Introduction
Have you ever wanted to create stunning 3D graphics and animations for your website or web application? If so, you might have heard of three.js, a popular JavaScript library that makes it easy to create and display 3D content in the browser. But what is three.js exactly, and how can you use it to enhance your web design and user experience? In this article, we will answer these questions and more. We will cover:
What is three.js and why use it?
How to get started with three.js?
What can you do with three.js?
Resources for learning three.js
By the end of this article, you will have a better understanding of what three.js is, how it works, and what it can do for your web projects. You will also learn where to find more information and examples to help you master this powerful tool.
three.js
What is three.js?
Three.js is a cross-browser JavaScript library that allows you to create and display animated 3D computer graphics in a web browser using WebGL, CSS3D or SVG. The aim of the project is to create an easy to use, lightweight, cross-browser, general purpose 3D library. The current builds only include a WebGL renderer but WebGPU (experimental), SVG and CSS3D renderers are also available as addons.
Why use three.js?
There are many benefits of using three.js for your web design and user experience. Here are some of them:
Flexibility and adaptability: Three.js's flexibility and adaptability are significant factors contributing to its popularity. You can use it to create simple 3D elements, complex 3D interactions, and creative animated games. You can also customize it to suit your needs and preferences by using different renderers, materials, shaders, loaders, effects, and more.
Robustness and efficiency: Efficiency and robustness are at the heart of three.js. It handles many low-level operations for you, such as creating buffers, shaders, textures, geometries, lights, cameras, etc., so you can focus on the high-level logic and creativity of your project. It also optimizes the performance of your 3D graphics by using techniques such as frustum culling, occlusion culling, level of detail (LOD), instancing, etc.
Extensive support and documentation: The success of a development tool often depends on the support and resources it offers developers. Three.js has a large and active community of developers who contribute to its development and improvement. It also has a comprehensive official documentation that covers everything from basic concepts to advanced topics. Additionally, there are many tutorials, courses, books, blogs, forums, and examples available online that can help you learn and master three.js .
How to get started with three.js?
Getting started with three.js is relatively easy and straightforward. You just need to follow these steps:
Setting up the environment
The first step is to set up your development environment. You will need a text editor, a web browser, and a web server. You can use any text editor you like, such as Visual Studio Code, Sublime Text, Atom, etc. You can also use any web browser that supports WebGL, such as Chrome, Firefox, Safari, Edge, etc. For the web server, you can either use a local server, such as XAMPP, WAMP, MAMP, etc., or an online server, such as GitHub Pages, Netlify, etc.
The next step is to download or link to the three.js library. You can either download the latest version from the official website or use a CDN (Content Delivery Network) to link to it directly in your HTML file. For example, you can use this script tag to link to the latest version of three.js from jsDelivr CDN:
three.js tutorial
three.js examples
three.js documentation
three.js animation
three.js webgl
three.js webgpu
three.js svg
three.js css3d
three.js 3d model
three.js gltf
three.js obj
three.js loader
three.js raycaster
three.js orbitcontrols
three.js dragcontrols
three.js transformcontrols
three.js dat.gui
three.js stats
three.js postprocessing
three.js shader
three.js material
three.js texture
three.js light
three.js shadow
three.js camera
three.js scene
three.js renderer
three.js geometry
three.js buffergeometry
three.js mesh
three.js line
three.js pointcloud
three.js sprite
three.js textgeometry
three.js fontloader
three.js extrudegeometry
three.js shapegeometry
three.js curvepath
three.js splineeditor
three.js physicsengine
three.js cannonjs
three.js ammojs
three.js vrmlloader
three.js vrmodeui
three.js webxrmanager
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Alternatively, you can also use a module bundler, such as Webpack, Rollup, Parcel, etc., to import three.js as a module in your JavaScript file. For example, you can use this import statement to import three.js from npm:
import * as THREE from 'three';
For more information on how to set up your environment and use different methods to include three.js in your project, you can refer to the official documentation or this tutorial.
Creating a basic scene
The next step is to create a basic scene with three.js. A scene is a container that holds all the objects, lights, cameras, and other elements that you want to render on the screen. To create a scene, you need to use the THREE.Scene constructor and assign it to a variable. For example:
const scene = new THREE.Scene();
Then, you need to create a renderer that will display your scene on the canvas element in your HTML file. A renderer is an object that handles the rendering process of your scene using WebGL or other methods. To create a renderer, you need to use one of the renderer constructors provided by three.js and assign it to a variable. For example:
const renderer = new THREE.WebGLRenderer();
You also need to set some properties of your renderer, such as the size, the color, and the pixel ratio. For example:
renderer.setSize(window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight); // set the size of the renderer to match the window size renderer.setClearColor(0x000000); // set the background color of the renderer to black renderer.setPixelRatio(window.devicePixelRatio); // set the pixel ratio of the renderer to match the device pixel ratio
Finally, you need to append your renderer's domElement (the canvas element) to your HTML document's body element. For example:
document.body.appendChild(renderer.domElement);
Adding objects, lights, and cameras
The next step is to add some objects, lights, and cameras to your scene. Objects are the visible elements that make up your 3D scene, such as geometries, materials, meshes, sprites, etc. Lights are the sources of illumination that affect the appearance and shading of your objects. Cameras are the devices that capture and display your scene from a certain perspective.
