Cellular Automaton

When to use it

Dark ambient backgrounds, generative/algorithmic art displays, screensaver-style loops, math or science visualizations.

When not to

Light-background layouts (black hardcoded). Contexts needing legible text overlays — the constant vertical motion competes with reading.

Working with an AI agent

Every component ships agent-ready metadata. An example instruction for this one:

Change the rule cycle to show only Rule 30 and Rule 110 by setting RULES=[30,110], and slow the scroll to every 5 frames by changing acc%3 to acc%5. Theme: dark tokens live in :root, the light variant in :root[data-theme="light"]; ?theme=light or a {type:'forever:theme'} postMessage switches at runtime.

Safe to edit

• rule list (RULES array)
• scroll speed (acc%3 frame divisor)
• cell pixel size (cell = min(W,H)/120)
• fade range (0.16+age*0.84)
• background and cell color (#000000 / #f2f2f2)
• theme tokens (:root dark defaults + [data-theme=light] overrides)

Keep intact

• DPR-aware canvas sizing and setTransform
• visibilitychange pause/start
• prefers-reduced-motion static render branch
• IIFE wrapper
• theme hook (?theme= bootstrap + forever:theme message listener + theme tokens)

Known limitations

• Background hardcoded to black — must edit CSS and ctx.fillStyle to change theme
• Click jumps to next rule but reseeds immediately, causing a visible flash
• No aria label on the canvas click target

More Generative Geometry components

• Voronoi Shatter14 drifting sites partition the canvas into cool-blue Voronoi mosaic cells; moving the pointer nudges the nearest site toward the cursor.
• Auto-MazeDepth-first maze carves itself wall by wall on a dark grid with shifting hue; a bright dot marks the active cell. Resets with a new color on completion.
• Truchet Tiles8x8 grid of rainbow quarter-arc Truchet tiles that flip orientation in slow sine waves, weaving shifting interlocked curves across a dark background.
• SpirographA hypotrochoid spirograph traced progressively on canvas with a shifting hue; each cycle completes then resets with new random radii and color.
• L-System PlantAn L-system fractal plant grows branch by branch from the canvas bottom, swaying gently; clicking triggers a wobble and regrows a randomized plant.
• Rotating Mandala12-fold mandala of 5 nested polygon rings that counter-spin, breathe in scale, and cycle through lilac-gold hues. Tap adds a spin impulse.