Designing L5: A Permacomputing Approach to Creative Coding

Abstract

Creative coding libraries provide high-level tools that make computational and algorithmic art accessible to artists and learners. Processing/p5 is one such family of libraries, known for its beginner-friendly approach and wide reach across artistic and technical communities. L5 is a new member of this family, implemented in Lua using the LOVE framework. It applies permacomputing principles, a movement addressing sustainability in computing inspired by permaculture, bringing these values to a community of practice not historically centered on them. This paper explores L5's design decisions and tensions between sustainability and usability through five case studies: 1. balancing perceived simplicity versus exposing the seams, 2. designing for lower resource consumption, 3. ensuring long-term stability, 4. constraining functionality, and 5. designing documentation for resource-constrained access. Rather than optimizing for a single metric, sustainable creative tools require navigating competing values transparently.

10 pages, 1 figure, In LIMITS 26: Workshop on Computing within Limits, June 23 - 25, 2026