Random Walk · How it works & code
Each walker randomly chooses up, down, left, or right to move one step, like a drunk person walking.
Runtime logic
Visiting `/generative/walk`, DemoHost lazy-loads `demos/kits/kit-generative.js` (registry `mod: 'kit-generative'`) and calls `mount(host, { variant: 'walk' })`. mount resolves the variant to family `walk`; `withControls` builds the control panel (6 presets + sliders). `createCanvasStage` creates the `<canvas>` (HiDPI ≤ 2×, ResizeObserver) and the info panel. The family’s `build(S)` initialises state and returns the per-frame callback. Every `requestAnimationFrame`: read controls, advance a speed-scaled clock (dt ≤ 50 ms), run the frame callback; returned readouts go to the info panel. Changing parameters: colour/speed/size apply live; structural ones remount; leaving the page cancels rAF, removes listeners and frees resources.
Environment
Canvas 2D: 2D canvas drawing; requestAnimationFrame: Display-synced animation loop; ResizeObserver: Canvas follows container size; Pointer Events: Unified mouse/touch/pen events; devicePixelRatio: Crisp HiDPI rendering (capped at 2×) · react 18.3.1, react-router-dom 6.30.6, vite 5.4.21
Dependencies
react 18.3.1
Imported APIs
withControls — Wraps the demo in the shared control panel (presets, sliders, reset); hot-updates or remounts on change; paramsFromSpec — Turns the spec (colour/speed/size/count/extras) into control-panel parameter definitions; createCanvasStage — Shared Canvas 2D stage: canvas + info panel, HiDPI, one rAF loop, pointer state, idle auto-pointer; hueOf — Hue of a colour (0–360°); clamp — Clamps a value to a range; TAU — Constant 2π; fmt — Number formatting (fixed decimals); F — Formula block HTML; S.clear — Clears with the background colour (translucent = trails); S.onFrame — Registers a per-frame callback; its return value feeds the info panel; ctx.beginPath() — Starts a new path; ctx.moveTo() — Moves the pen without drawing; ctx.lineTo() — Adds a straight line to a point; ctx.stroke() — Strokes the current path; ctx.arcTo() — Adds an arc using tangent lines; ctx.closePath() — Closes the current sub-path; ctx.fill() — Fills the current path; ctx.fillRect() — Fills a rectangle; ctx.arc() — Adds a circular arc (center, radius, start/end angle); ctx.drawImage() — Draws an image or offscreen canvas; ctx.save() — Saves the drawing state (transform, styles, clip); ctx.rect() — Adds a rectangle to the path; ctx.clip() — Turns the current path into the clipping region; ctx.restore() — Restores the saved drawing state
Source code
frontend/src/demos/kits/kit-generative.js: FAM.walk (L286-L305)
Code walkthrough
L286-305: Calls the factory `gFam()` to produce the full definition (spec + doc + build) from the options below. L286-286: Title shown in the info and control panels: “Random Walk”. L286-286: Range/default of the size slider: Step. L286-286: Range/default of the count slider: Number of Walkers. L287-287: Extra demo-specific slider/toggle: Trail Length. L287-287: Default main colour. L287-287: Speed slider label. L287-287: Help text of the extra parameter. L287-287: Preset buttons: name → parameter overrides (5). L288-288: Body of the “Notes” section. L288-288: Main formula of the “Formula” section. L288-288: Second formula line. L289-305: Per-frame draw function: draws with Canvas 2D `beginPath`, `moveTo`, `lineTo`, `stroke`; math via `Math.random`, `Math.floor`, `Math.min`, `Math.round`, `Math.abs`, `Math.max` …; returns readouts `mode`, `cell` to the info panel.
Principles
p_{n+1} = p_n + Step · Random direction ∈ {↑, ↓, ←, →} Average offset ≈ Step · √n Randomly swam: every swagger is randomly selected at every step, Down, Left, One step right, like a drunk walking. The average distance from the starting point after walking n is about √n x × long - much more, but not far away. When you touch the pointer, you'll be shot off and come back from the other side of the border. Generative Art = a simple mathematical rule + Random number/噪声,让电脑自己「画」出图案;改变参数就是改变规则。