WebGL
WebGL is the technology that lets the browser draw three-dimensional graphics using the graphics card.
Also known as: Web Graphics Library · browser 3D graphics
Until WebGL, anything moving in a browser was drawn by the processor and stayed flat. WebGL hands the work to the graphics card, which is what makes a three-dimensional scene possible at a usable frame rate.
It is supported by every current browser and needs no plugin. Writing WebGL directly is low-level work, so in practice a library sits on top of it — most often Three.js.
Common questions
Is WebGL supported everywhere?
In every current browser, yes. On very old devices, or where the user has disabled it, it is not — so a plain HTML fallback has to exist.
Does it drain the battery?
It can, if the scene is not limited. Capping the frame rate, pausing the scene when the tab is hidden and lowering the pixel ratio on mobile are what keep the cost down.
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