In a P5LIVE COCODING session the code syncs but each peer renders locally, so sketches depending on local mic/webcam/MIDI look different per machine

P5LIVE’s collaborative COCODING mode synchronizes the source code across peers, but each peer runs its own render loop locally rather than sharing pixels. Consequently a sketch that reads local inputs — microphone, webcam, MIDI — produces a different image on every machine, because each reads its own hardware. To share those inputs you must broadcast them explicitly via SyncData. Frame-dependent values like frameCount and mouseX only stay in sync if the admin enables broadcast. Under admin lockdown a peer may lack write access, so their edits silently do not apply.

Examples

Two peers run the same webcam sketch in a COCODING session: each sees their own camera feed. frameCount-driven animation drifts between peers unless broadcast is enabled.

Assessment

Explain why a mic-reactive P5LIVE sketch looks different for each participant in a COCODING session, and name the mechanism that shares an input across peers.