Recommendation: Use the NSDT editor to quickly build 3D application scenarios
There is strong growth and growing interest in WebGL; however, a shortage of detailed information about the technology is often observed. Let's reveal all its basics and the various frameworks and libraries it can provide.
WebGL basics
Contrary to common misconception, WebGL is not a graphics suite. Instead, it uses code to draw geometric objects and uses the client's GPU engine to rasterize graphics objects on an HTML canvas.
In order to understand the basics of WebGL, it helps to grasp basic 3D graphics theory and rendering workflow. In a 3D scene, each point is a vertex identified by its x, y, z coordinates. The vertices are then connected to form a set of triangular shapes called primitives. Apply light sources to create the appearance of shadows and depth. The primitives are then rasterized to create 3D vector graphics as projections of 2D pixels, tricking the brain into seeing 2D objects on a 3D computer screen.
There are two types of functions in WebGL code:
- vertex shader,
- Fragment shader.
They are used to tell the computer how to draw pixels on the screen. While the main program code is written in JavaScript, shaders use the GL Shader language, which is very similar to C/C++.
The vertex shader calculates the coordinates of the vertices, and the fragment shader is responsible for calculating the pixel color. The shading process requires a computer to perform a lot of calculations in order to render an image smoothly. The workload handled by the CPU is usually too large. For this reason, WebGL makes use of the GPU to distribute calculations more efficiently.
Essentially, the WebGL API is all about custom shader state to control what gets drawn on the client screen.
Fortunately, there's no need to manually create a program to start adding 3D graphics to your website. You can use resources like three.js, PlayCanvas, or Unity's WebGL build options to quickly design 3D experiences without much basic knowledge of WebGL.
Additional Libraries for WebGL
Web developers can use a wide variety of WebGL frameworks and libraries to build web products. Applying pre-written elements can greatly increase the speed of web development, rather than reinventing the wheel.
Let's now take a quick overview of some popular add-on libraries for developing applications using WebGL.
Unity WebGL
If you're looking for resources for WebGL development, this is probably the first library you'll come across. Unity WebGL allows web developers to interact directly with the browser's JavaScript engine when creating content in a web page.
This way, all elements on the web page can communicate with each other. Unity WebGL provides different ways to do this: call Javascript or C functions from Unity script, or even send some data from browser's JavaScript to Unity script.
Currently, most major desktop browsers support Unity WebGL content. However, it does not yet provide support for mobile devices.
Three.js
Three.js is a JavaScript element library specially prepared for WebGL. The library has a large collection of effects, objects, cameras, scenes, materials, shaders and other utilities. The manuals are still being written, but the large developer community on the web runs forums and discussions.
Babylon.js
Another open-source library on Github, Babylon.js is often described as an engine for displaying 3D graphics in the browser. Its native language is Typescript, but its code is interpreted natively by all browsers that support WebGL and HTML5. Babylon.js has a wide range of applications including gaming, crime data visualization, fashion, healthcare education, and military training.
PlayCanvas
Specifically for gaming, PlayCanvas is a 3D engine powered by a proprietary cloud-based development platform that allows web development teams to edit web projects in real-time from multiple computers. These capabilities include 3D animation, rigid body physics simulation, and sound design. The engine was open-sourced in 2014 and also has a free repository on Github.
AFrame
This framework is suitable for XR development (AR/VR and mixed reality experiences) and for displaying 3D and VR elements in the browser. AFrame is essentially a VR plugin that has a bunch of components like animations, geometry, cursors, controls, etc.
The code generated by AFrame can run on most popular VR headsets, as well as display graphics on desktop and mobile devices. This makes AFrame the perfect library to enable browser games to run on any device. A free repository is also available on Github.
Deck.gl
Deck.gl is primarily intended for visualization of geospatial data and is ideal for working with large datasets using WebGL and creating complex visualizations based on analytical data. It integrates well with React and provides excellent results when combined with MapboxGL to create attractive 2D or 3D graphical overlays on Mapbox maps. You can use the Deck.gl Github repository to create WebGL geospatial visualizations.
The total number of additional WebGL libraries exceeds 80, and describing them all is beyond the scope of this article. However, you can use the extensive list of libraries on Openbase to find the one that best suits your business purposes.
epilogue
Used in 3D web design, interactive applications, games, physics simulations, data visualization, and artwork, WebGL is considered one of the innovative technologies for creating engaging and interactive user experiences. Created by the KhronosGroup, the technology is a direct descendant of OpenGL ES and is used for 3D visualization in games and VR.
Original Link: 6 Best WebGL Libraries for 3D Web Graphics Rendering (mvrlink.com)