| name | of-skill |
| description | openFrameworks conventions, gotchas, addon patterns, and build system behavior. Use when writing, reviewing, or debugging any openFrameworks code — addons, apps, or CI. |
| license | MIT |
openFrameworks Skill
C++ toolkit for creative coding. oF is not a framework — it's a set of libraries with a consistent API wrapped around OpenGL, audio, video, and input.
Docs: https://openframeworks.cc
Version: 0.12.1+ (C++17). Use v0.12.1+ unless explicitly told otherwise.
Platform: macOS (primary dev), Linux, Windows
Reference Files
api-conventions.md — Coding style, naming, class patterns, oF-specific conventionsgotchas.md — Build system behavior, addon_config.mk traps, platform differences, bad know-howaddon-guide.md — How to structure, configure, and build an oF addon (addon_config.mk, addons.make, directory layout, CI)
30-Second Summary
- oF is header-heavy with implicit conventions. No strict ABI, no namespace (everything in global scope with
of prefix).
- The build system is NOT standard make. It uses
compile.project.mk which parses addons.make → reads each addon's addon_config.mk → applies platform-specific sections.
addons.make and addon_config.mk are unrelated files serving different purposes. addons.make = which addons to use (in project dir). addon_config.mk = how an addon builds (in addon root).- camelCase everywhere. oF uses camelCase for everything: class names (
ofTexture), methods (draw()), variables (width), files (ofApp.cpp).
ofApp.cpp is the entry point. Single-file implementation preferred until refactoring is warranted.
Naming Convention
| Element | Style | Example |
|---|
| Classes | camelCase, of prefix | ofTexture, ofxOsc |
| Methods | camelCase | setup(), draw(), getWidth() |
| Variables | camelCase | frameNum, windowWidth |
| Files | camelCase | ofApp.cpp, ofMain.cpp |
| Addon prefix | ofx | ofxOsc, ofxGui |
| Member variables | camelCase, no prefix | width not m_width |
