How to Install Processing on Linux Mint and Getting Started Step-by-Step Guide

Install Processing Linux Mint

Hi! This tutorial will guide you step-by-step on How to Install Processing 3.x on Mint GNU/Linux Desktop.

And Processing for Linux Mint is a flexible Software Sketchbook and a Language for Learning How to Code within the context of the Visual Arts.

Here are some Key Features of Processing:

• Programming Environment: Processing provides a simplified programming environment that allows users to create interactive sketches, animations, visualizations, and graphics using a simple and intuitive syntax. It offers a text editor, code execution environment, and debugging tools within its integrated development environment (IDE).
• Graphics and Animation: Processing is built around a powerful graphics library that makes it easy to create 2D and 3D graphics, shapes, colors, textures, and animations. It provides a set of functions and methods for drawing graphics primitives, images, text, and geometric shapes on a canvas.
• Interactivity: Processing enables users to create interactive applications by handling user input events such as mouse clicks, keyboard presses, and touch gestures. It provides functions for detecting and responding to user interactions, enabling the creation of interactive art, games, simulations, and user interfaces.
• Community and Resources: Processing has a large and active community of users, educators, and developers who share resources, tutorials, examples, and projects. The official Processing website provides extensive documentation, reference guides, and tutorials to help users learn and explore creative coding with Processing.
• Cross-Platform Compatibility: Processing is available for multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux, making it accessible to users on different platforms. This cross-platform compatibility ensures that users can create and run Processing sketches on their preferred operating system.
• Extensibility: Processing is extensible, allowing users to enhance its capabilities by installing and using third-party libraries and tools. There is a vast ecosystem of contributed libraries available for various purposes, including computer vision, audio processing, data visualization, and more.
• Education and Learning: Processing is widely used in educational settings as a tool for teaching programming, computational thinking, and creative expression. Its visual and interactive nature makes it engaging for students of all ages and backgrounds, from elementary school to university level.
• Export and Deployment: Processing allows users to export their sketches as standalone applications or applets that can be shared and deployed on the web, desktop, or mobile devices. This enables users to showcase their projects and share them with others without requiring them to install Processing.

Especially relevant: the Installation of the Oracle Java Runtime is Required for Coding in Java with Processing 3 Sketches.

The Instructions, Commands and Descriptions for Install Processing on Linux Mint Guide give Focus only to the Essentials.

The Process of Install Processing on Linux Mint Works Also on All others Mint Releases.

1. Open a Shell Terminal emulator window
   (Press “Enter” to Execute Commands)

   

   In case first see: Terminal QuickStart Guide.

2. Download the Latest Processing 3 Release for Linux

   Processing Linux .tgz

   Processing for Linux

3. Now Extract Processing into /tmp Folder
   In case Double-Click/Right-Click to Open it with the Archive Manager:

   

4. Relocate Processing into System Folder
   (For a Local installation without Admin Privileges install into Home…)
   Setting the SuperUser as Owner.

   sudo chown -R root:root /tmp/processing*

   Switch the Processing directory

   sudo mv /tmp/processing* /opt/processing

   If Got “User is Not in Sudoers file” then see: How to Enable sudo

5. Add Processing to Linux Mint Path
   Making a Symlink:

   sudo ln -s /opt/processing/processing /usr/local/bin/processing

   Or Locally by:

   ln -s /opt/processing/processing /home/magcig/.local/bin/processing

6. Next to Make Processing IDE Desktop Launcher
   For a System-Wide Setup:

   sudo sh /opt/processing/install.sh

   Instead, only for your User:

   sh /opt/processing/install.sh

7. Running Processing Sketch
   From Shell:

   processing

   Instead, from Desktop Search for the ‘Processing’ App…
   

8. Check if Oracle Java JRE is Installed

   java -version

   How to Install Required Oracle Java JRE 8 on Linux: SetUp Java Oracle JRE 8 on Linux

9. Fixing Java for Processing
   Remove the Bundle Java release:

   sudo rm -rf /opt/processing/java

   Symlinking the Oracle JRE Installation:

   sudo ln -s /usr/lib/jvm/[jre1.X] /opt/processing/java

   To finds the [jre1.X] Value to be replaced:

   ls /usr/lib/jvm

10. Processing How to Getting-Started Using Libraries

    Processing Libraries Quick Guide

    Installing Processing Libraries

So Now Thanks to the Processing Foundation you Should Finally, Fully Enjoy the Processing Experience on Mint ;)