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Developer info: How does L5 work?

L5 is built with the Love2d framework in Lua. It uses a modified love.run() that adds double buffering and custom events and sets global defaults used internally by L5 and accessible by the programmer. Internally used global defaults are held within the L5_env table.

By default Love only allows drawing commands within love.draw(), which calls a user's custom draw() function. In order to achieve parity with Processing and p5.js so that drawing graphics can happen anywhere, L5 modifies love.run() to allow drawing graphics anywhere.

love.load() has been modified to set the global default width and height as well as the display width and height, and to create the double buffers, and seed the pseudorandom number generator. Double buffering and initially clearing the buffers has been added to prevent screen flickering and other visual artifacts that were a result of modifying love.run().

love.update() has been modified to track mouse positioning.

love.draw() tracks user events. Most user events have been modified to track global variables.

filter() is implemented through GLSL shader code.

Roadmap

  • [ ] Winter 2025/2026 - L5 mode added to Processing IDE
  • [ ] Winter 2025/2026 - Code refactor
  • [ ] Spring 2026 - Comprehensive Error message system implemented
  • [ ] Spring 2026 - Alpha release 0.1
  • [ ] Summer 2026 - L5sound and L5camera libraries release
  • [ ] Fall 2026 - Add support for 3D