Overview

You most likely already know what Three.js is if you’re here, but let’s discuss it and find out why this library is necessary.

Read More: WebGL code generator

With the help of the 3D JavaScript package three.js, developers may produce 3D online experiences. It is compatible with WebGL, but it may also be made to operate with CSS and SVG. We won’t go over those two in this course because they are quite restricted.

What is the WebGL?

Triangles on a canvas may be rendered very quickly using the JavaScript API WebGL. It works with the majority of contemporary browsers and is quick since it makes advantage of the user’s Graphic Processing Unit (GPU).

For the sake of this course, we will concentrate on 3D experiences that employ triangles, however WebGL is capable of drawing more than just triangles and can also be used to build 2D experiences.

The GPU is capable performing thousands of computations in simultaneously. Let’s say you have a 1000 triangle model that you wish to render in three dimensions. This is actually not that many triangles, actually. There are three points on each triangle. The GPU will need to determine these 3000 points’ locations when we wish to draw our model. The GPU can process all of the triangle points at once since it has parallel computing capabilities.

The GPU must then render each visible pixel of those triangles when the model’s points are properly positioned. Once more, the GPU will process the computations involving hundreds and thousands of pixels at a time.

Shaders are programs that include the instructions needed to set the points and render the pixels. Furthermore, shaders are challenging to learn. These shaders require data from us as well. For instance, how to arrange the points based on the attributes of the camera and the model changes. We refer to these as matrices. To assist in colorizing the pixels, we also need to supply data. If the triangle is facing a light and that light exists, the light should be brighter than if it doesn’t.

This explains why native WebGL is so challenging. At least a hundred lines of code would be required to draw a single triangle on the canvas. In that scenario, good luck if you want to add lighting, models, perspective, and animation to everything.

However, native WebGL gains from operating at a low level, in close proximity to the GPU. More control and superior optimizations are made possible by this.

Benefits of WebGL

The following are some benefits of WebGL usage:

Writing WebGL apps requires knowledge of JavaScript programming. You can directly interact with other HTML document components by using these programs. To improve the WebGL application, you may also use HTML technologies and additional JavaScript frameworks, such as JQuery.

Expanding compatibility with mobile browsers: WebGL is compatible with mobile browsers on iOS, Android, and Chrome for Android.

WebGL is an open-source software. You may view the library’s source code to learn how it was created and how it functions.

Compilation is not required because JavaScript is a hybrid HTML and programming component. The file does not need to be compiled in order to run this script. Alternatively, you may open the file directly in any browser and see the outcome. Additionally, WebGL apps do not require compilation because they are created with JavaScript.

Memory management that is automatic − JavaScript allows for memory management that is automatic. Manual memory allocation is not required. JavaScript gives this feature to WebGL.

Simple to set up: No further setup is required because WebGL is included into HTML 5. A text editor and a web browser are all you need to develop a WebGL application.