L5: A new permacomputing creative coding library from Processing family
L5 brings sustainability and low-resource design to algorithmic art using Lua/LOVE.
A new paper from Lee Tusman and Kit Kuksenok introduces L5, a creative coding library designed from the ground up with permacomputing values. L5 joins the Processing/p5 family but is implemented in Lua using the LOVE framework, offering a lightweight alternative to the popular JavaScript-based p5.js. The work, presented at the LIMITS 2026 workshop, dives into five design tensions: exposing complexity vs. simplicity, minimizing resource consumption, ensuring long-term stability, constraining functionality to reduce bloat, and crafting documentation for low-bandwidth access. Rather than optimizing for a single metric, the authors argue that sustainable creative tools must transparently navigate competing values.
Permacomputing, inspired by permaculture, addresses the environmental and social impact of software. L5 is a concrete attempt to bring these principles to the creative coding community, which has historically prioritized ease of use and broad accessibility over sustainability. By using Lua—a fast, small scripting language—and the LOVE game engine, L5 reduces dependency on massive JavaScript runtimes and browser overhead. The paper details how each design decision affects both the artist's experience and the planet's resources, offering a model for future eco-conscious tools in digital art and education.
- L5 is a new processing/p5 family library implemented in Lua using the LOVE framework, prioritizing low resource use.
- The paper presents 5 case studies on design tensions between sustainability and usability, including reducing resource consumption and ensuring long-term stability.
- Permacomputing principles guide L5's design, aiming to bring eco-friendly computing to creative coding communities.
Why It Matters
L5 offers a sustainable alternative for creative coding, reducing energy use without sacrificing artistic expression.