Processing

Table of contents+
Learn→Tutorials→Text Tutorials

Getting Started

by Casey Reas and Ben Fry

This tutorial was adapted from the book, Getting Started with Processing, by Casey Reas and Ben Fry, Maker Media 2015. If you see any errors or have comments, please let us know.

Getting started

Welcome to Processing!

Note: For older Processing versions (4.3.4 or earlier), see the legacy installation instructions instead.

To begin, download the latest version of Processing.

  • On Windows, Processing comes as a .msi installer file. Locate the file in your Downloads folder and double-click it to install Processing.
  • On macOS, Processing comes as a .dmg disk image. Open the file from your Downloads folder, then drag the Processing icon to your Applications folder.
  • On Linux and Raspberry Pi, Processing is available on the Snap Store. The download page will redirect you there. Follow the installation instructions on the Snap Store page.

After the installation is complete, launch Processing by double-clicking the icon. On Windows and Linux, you can find it in the Start menu or on your desktop. On macOS, it should be in the Applications folder.

With any luck, the main Processing window will now be visible. However, if the program didn't start, or you're otherwise stuck, visit the troubleshooting page for possible solutions.