To add an object to your scene, you need to create it using one of the constructors provided by three.js and assign it to a variable. For example, to create a cube object, you need to use the THREE.BoxGeometry and THREE.MeshBasicMaterial constructors to create a geometry and a material for the cube, and then use the THREE.Mesh constructor to create a mesh that combines them. For example:
const geometry = new THREE.BoxGeometry(1, 1, 1); // create a box geometry with width, height, and depth of 1 const material = new THREE.MeshBasicMaterial(color: 0xff0000); // create a basic material with red color const cube = new THREE.Mesh(geometry, material); // create a mesh that combines the geometry and the material
Then, you need to add your object to your scene using the scene.add() method. For example:
scene.add(cube); // add the cube to the scene
You can also set some properties of your object, such as its position, rotation, scale, etc. For example:
cube.position.set(0, 0, 0); // set the position of the cube to the origin cube.rotation.set(Math.PI / 4, Math.PI / 4, 0); // set the rotation of the cube to 45 degrees on x and y axes cube.scale.set(2, 2, 2); // set the scale of the cube to 2 on all axes
To add a light to your scene, you need to create it using one of the constructors provided by three.js and assign it to a variable. For example, to create a directional light that simulates sunlight, you need to use the THREE.DirectionalLight constructor and pass in a color and an intensity as parameters. For example:
const light = new THREE.DirectionalLight(0xffffff, 1); // create a directional light with white color and full intensity
Then, you need to add your light to your scene using the scene.add() method. For example:
scene.add(light); // add the light to the scene
You can also set some properties of your light, such as its position, target, castShadow, etc. For example:
light.position.set(1, 1, 1); // set the position of the light light.target = cube; // set the target of the light to be the cube light.castShadow = true; // enable shadow casting for the light
To add a camera to your scene, you need to create it using one of the constructors provided by three.js and assign it to a variable. For example, to create a perspective camera that mimics human vision, you need to use the THREE.PerspectiveCamera constructor and pass in a field of view (fov), an aspect ratio (aspect), a near clipping plane (near), and a far clipping plane (far) as parameters. For example:
const camera = new THREE.PerspectiveCamera(75, window.innerWidth / window.innerHeight, 0.1, 1000); // create a perspective camera with fov of 75 degrees, aspect ratio of window width / window height, near clipping plane of 0.1, and far clipping plane of 1000
Then, you need to add your camera to your scene using the scene.add() method. For example:
scene.add(camera); // add the camera to the scene
You can also set some properties of your camera, such as its position, rotation, lookAt, etc. For example:
camera.position.set(0, 0, 5); // set the position of the camera camera.rotation.set(0, 0 ,0); // set the rotation of the camera camera.lookAt(cube.position); // make the camera look at the cube's position
Animating and rendering the scene
The final step is to animate and render your scene. Animation is the process of changing the properties of your objects, lights, cameras, etc. over time to create dynamic and interactive effects. Rendering is the process of drawing your scene on the canvas element using your renderer.
To animate your scene, you need to create a function that updates the properties of your objects, lights, cameras, etc. according to some logic or user input. For example, you can make your cube rotate continuously by changing its rotation property in each frame. For example:
function animate() cube.rotation.x += 0.01; // increase the x rotation of the cube by 0.01 radians per frame cube.rotation.y += 0.01; // increase the y rotation of the cube by 0.01 radians per frame
To render your scene, you need to call the renderer.render() method and pass in your scene and camera as parameters. For example:
function render() renderer.render(scene, camera); // render the scene using the camera
To make your animation and rendering loop run continuously, you need to use a requestAnimationFrame() function that calls itself recursively and executes your animation and rendering functions in each frame. For example:
function loop() requestAnimationFrame(loop); // request the next frame animate(); // update the properties of the scene render(); // draw the scene on the canvas
Finally, you need to call your loop() function once to start the animation and rendering process. For example:
loop(); // start the loop
Now you have animated and rendered your scene.
What can you do with three.js?
Now that you have learned how to create a basic scene with three.js, you might be wondering what else can you do with it. The answer is: a lot! Three.js is a versatile and powerful tool that can help you create amazing 3D graphics and animations for your web projects. Here are some examples of what you can do with three.js:
Examples of three.js projects
There are many inspiring and impressive projects that use three.js to create stunning 3D effects and interactions. Here are some of them:
Interactive 3D Background
This project uses three.js to create an interactive 3D background that responds to mouse movement and changes color according to time. You can see it in action here: [Interactive 3D Background].
Grid Icosahedron Refraction
This project uses three.js to create a grid icosahedron that refracts a video texture using a custom shader. You can see it in action here: [Grid Icosahedron Refraction].
