Three.js is a popular JavaScript library that makes it much easier to create and display 3D graphics in a web browser. It works by simplifying the complexities of WebGL, the standard low-level browser API for rendering 3D, allowing you to build everything from simple product viewers to complex games with far less code.
Analogy: The Film Set 🎬
Creating a 3D experience with Three.js is a lot like being a director on a film set. You need a few key things:
1. The Scene This is your virtual stage. It’s the container where you will place all your objects, lights, and the camera.
2. The Objects (Meshes) These are your actors and props. In Three.js, a visible object is called a Mesh. Every mesh is made of two parts:
- Geometry: The shape of the object (e.g., a cube, a sphere, or a custom 3D model).
- Material: The “skin” of the object—what it looks like (e.g., its color, texture, and how shiny it is).
3. The Camera This is the perspective from which the scene will be viewed. You can position the camera, aim it, and set its properties, like the field of view, to frame your shot perfectly.
4. The Renderer This is the engine that does all the hard work. The renderer takes the scene you’ve built and the camera’s perspective and calculates the final 2D image that gets displayed on the user’s screen.
What Can You Build with Three.js ?
Three.js has opened the door to a new generation of immersive web experiences that were previously only possible in native applications.
- Interactive Product Configurators: Allowing users to customize and view a product in 3D, like on a car or shoe website.
- Immersive Portfolio Websites: Creating memorable, animated websites that stand out.
- Data Visualization: Plotting data in 3D to reveal new insights and patterns.
- Browser-Based Games: Building fun and complex games that run directly on the web.
Step 2: Offer Next Step
The beginner’s guide to Three.js is now complete. The next topic on our list is a look at the current state of the major JavaScript frameworks. Shall I prepare that for you?