WebGL: what it is, and why it is the standard for 3D web apps

WebGL (Web-based Graphic Library) is a JavaScript library for rendering interactive 2D and 3D graphics directly from browsers.

More precisely, it exposes graphics API (Application Programming Interfaces), based on the OpenGL ES graphics libraries, that enable the graphical representation of 3D elements in high quality without the need to install any plug-ins or third-party software.

Khronos Group manages WebGL, a consortium founded in 2000 to create open, royalty-free standards for areas such as 3D graphics, Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), machine learning, etc.

The Khronos Group is thus divided into several working groups, among the members of the OpenGL ARB (Architecture Review Board) working group we find such companies as Amazon, Apple, Google, Intel, Microsoft, NVIDIA, Samsung, and Sony.

Benefits

The advantages of using WebGL for 3D web applications are considerable, let’s see the main ones:

ability to create real-time interactive 3D applications that maintain excellent graphics quality;
excellent speed and no annoying buffering effect after initial loading;
maximum usability of applications directly from the browser without having to install plug-ins or external software (as, for example, needed to be done with Flash Player);
possibility of accessing applications from both desktop and mobile environments.

These merits make this technology the most versatile, efficient, and highest potential for developing web apps with 3D graphics, replacing Flash Player as the technology standard.

Browser and WebGL 2.0 support

A recurring question when it comes to WebGL is: does it work on my browser?

WebGL works and is integrated without the need to activate it manually on almost all major browsers, starting with different versions of them. In more detail, we see the following sample table:

As we can see only the Opera Mini (Mobile Web Browser) browser does not support it.

WebGL 2.0

The natural evolution of WebGL 1 is WebGL 2; the two systems are similar, but while the former is based on the OpenGL ES 2.0 graphics API, the latter is based instead on the newer, higher-performance OpenGL ES 3.0. Thus turning out to be significantly superior to its predecessor in terms of graphics quality rendering.

As far as browser support for WebGL 2 is concerned, the situation is slightly more varied than before, but let’s see in detail:

As we can see it is supported by the leading and most popular browsers:

Chrome (since version 56);
Firefox (since version 51);
Edge (since version 79);
Safari (since version 15).

Interestingly, support for WebGL 2.0 for the Safari browser is recent, the version that officially supports it dates back to September 20, 2021. In contrast, very old and now unmaintained browsers such as Internet Explorer do not appear to be supported.

On the other hand, concerning the situation of mobile browsers, a distinction must be made between Android and iOS systems. Specifically, we see how the situation on Android is positive, several browsers support WebGL 2:

Android Browser;
Opera Mobile;
Chrome for Android;
Firefox for Android;
UC Browser for Android;
Samsung Internet.

We also can notice that for iOS was added:

KiOS in 2021;
Baidu Browser in 2022;
QQ Browser in 2022;

Still, trying to determine whether or not your browser supports WeGL? Click here and find out now!

WebGL: How it works?

We have given an overview of the technology under consideration, but how does it work?

As previously mentioned WebGL is based on the OpenGL ES API (a graphics library used for building 3D applications), and thus provides a programming interface for 2D and 3D graphics. This interface is used to take full advantage of the capabilities of HTML5’s canvas element, which it accesses through DOM (Document Object Model) interfaces.

WebGL 2.0, on the other hand, is an extension of WebGL 1, introducing support for the OpenGL ES 3.0 API through the WebGL2RenderingContext interface.

Some application examples

The uses of WebGL technology mainly involve web apps that use interactive 3D or 2D graphics, let’s look at some examples:

Boots 3D Web Configurator: https://configurator.parlanti.com/index.html?product=ROMA

Videogames: https://simmer.io/

Who to turn to for software application development in WebGL?

Developing applications in WebGL requires a lot of skills and in-depth study of this technology. Therefore, to obtain a solution with excellent performance and quality, it is recommended to rely on professionals who are familiar with this platform and its peculiarities.

Airlapp is a web app development company in WebGL, formed by a team of professionals who have been working in the field for many years and can offer a range of cross-competencies suitable for ensuring the highest quality standards for each solution implemented.

If you are looking for a WebGL software development company, get in touch with us!