Interactive Particles Text
Resources for learning three.js
If you want to learn more about three.js and how to use it for your web projects, there are plenty of resources available online that can help you. Here are some of them:
Official documentation and examples
The official documentation of three.js is a great place to start. It covers everything from the basic concepts and features of three.js to the advanced topics and techniques. It also provides a reference for all the classes, methods, properties, and constants that three.js offers. You can access it here: [Official documentation].
The official examples of three.js are also very helpful. They showcase the various capabilities and functionalities of three.js and provide the source code for each example. You can learn a lot by studying and modifying the examples. You can access them here: [Official examples].
Online courses and books
If you prefer a more structured and guided way of learning three.js, you can enroll in some online courses or read some books that teach you how to use three.js. Here are some of them:
[Three.js Journey]: This is an online course that teaches you how to create 3D web experiences with three.js. It covers topics such as geometries, materials, textures, lights, cameras, animations, shaders, post-processing, physics, etc. It also provides interactive exercises and challenges to test your skills.
[Discover three.js]: This is a book that teaches you how to create realistic 3D graphics for the web with three.js. It covers topics such as rendering, lighting, shadows, materials, textures, models, animations, physics, etc. It also provides code examples and projects to help you practice.
[Three.js Fundamentals]: This is an online course that teaches you the fundamentals of three.js. It covers topics such as setting up the environment, creating a scene, adding objects, lights, cameras, animations, etc. It also provides code snippets and explanations for each step.
Community forums and blogs
If you want to connect with other developers who use three.js and get some tips, feedback, or help from them, you can join some community forums and blogs that are dedicated to three.js. Here are some of them:
[Three.js Forum]: This is the official forum of three.js where you can ask questions, share your work, find resources, or discuss anything related to three.js.
[Three.js Discord]: This is an unofficial Discord server where you can chat with other three.js enthusiasts and get some support or advice from them.
[Three.js Blog]: This is an unofficial blog where you can find some tutorials, articles, news, or showcases about three.js.
Conclusion
In this article, we have learned what three.js is and why use it. We have also learned how to get started with three.js by creating a basic scene with objects, lights, cameras, animations, and rendering. We have also seen some examples of what you can do with three.js and some resources for learning more about it.
Summary of main points
Here are the main points that we have covered in this article:
Three.js is a cross-browser JavaScript library that allows you to create and display animated 3D computer graphics in a web browser using WebGL or other methods.
Three.js offers many benefits such as flexibility, adaptability, robustness, efficiency, extensive support and documentation.
To get started with three.js, you need to set up your environment, create a scene, add objects, lights, cameras, animate and render your scene.
You can do a lot with three.js such as creating simple 3D elements, complex 3D interactions, creative animated games.
You can find many resources for learning more about three.js such as official documentation and examples, online courses and books, community forums and blogs.
FAQs
Here are some frequently asked questions about three.js:
What are the prerequisites for learning three.js?
To learn three.js effectively, you should have some basic knowledge of HTML, CSS, JavaScript, and 3D mathematics (such as vectors, matrices, quaternions, etc.). You should also be familiar with the concepts of WebGL, the graphics pipeline, and shaders.
Is three.js free and open source?
Yes, any personal or commercial project without any restrictions. You can also modify and distribute it as you wish. You can find the source code and license of three.js on GitHub: [Three.js GitHub].
How can I contribute to three.js?
If you want to contribute to three.js, you can do so in many ways. You can report bugs, suggest features, submit pull requests, write documentation, create examples, or help other developers on the forum or Discord. You can also support the project financially by donating or sponsoring it. You can find more information on how to contribute to three.js on the official website: [How to contribute].
What are some alternatives to three.js?
Three.js is not the only JavaScript library that allows you to create 3D graphics and animations in the browser. There are some alternatives that you can also try, such as:
[Babylon.js]: This is another popular JavaScript library that enables you to create 3D games and applications using WebGL. It has a rich set of features, such as physics, collisions, particles, audio, VR, etc. It also has a powerful editor and playground that let you create and test your projects online.
[A-Frame]: This is a web framework that allows you to create VR experiences using HTML and JavaScript. It is built on top of three.js and provides a declarative and component-based approach to creating 3D scenes. It also supports various VR devices and platforms, such as WebXR, Oculus, SteamVR, etc.
[PlayCanvas]: This is a cloud-based game engine and editor that allows you to create 3D games and applications using JavaScript and WebGL. It has a collaborative and user-friendly interface that lets you design, code, and publish your projects online. It also supports various features, such as physics, animations, audio, VR, etc.
Where can I find more examples of three.js projects?
If you want to see more examples of what people have created with three.js, you can visit some of these websites:
[Three.js Showcase]: This is a curated collection of some of the best three.js projects from various categories, such as games, art, education, etc.
[CodePen]: This is an online code editor and community where you can create and share your web projects using HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. You can find many three.js projects on CodePen by searching for the tag "threejs".
[Sketchfab]: This is an online platform where you can upload and view 3D models in your browser. You can also embed them on your website using three.js. You can find many three.js models on Sketchfab by searching for the tag "threejs".
I hope you enjoyed this article and learned something new about three.js. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. Thank you for reading! 44f88ac181