Topos: A Web-Based Algorithmic Sequencer

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Contributors

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Topos is a web based live coding environment designed to be installation-free, independant and fun. Topos is loosely based on the Monome Teletype. The application follows the same operating principle, but adapts it to the rich multimedia context offered by web browsers. Topos is capable of many things:

• it is a generative/algorithmic music sequencer made for improvisation and composition alike
• it is a synthesizer capable of additive, substractive, FM and wavetable synthesis, backed up by a powerful web based audio engine
• it can also generate video thanks to Hydra, oscilloscopes, frequency visualizers and image/canvas sequencing capabilities
• it can be used to sequence other MIDI and OSC devices (the latter using a NodeJS script)
• it is made to be used without the need of installing anything, always ready at https://topos.live

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Disclaimer

Topos is still a young and experimental project developed by two hobbyists :) Contributions are welcome! We wish to be as inclusive and welcoming as possible to your ideas and suggestions! The software is working quite well and we are continuously striving to improve it. Note that most features are rather experimental and that we don't really have any classical training in web development.

Local Installation (for devs and contributors)

To run the application, you will need to install Node.js and Yarn. Then, clone the repository and run:

• yarn install
• yarn run dev

You are good to go. The application will update itself automatically with every change to the codebase. To test the production version of the applicationn, you will need to install Node.js and Yarn. Then, clone the repository and run:

• yarn run build
• yarn run start

If the build passes, you can be sure that it will also pass our CI pipeline that deploys the application to https://topos.live. Always run a build before committing to check for compiler errors. The automatic deployment on the main branch will not accept compiler errors!

Tauri version

Topos can also be compiled as a standalone application using Tauri. You will need Node.js, Yarn and Rust to be installed on your computer. Then, clone the repository and run:

• yarn tauri build
• yarn tauri dev

The tauri version has never been fleshed out. It's a template for later developments if Topos ever wants to escape from the web :)

Docker

To run the Docker version, run the following command:

docker run -p 8001:80 bubobubobubo/topos:latest

Build and run the prod image

docker compose --profile prod up

Build and run the dev image

First you need to map node_modules to your local machine for your IDE IntelliSense to work properly :

docker compose --profile dev up -d
docker cp topos-dev:/app/node_modules .
docker compose --profile dev down

then run the following command:

docker compose --profile dev up

Note that a Docker version of Topos is automatically generated everytime a commit is done on the main branch.

Credits

• Felix Roos for the SuperDough audio engine.
• Frank Force for the ZzFX synthesizer.
• Kristoffer Ekstrand for the AKWF waveforms.
• Ryan Kirkbride for some of the audio samples in the Dough-Fox sample pack, taken from here.
• Adel Faure for the JGS font.
• Raphaël Bastide for the Steps Mono font.

Many thanks to all the contributors and folks who tried the software already :)