L127 : Web-Based Grasshopper is Here: Exploring the Open Source Nodepen Project with Chuck Driesler

AEC Tech Journeys with Mayur Mistry

Hosted Chuck Driesler to discuss Nodepen, an open source project he has been developing to create a web-based version of Grasshopper. He provided a history of the project, which started in 2018 and has gone through multiple revisions. The current version utilizes Speckle technology to handle the 3D geometry and visualization, allowing Chuck to focus on the node-based logic and interaction. Key topics covered include leveraging React for fast rendering, integrating Grasshopper computation on the backend, and designing an intuitive user interface. While Nodepen started as a way to recreate Grasshopper online, it has now evolved into a more flexible visual programming environment. Chuck outlined his goals to simplify sharing and collaboration around Grasshopper scripts, support open source contributions, and explore capabilities beyond desktop Grasshopper. 0:00 - Introduction 05:10 - The beginning at a 2018 hackathon 09:15 - The first version of Nodepen 15:00 - User feedback inspires the second version 18:10 - The third version focuses on mobile 21:00 - Grasshopper 2.0 changes the project scope 23:30 - Using Speckle for the fourth version 29:00 - A technical dive into Nodepen's code 49:20 - The visual design process in Figma 55:30 - Wrap up and questions