The TOPLAP manifesto prioritizes algorithm transparency over tool materiality as a performance ethic

TOPLAP (Temporary Organisation for the Promotion of Live Algorithm Programming) was founded in 2004 at a Hamburg workshop. Its manifesto, drafted as an ironic/earnest statement, insists that algorithms be made visible during performance — code should be projected, process should be audible. The manifesto explicitly rejects ‘hiding what you are doing’ and the use of pre-recorded material or backup content. Over time the manifesto’s prescriptive rules (no presets, open-source only) evolved toward an emphasis on transparency as an aesthetic value rather than a strict technical constraint. The core claim is that the algorithm itself — not the tool used to run it — is the primary artistic material.

Examples

TOPLAP performances typically project code on screens or walls so audiences can see what is being written. This distinguishes live coding from laptop performance where the screen is private.

Assessment

Summarize the core principle of the TOPLAP manifesto in one sentence. Then name one way a live coder could honor the spirit of the manifesto without literally projecting code.