p5.bots is a library to facilitate communication between p5.js running in your browser and a microcontroller* running Firmata**.
``` * The library has been tested on Arduino Unos, but should work on anything running Firmata. ** The serial API does not depend on Firmata. ```To do this, it uses the socket.io library and node.js to send messages between the two devices, in a language each device can understand.
This way, you can click on a sketch to light an LED or use temperature data to drive a sketch — or more.
p5bots comprises two sets of files: the client file, called p5bots.js, which is included in the index.html along with p5.js and your sketch; and the server files, called p5bots-server, which can be downloaded from npm.
If all this sounds a little too manual, you can also use p5bots from the p5.js IDE.
p5bots has a p5.serial method that can be used in combination with an Arduino sketch listening for serial, much in the same way the Processing serial library can.
For more details on this module, see serial in the API reference.
If you use serial only, you do not need to install Firmata on your board.
The majority of p5bots functionality lives within p5.board. Inspired by Johnny-Five, p5.board provides a number of hardware-specific methods in addition to plain digital, analog, and pwm read/write methods.
Details for these methods, plus examples can be found in the module pages. Example sketches and hardware diagrams are also available in the examples directory.
Ready to go? Good entry points include:
- the Hello, World tutorial
- checking out examples, say for RGB LEDs
- reading about the client API, which lists the methods you can use in your p5 code and covers setting up in detail, and p5bots-server
- or, heading over to p5.js to learn more about the drawing library
Detailed explanations of functionality have been broken up by subject:
- Getting set up and using the library with p5.js: p5.bots API
- Setting up and testing the server files: p5.bots server
- Examples showing p5.bots alongside p5 functions: examples
Want to fix an issue you've identified? Looking to create some functionality we have yet to add? Check out CONTRIBUTING.md.