Processing Launches Version 1.0

Just a quick note to observe a very cool moment for geeks: Processing is out of beta.

This open-source programming language was begun seven years ago by Casey Reas and Ben Fry, and has been in alpha and beta ever since. Despite its lack of completion, Processing has seen an incredible surge in popularity, used for Apple’s new visualizer (picture above) and as the programming language for arduino microcontrollers, among other projects.

Today, on November 24, 2008, we launch the 1.0 version of the Processing software. Processing is a programming language, development environment, and online community that since 2001 has promoted software literacy within the visual arts. Initially created to serve as a software sketchbook and to teach fundamentals of computer programming within a visual context, Processing quickly developed into a tool for creating finished professional work as well.

Processing is a free, open source alternative to proprietary software tools with expensive licenses, making it accessible to schools and individual students. Its open source status encourages the community participation and collaboration that is vital to Processing’s growth. Contributors share programs, contribute code, answer questions in the discussion forum, and build libraries to extend the possibilities of the software. The Processing community has written over seventy libraries to facilitate computer vision, data visualization, music, networking, and electronics.

Read our review of the Processing book or visit Processing.org to download the software for yourself — it’s compatible with OS X, GNU/Linux and Windows.