three.js Getting started with three.js
Remarks
The aim of the project is to create a lightweight 3D library with a very low level of complexity — in other words, for dummies. The library provides canvas, svg, CSS3D and WebGL renderers.
Versions
| Version | Changelog | Release Date |
|---|---|---|
| R85 | Link | 2017-04-25 |
| R84 | Link | 2017-01-19 |
| R83 | Link | 2016-12-15 |
| R82 | Link | 2016-12-15 |
| R81 | Link | 2016-09-16 |
| R80 | Link | 2016-08-23 |
| R79 | Link | 2016-07-14 |
| R78 | Link | 2016-06-20 |
Hello world!
The example is taken from threejs website.
You may want to download three.js and change the script source below.
There are many more advanced examples under this link.
HTML:
<html>
<head>
<meta charset=utf-8>
<title>My first Three.js app</title>
<style>
body { margin: 0; }
canvas { width: 100%; height: 100% }
</style>
</head>
<body>
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/three.js/r83/three.js"></script>
<script>
// Our JavaScript will go here.
</script>
</body>
The basic scene with a static cube in JavaScript:
var scene = new THREE.Scene();
var camera = new THREE.PerspectiveCamera( 75, window.innerWidth/window.innerHeight, 0.1, 1000 );
var renderer = new THREE.WebGLRenderer();
renderer.setSize( window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight );
document.body.appendChild( renderer.domElement );
var geometry = new THREE.BoxGeometry( 1, 1, 1 );
var material = new THREE.MeshBasicMaterial( { color: 0x00ff00 } );
var cube = new THREE.Mesh( geometry, material );
scene.add( cube );
camera.position.z = 5;
To actually see anything, we need a Render() loop:
function render() {
requestAnimationFrame( render );
renderer.render( scene, camera );
}
render();
Installation or Setup
- You can install three.js via npm:
npm install three
- You can add it from a CDN to your HTML:
<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/three.js/r83/three.js"></script>
- You can use the three.js editor to give it a try and download the project as an example or starting point.
Simple Boilerplate : spinning cube and orbit controls with damping
This is the basic HTML file that can be used as a boilerplate when starting a project. This boilerplate uses orbit controls with damping (camera that can move around an object with deceleration effect) and creates a spinning cube.
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<title>Three.js Boilerplate</title>
<!--This is important to get a correct canvas size on mobile-->
<meta name='viewport' content='width=device-width, user-scalable=no'/>
<style>
body{
margin:0;
overflow:hidden;
}
/*
Next 2 paragraphs are a good practice.
In IE/Edge you have to provide the cursor images.
*/
canvas{
cursor:grab;
cursor:-webkit-grab;
cursor:-moz-grab;
}
canvas:active{
cursor:grabbing;
cursor:-webkit-grabbing;
cursor:-moz-grabbing;
}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<script src='three.js/build/three.js'></script>
<script src='three.js/examples/js/controls/OrbitControls.js'></script>
<script>
var scene, renderer, camera, controls, cube;
init();
function init () {
renderer = new THREE.WebGLRenderer();
//this is to get the correct pixel detail on portable devices
renderer.setPixelRatio( window.devicePixelRatio );
//and this sets the canvas' size.
renderer.setSize( window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight );
document.body.appendChild( renderer.domElement );
scene = new THREE.Scene();
camera = new THREE.PerspectiveCamera(
70, //FOV
window.innerWidth / window.innerHeight, //aspect
1, //near clipping plane
100 //far clipping plane
);
camera.position.set( 1, 3, 5 );
controls = new THREE.OrbitControls( camera, renderer.domElement );
controls.rotateSpeed = .07;
controls.enableDamping = true;
controls.dampingFactor = .05;
window.addEventListener( 'resize', function () {
camera.aspect = window.innerWidth / window.innerHeight;
camera.updateProjectionMatrix();
renderer.setSize( window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight );
}, false );
cube = new THREE.Mesh(
new THREE.BoxGeometry( 1, 1, 1 ),
new THREE.MeshBasicMaterial()
);
scene.add( cube );
animate();
}
function animate () {
requestAnimationFrame( animate );
controls.update();
renderer.render( scene, camera );
cube.rotation.x += 0.01;
}
</script>
</body>
</html>
