Get started

Install the free workstation app, and draw your first picture with three lines of Lua.

Windows, macOS (Apple Silicon), Linux

Want to look around first? datumhue.app runs what other people have made, right in your browser. It's free, with nothing to install and no sign-in.

  1. Install the workstation app

    The app is free, and it needs a connection to datumhue.app to run.

    Linux

    x86-64 with Vulkan graphics: Ubuntu 20.04+, Debian 11+, RHEL 9+

    Paste this line into a terminal:

    curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://datumhue.com/install.sh | sh

    It installs DatumHue for you, adds it to your app menu and adds the datumhue command, then starts it.

    macOS (Apple Silicon)

    macOS 11 or later

    Paste this line into Terminal:

    curl --proto '=https' --tlsv1.2 -sSf https://datumhue.com/install.sh | sh

    It installs DatumHue for you in the Applications folder in your home folder and adds the datumhue command, then starts it.

    Windows

    64-bit (x86-64), with DirectX 12 or Vulkan graphics

    Download DatumHue-Setup.exe (opens github.com) and run it. If your browser warns about the file, choose to keep it. If Windows asks, choose More info, then Run anyway. Or paste this line into PowerShell:

    irm https://datumhue.com/install.ps1 | iex

    It installs DatumHue for you, adds it to the Start menu and adds the datumhue command, then starts it.

    To remove DatumHue, run datumhue self uninstall, or on Windows remove it under Installed apps in Settings. Your saved data and settings stay.

    Other downloads

    Every release on our releases page also has a zip for each system. The README inside says how to start it.

    • datumhue-platform-<version>-windows-x86_64.zip
    • datumhue-platform-<version>-macos-aarch64.zip
    • datumhue-platform-<version>-linux-x86_64.zip
    Open the newest release (opens github.com)

  2. Accept its license

    The first time it starts, the app shows its license, with links to the datumhue.app Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Choose Accept, and it connects to datumhue.app. From then on it keeps itself up to date.

  3. Draw your first picture

    Save these three lines as hello.lua in any folder:

    local canvas = datumhue.draw.new({ width = 1280, height = 720 })
canvas:mount({ width = "100%", height = "100%", fit = "contain" })
canvas:circle({ radius = 240, color = datumhue.color("#e69875") })

    Then open a new terminal in that folder and run:

    datumhue run --watch hello.lua

    Now edit a number and save. The picture redraws.

    A smooth orange circle in the middle of a plain background.A smooth orange circle in the middle of a plain background.

Learn the rest from the manual

The manual's first steps build a ball pit, one script at a time. Its reference covers every call. Run datumhue docs --open to read the same manual offline.

Run your first app (opens datumhue.dev)

Stuck? Ask us at support@datumhue.com, or report a bug (opens github.com).