Paper.js

Paper.js is an open-source vector graphics scripting framework that runs on top of the HTML5 Canvas. It offers a clean Scene Graph / Document Object Model for vector graphics and a powerful set of tools to work with Bézier curves, path segments, and raster images. Unlike immediate-mode canvas APIs, Paper.js utilizes a retained-mode architecture, allowing developers to treat graphical elements as persistent objects. In the 2026 landscape, Paper.js remains a critical infrastructure for generative art platforms, custom UI/UX design tools, and data visualization engines that require high-performance vector manipulation. Its unique PaperScript extension allows for scoped execution, simplifying complex mathematical operations into readable syntax. It excels in environments where SVG complexity limits performance, providing a bridge between high-level vector manipulation and low-level canvas rendering. The library is highly optimized for mathematical operations like path simplified, boolean operations (union/intersection), and segment-level animation, making it the industry standard for browser-based creative coding.