My question is, may I run Processing in the backend? For instance, if I want to create a service that accepts images, I use processing to create a B&W of it, and I deliver it. Would I need to run in headless mode ( I mean, simulating a graphic output in case the server does not have one running?) Would this work in any server hosting provider as discussed in your tutorial Hosting.
I am very interested in exploring this option and I hope I can get some insight from your wisdom.
In general, yes, you can use Processing as a library using headless mode on any server that supports Java. More info here: Running without a Display
I’ve never had the need to do this, so the best advice I can give you is to try putting together a simple hello world example that tests out all the different pieces.
Yes, I am very interested in doing this as a side small project. Do you know any free service provider that runs java in the background and it is free? Maybe the answer is AWS… do you know of any other? Do you think I would need to go with VPS or could I do that with semi-dedicated hosting?