p5.platonic

A p5.js library for rendering Platonic solids in WEBGL.

---

Usage

solid(args)

Where solid can be one of the following functions:

• tetrahedron
• hexahedron (or cube)
• octahedron
• dodecahedron
• icosahedron

Arguments (all optional, any order)

• length: Number — Edge length (default: 100).
• center: p5.Vector — Center position (default: origin).
• colors: Array of colors (either p5.Color or string).
• fuse: Boolean — Whether to fuse vertex colors across faces (default: false).

Example (Immediate Mode)

function draw() {
  dodecahedron(50, ['yellow', 'blue', 'red'])
}

---

Retained Mode

Option 1: platonicGeometry (Recommended)

let geom

function setup() {
  createCanvas(400, 400, WEBGL)
  geom = platonicGeometry(dodecahedron, 50, ['yellow', 'blue', 'red'])
}
function draw() {
  background(0)
  orbitControl()
  model(geom)
}

Option 2: buildGeometry

let geom

function setup() {
  createCanvas(400, 400, WEBGL)
  geom = buildGeometry(() => {
    dodecahedron(50, ['yellow', 'blue', 'red'])
  })
  geom.clearColors()
  geom.computeNormals()
}
function draw() {
  background(0)
  orbitControl()
  model(geom)
}

---

ESM Example (Vite)

Install:

npm install p5 p5.platonic

Then in main.js:

import p5 from 'p5'
import 'p5.platonic'

// Retained mode
let dodecahedronGeom, icosahedronGeom

new p5(p => {
  p.setup = () => {
    p.createCanvas(400, 400, p.WEBGL)
    dodecahedronGeom = p.platonicGeometry(p.dodecahedron, 50, true, ['yellow', 'blue', 'red'], true)
    icosahedronGeom = p.buildGeometry(() => {
      p.icosahedron(50, ['yellow', 'blue', 'red'])
    })
    // icosahedronGeom.clearColors() // optional
    icosahedronGeom.computeNormals() // optional
  }

  p.draw = () => {
    p.background(255)
    p.orbitControl()
    // Retained mode rendering
    p.model(dodecahedronGeom)
    p.push()
    p.translate(-p.width / 4, -p.height / 4, 0)
    p.rotateZ(p.frameCount * 0.01)
    p.rotateX(p.frameCount * 0.01)
    p.rotateY(p.frameCount * 0.01)
    p.model(icosahedronGeom)
    p.pop()
    // Immediate mode rendering
    p.push()
    p.translate(-p.width / 4, +p.height / 4, 0)
    p.rotateZ(p.frameCount * 0.01)
    p.rotateX(p.frameCount * 0.01)
    p.rotateY(p.frameCount * 0.01)
    p.fill('DarkTurquoise')
    p.tetrahedron()
    p.pop()
  }
})

---

Installation (IIFE / CDN)

Include after p5.js:

<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/p5.platonic/dist/p5.platonic.js"></script>
<!-- or minified -->
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/p5.platonic/dist/p5.platonic.min.js"></script>

---

Development (VS Code / Gitpod / Codium)

git clone https://github.com/VisualComputing/p5.platonic
cd p5.platonic
npm install

Then open in VS Code, Gitpod, or Codium.

Useful References

• p5.js Library Creation
• p5.js WebGL Architecture
• buildGeometry
• model