It started with a blank <canvas> element and a simple question: “What happens if I make a dot follow my mouse, but leave a colorful trail?”
That little experiment was the spark for what has become my first-ever desktop application, a psychedelic visualizer I’m calling Chromaform.
Like many creaives, I love building things. But this project wasn’t about solving a complex problem. It was about creating an experience. I coded up a simple animation loop in JavaScript, one that drew colorful, semi-transparent shapes that reacted to my cursor. The result was unexpectedly hypnotic. I spent far too long just watching the patterns ebb and flow. I was fond of the outcome, to say the least.
But it was stuck in a browser tab. To share it, I’d have to send people a folder of files with instructions. It felt clunky. I wanted that magic moment of a single, double-clickable icon.
Enter Electron.
I decided to take the leap. After cleaning up my C: drive and getting a fresh install of Node.js, I followed the process. I created a main.js file to host my visualizer and a package.json to define it. And after one command—npm run package—it happened. My little web experiment was now a real, standalone .exe. Seeing that icon on my desktop, and having it launch my creation in its own window, was an incredible feeling.
Today, I’m releasing the very first alpha version (v0.2) of Chromaform. It’s basic, for now. You can guide the art with your mouse and trigger pulses with a click. But it’s a foundation. My dream is to add music input, to let you see your favorite songs, to add more complex patterns, and maybe even one day, get it running on a phone.
This project taught me that you don’t need a grand plan to create something worth sharing. Sometimes, you just need to follow your curiosity.
I invite you to download Chromaform, turn down the lights, and just play. Let me know what you think.
You can download it for free here: Click Here
Go create something beautiful.
