cables.gl, free visual programming: now open source, offline

cables.gl is a wonderful creative environment for everything the browser can do visually – interaction, motion, and 3D. And now it sports a full open source MIT license and a version you can download and use offline.

cables.gl I’ve raved about for some time as an essential addition to the arsenal of anyone working with interaction design, digital media and digital art, and live visuals. I know it’s easy to get bogged down in the sheer number of tools that are out there now – an astounding number that is even free or has at least some basic community/free license. But the reality is, once you get comfortable with tools ranging from TouchDesigner to Three.js JavaScript coding, you can move fairly comfortably from tool to tool to hack what you need, especially when prototyping. So you might well try something quickly with a collaborator with cables.gl before diving into full-blown custom code or patching.

I’ve been messing with this as it was in development, but now it’s official: cables.gl has a complete MIT license. And you no longer need an Internet connection when you work – especially essentially as you invariably find yourself doing an installation or performance away from a reliable connection.

Opening this up is already a big deal, and it’s encouraging (even surprising) to see something as flexible as the MIT license. As they put it, this is about a few components:

Licence: MIT licence gives you all the freedom for your work

Transparency: inspect the code, understand the tool, help us improve

Make it yours: customise cables to fit your specific needs

Join the dev community: contribute to cables development

Smooth workflow: integrate easily with your local development setup

The standalone offline release is a revelation. And yeah, if you’re like me you don’t really feel comfortable until you’ve got a standalone version, even if you’re working on a fast Internet connection. Again, they’ve broken down what that means – as if you need to be sold on this part:

Work anywhere: even offline – no internet required.

Local asset freedom: use files and assets without restrictions, ensuring privacy

Code your way: use your preferred code editor for development

Fixed version: work with one version for reliability

Security unchained: wave goodbye to browser security headaches

Develop with npm: use npm packages for native functionality

Shut up and take my – uh, not money – take my download?

That npm thing alone is a big deal.

So, if you’re behind on your cables.gl action, here are some videos to get you going. Enjoy!