5.textmode.art/) [](https://discord.gg/sjrw8QXNks) | [](https://ko-fi.com/V7V8JG2FY) [](https://github.com/sponsors/humanbydefinition) |
|:-------------|:-------------|:-------------|
`p5.asciify` is a powerful add-on library for [p5.js](https://p5js.org/) and the most advanced open-source ASCII conversion library available, designed to transform canvases and textures in `WEBGL` mode into dynamic ASCII/textmode representations in real-time. With `p5.asciify`, you can create intricate ASCII art, textmode games, interactive ASCII experiences, and much more in the web browser with ease.
`p5.asciify` is used in live coding performances, installations, interactive art projects and more, allowing artists and developers to explore the unique aesthetic of ASCII art in a modern context. The library is designed to be flexible, efficient, and easy to use, offering a comprehensive range of tools to help you develop unique and engaging ASCII projects.
## Features
- **Renderer management**: Create and manage multiple ASCII renderers with different settings to create a unique rendering pipeline.
- **Pre-built renderers**: Add pre-built renderers, like `'brightness'`- or `'edge'`-based ASCII converters, to your pipeline.
- **Custom renderers**: Add your own custom ASCII renderers to the pipeline through code to create unique effects by controlling each cell's ASCII character, character color, background color, and more individually.
- **Asciifier management**: Create and manage multiple asciifiers to apply different ASCII rendering pipelines to different textures or the main canvas in parallel.
- **Font management**: Set the font and font size for all ASCII renderers in the pipeline of an asciifier.
- **Grid management**: Apply a perfect and responsive grid based on the canvas/texture dimensions, font size, and font metrics, or create a custom grid with a specific number of columns and rows.
- **WebGL1/WebGL2 support**: All shader code provided by `p5.asciify` is written in `GLSL ES 1.0`, making it compatible with both `WebGL1` and `WebGL2` contexts, allowing for a wide range of devices to run your ASCII projects.
- **Export functionality**: Export your ASCII art as `.txt`, `.svg` and `.json` files for easy sharing and printing, complementing the native image and GIF saving capabilities of `p5.js`.
- **Plugin system**: Create reusable custom renderers as plugins and share them with the community!
## Installation
### Prerequisites
- `p5.asciify` requires [`p5.js`](https://p5js.org/) version `1.8.0` or later.
- The library is also compatible with `p5.js` versions `2.x.x`, but only from version [`2.0.2`](https://github.com/processing/p5.js/releases/tag/v2.0.2) onward.
- `p5.asciify` only runs in [`WEBGL`](https://p5js.org/reference/#/p5/createCanvas) mode, so make sure to set up your canvas accordingly:
```javascript
function setup() {
createCanvas(800, 800, WEBGL);
}
```
That's it! You're now ready to install and use `p5.asciify` in your `p5.js` projects.
### Importing the library
#### Global mode
Download the latest `umd` version of `p5.asciify` from the [**GitHub releases page**](https://github.com/humanbydefinition/p5.asciify/releases/) or import it directly from a CDN like [**jsDelivr**](https://www.jsdelivr.com/package/npm/p5.asciify). The library is distributed as a single JavaScript file, which you can include in your project by adding the following script tag to your HTML file after importing `p5.js`:
```html
```
#### Instance mode
Download the latest `esm` version of `p5.asciify` from the [**GitHub releases page**](https://github.com/humanbydefinition/p5.asciify/releases/), import it directly from a CDN like [**jsDelivr**](https://www.jsdelivr.com/package/npm/p5.asciify), or install it using `npm`:
```bash
npm install p5.asciify
```
```javascript
import p5 from 'p5';
import { p5asciify } from 'p5.asciify';
const sketch = (p) => {
p.setup = () => {
p.createCanvas(800, 800, p.WEBGL);
};
p.draw = () => {
p.clear();
p.background(0);
p.fill(255);
p.rotateX(p.radians(p.frameCount * 3));
p.rotateZ(p.radians(p.frameCount));
p.directionalLight(255, 255, 255, 0, 0, -1);
p.box(800, 100, 100);
};
};
let myp5 = new p5(sketch);
```
At this point - when imported correctly - your `p5.js` canvas in `WEBGL` mode should already be converted into a grid of ASCII characters with the default settings applied. Happy coding! (｡◕‿‿◕｡)
## Learn more
### 📚 [Visit the Official Documentation](https://p5.textmode.art/)
Explore the comprehensive documentation at [p5.textmode.art](https://p5.textmode.art/) for:
- Detailed guides
- Interactive examples
- Complete API reference
- Tips and tricks
- ... and much more!
The documentation will help you unlock the full potential of p5.asciify in your creative coding projects.