https://github.com/laserpilot/creative_tech_taxonomy
An open taxonomy of software, hardware, and concepts related to creative technology and creative coding
https://github.com/laserpilot/creative_tech_taxonomy
art creative-coding creative-technology design generative-art interactive-design list openframeworks resources
Last synced: 14 days ago
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An open taxonomy of software, hardware, and concepts related to creative technology and creative coding
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/laserpilot/creative_tech_taxonomy
- Owner: laserpilot
- License: mit
- Created: 2021-12-26T19:22:13.000Z (about 4 years ago)
- Default Branch: main
- Last Pushed: 2025-05-30T19:44:20.000Z (9 months ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-05-30T19:44:26.839Z (9 months ago)
- Topics: art, creative-coding, creative-technology, design, generative-art, interactive-design, list, openframeworks, resources
- Language: JavaScript
- Homepage:
- Size: 8.02 MB
- Stars: 22
- Watchers: 2
- Forks: 2
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
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README
# Creative Tech Taxonomy
## View the current taxonomy at the link [here](https://laserpilot.github.io/Creative_Tech_Taxonomy/)
[
](https://laserpilot.github.io/Creative_Tech_Taxonomy/)
An open taxonomy of software, hardware, and concepts related to creative technology and creative coding. Many relationships and hierarchies between topics are very subjective and have many flaws, so please don't take these too seriously - if you have a correction or suggestion, please submit a pull request. This is a labor of love and not meant to be too prescriptive, just illustrative.
This was created because taxonomies for this undefined space are important tools for developing a common language and grammar to better enable communication and education. Read more of my longwinded thoughts on all that in my post [here](https://ablairneal.com/a-creative-technology-taxonomy).
Originally created as a visual map [here](https://twitter.com/laserpilot/status/1104056855528128513/photo/1).
I later adapted this idea to a JSON structure for easy modification and portability to other environments.
The diagram was originally made as a static image, but [@HeidiHe](https://github.com/HeidiHe) made some huge improvements and now we can run this on a Github pages or locally so that it can be visualized and manipulated.
## Running locally
Clone the repository.
We use a build tool called [Vite](https://vitejs.dev/) for local viewing and modification.
Try the following command.
### Install
`npm install`
Install the necessary packages. Please search how to use nodejs / npm.
### Run local server
`npm run dev`
The local server starts up. The URL to be displayed is displayed at runtime and can be connected to from smartphones and other devices in the local environment.
If there are any changes to the file, a hot reload is automatically performed, allowing you to concentrate on development.
### Formatting source code
`npm run format`
Js, css, scss, html source code will be formatted. It is recommended that you run this before committing.
### Build
`npm run build`
All files are output to the `dist` directory.
## Submitting updates
You are welcome to submit your own changes to this! There are several ways to contribute:
### Manual Editing
The easiest method is to use the page either on github pages or built locally switch to the JSON editor and then make a change to the entry or child node you want to change. If you switch back, you will see the update reflected.
You can then press the "Download JSON" button on the Interaction panel. You can then clone or fork the repo, replace the existing `Creative_Tech_Taxonomy_data.json` file and submit it as a pull request to have it reflected in the main page.
### AI-Assisted Content Enhancement
For bulk content improvements, we have an AI-powered enhancement system that can efficiently add descriptions and links to nodes that need them:
#### Prerequisites
1. Install Python dependencies: `pip install anthropic`
2. Set your Claude API key: `export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="your-api-key"`
#### Enhancement Workflow
```bash
# 1. Analyze current state and identify nodes needing improvement
python enhance.py analyze
# 2. Generate an efficient processing plan
python enhance.py plan
# 3. Process multiple batches automatically (recommended)
python enhance.py batch 5
# OR process individual batches manually
python enhance.py single sample_batch_for_api.json
# Clean up backup files if needed
python enhance.py cleanup
```
#### Key Features
- **10x efficiency**: Processes batches of related nodes instead of individual API calls
- **Source file updates**: Modifies the individual taxonomy files (not just the compiled version)
- **Smart backup system**: Creates single backup files (not timestamped duplicates)
- **Auto-rebuild**: Automatically rebuilds the main taxonomy file after changes
- **Progress tracking**: Shows exactly what was enhanced and which files were modified
The enhancement system only updates nodes that actually need improvement (missing descriptions or links) and preserves existing quality content.
**Note**: All enhancement utility scripts are organized in the `utilities/` directory. The main `enhance.py` script provides a convenient interface to access them.
## Multiple Language Support
This also now supports multiple languages! In addition to English, we have some preliminary entries for Japanese in a few spots. To add additional languages, you have to make updates in a few key spots:
- src/index.html
- Add items to the Language Dropdown for your language, and also add an option value for your language like `en` for English: `English` Right now we have `en` for English and `ja` for Japanese, and do not have a system set up for other languages yet.
- src/js/taxonomy_tree_visualizer.js
- Here is the switching logic for the languages. If there is no entry found for a language, it will default to showing the English version
- public/Creative_Tech_Taxonomy_data.json
- Here is where you add new translations per entry. You will need to add a new entry in the `name` object with your language key.
Currently multiple languages are only set up to work for the tree display names but not the actual item descriptions
## Future Improvements
- To Do:
- Add basic info to all nodes (links, descriptions, etc)
- Potentially Utilize an LLM tool to do a first draft pass at writing descriptions for all entries?
- Implement some way of working with Tags to create other kinds of visualizations and relationships
- Implement an easy GUI method of adding and modifying nodes directly to the tree as opposed to changing the JSON. This would still require some kind of moderation step as well. [This](https://github.com/adamfeuer/d3js-tree-editor) has been identified as a possible solve.
- Clean up and refactor code
Other eventual additions:
- Might need a different format to better capture parent/child relationships
- Unique ID per node or a way to relate the same "node" in multiple locations
- CLearer multi language support
Other category additions for the future?
- Organizations/Companies/Collectives/Art Institutes and the tools they use?
- Add a category or visualization that lists all related projects that use a particular technology
- Well known works and related tools?
- Improve Mobile, Game Engine, Web, and AI section classification and depth
For another really great outline document, check out this link: https://github.com/terkelg/awesome-creative-coding
## Acknowledgements
Thanks to Heidi He, and Yuma from BASSDRUM for the help with the visualizer and many other elements
## Individual Images
(NOTE THESE ARE FOR the 2022 version of the graph and are now out of date in comparison):
