When online shopping first started, the product pages were made around some static imagery and probably the zoom feature. It was enough at that time. But today’s users expect more. They want to wander around, preview the couch in your room, or customize the color of the water bottle, before clicking on the “add the cart”.
This is the place where web GL and 3 JS come in. Mighty, they make it possible to bring interactive 3D graphics to online stores, directly within the browser without plugin or outdoor apps.
In this article, we will break how these technologies work, why they are changing e -commerce, and developers need to know what to build the next generation of interactive purchase experiences.
The table of content
💡 Mandatory terms
You should benefit from this article as much as you, you should be:
Basic understanding of JavaScript (variable, functions, imports).
Familiarity with HTML and DOM (since we will present in one
,Curiosity about graphics programming – does not require any deep math or shader knowledge.
Node. JS and NPM installed (if you want to try all three JS examples locally).
If you have never worked with 3D graphics before, don’t worry. We will keep examples easy and focus on concepts
What is WebGL?
Web GL (Web Graphics Library) A Javascript is API that allows you to offer interactive 2D and 3D graphics in the browser using the computer’s GPU. Unlike the Old Browser Technologies (Think Flash), WebGL is made directly into modern browsers, so consumers do not need to install additional things.
In its basic section, web GL is based on Open GLES (a sub -set of open GL details), and it provides developers a lower level API to work with shaders, vertical and rendering pipelines.
A minimum web GL example may look like:
<canvas id="glcanvas" width="640" height="480">canvas>
<script>
const canvas = document.getElementById("glcanvas");
const gl = canvas.getContext("webgl");
if (!gl) {
alert("WebGL not supported by your browser");
}
gl.clearColor(0.0, 0.5, 0.5, 1.0);
gl.clear(gl.COLOR_BUFFER_BIT);
script>
If you run this piece, it easily fills the canvas with tea color. Not much interesting – but it’s happening on the GPU, and from here, you can go to the photovirialstick 3D.
How 3 JS web GL developer makes friendly
While the web GL is powerful, it is also a function. Developers need to handle the shade, buffer items, and projection matrix manually, which is a steep learning curve for most front and engineers.
It is that place Three. js Shines It is a famous Javascript library that wrapped around the web GL and provides high levels, developer -friendly API to work with 3D graphics. Instead of hundreds of setup code lines, you can get a 3D scene and walk in some lines.
Here a simple three. JS is an example that produces a rotating cube:
import * as THREE from 'three';
const scene = new THREE.Scene();
const camera = new THREE.PerspectiveCamera(75, window.innerWidth/window.innerHeight, 0.1, 1000);
const renderer = new THREE.WebGLRenderer();
renderer.setSize(window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight);
document.body.appendChild(renderer.domElement);
const geometry = new THREE.BoxGeometry();
const material = new THREE.MeshBasicMaterial({ color: 0x00ff00 });
const cube = new THREE.Mesh(geometry, material);
scene.add(cube);
camera.position.z = 5;
function animate() {
requestAnimationFrame(animate);
cube.rotation.x += 0.01;
cube.rotation.y += 0.01;
renderer.render(scene, camera);
}
animate();
With just a few lines, you have an interactive 3D object inside the browser. Ease of use is that three. Interactive product experiences for JS developers have become a library to create online.
How to make a simple 3D Configure Demo
To understand how these technologies translate into real world online shopping, let’s create a small demo: a 3D box that rotates when clicking on the button and changes the color. Think of it as the most basic version of a product preview.
Step 1: HTML File establishment
Let’s start with one index.html file. Will have one in this file Functions to offer our 3D scene and some buttons that work like “options” (for example, red, blue, or green selection).
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>3D Product Demotitle>
<style>
body {
margin: 0;
overflow: hidden;
font-family: sans-serif;
background: #f5f5f5;
}
canvas { display: block; }
.controls {
position: absolute;
top: 20px;
left: 20px;
display: flex;
gap: 10px;
}
button {
padding: 10px 16px;
font-size: 14px;
border: none;
border-radius: 4px;
cursor: pointer;
color: white;
}
.red { background: #e63946; }
.blue { background: #0077ff; }
.green { background: #2a9d8f; }
button:hover { opacity: 0.8; }
style>
head>
<body>
<div class="controls">
<button class="red" onclick="setColor(0xe63946)">Redbutton>
<button class="blue" onclick="setColor(0x0077ff)">Bluebutton>
<button class="green" onclick="setColor(0x2a9d8f)">Greenbutton>
div>
<script src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/three@0.154/build/three.min.js">script>
<script src="script.js">script>
body>
html>
What we did is:
Some styling buttons were added for color options.
Set some basic CSS for layout and design.
A CDN includes 3 JS Library.
connected to A.
script.jsFile where we will write our 3D logic.
Step 2: Making scenario in Script Dot J
Now make a file that says script.js. This is the place where we will build the 3D world.
The first step is to make a scene, a camera and a predecessor. Think about it like this: Perspective Is stage, Camera Is the point of view, and Predictor He is the one who draws everything on the screen.
const scene = new THREE.Scene();
const camera = new THREE.PerspectiveCamera(
75, window.innerWidth / window.innerHeight, 0.1, 1000
);
camera.position.z = 3;
const renderer = new THREE.WebGLRenderer({ antialias: true });
renderer.setSize(window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight);
document.body.appendChild(renderer.domElement);
Step 3: Adding a Product (Cube)
We will use a cube to represent our products. Later, this can be a 3D model (such as shoe, couch, or banner stand).
const geometry = new THREE.BoxGeometry(1, 1, 1);
let material = new THREE.MeshStandardMaterial({ color: 0x0077ff });
const cube = new THREE.Mesh(geometry, material);
scene.add(cube);
const light = new THREE.DirectionalLight(0xffffff, 1);
light.position.set(2, 2, 5).normalize();
scene.add(light);
Step 4: to mobilize the cube
We want the cube to rotate. This creates a sense of interactive product preview. This is how we can do it:
function animate() {
requestAnimationFrame(animate);
cube.rotation.x += 0.01;
cube.rotation.y += 0.01;
renderer.render(scene, camera);
}
animate();
Now, when you load the page, the cube will continue to rotate.
Step 5: Including Interactivity
Let’s connect the color buttons to the cube. Every button calls setColor() Work with the hex code.
function setColor(hex) {
cube.material.color.setHex(hex);
}
Now, when you click on the “Red,” “blue”, or “Green”, the cube immediately changes the color, such as switching between product variations.
Step 6: Making it responsible
Finally, let’s make sure the canvas properly changes the size on different devices.
window.addEventListener("resize", () => {
camera.aspect = window.innerWidth / window.innerHeight;
camera.updateProjectionMatrix();
renderer.setSize(window.innerWidth, window.innerHeight);
});
We now have a mini -product/object preview:
A 3D Object (cube) that rotates like a real product.
Buttons that change its color, imitate product options.
Callery in the screen size.
Of course. It is an easy demo, but the same principles are used in real -world e -commerce experiences.
Examples of 3D Configurer
3d’s role in e -commerce
Why should online stores invest in 3D? The answer is in the user’s engagement. Studies show that consumers are more likely to change when consumers can interact with the product in detail. Instead of scrolling through flat images, they rotate the product, zoom and even customized in real time.
From the developer’s point of view, connecting the 3D is not just about “making it beautiful”. It’s about:
Reducing the return rate (Consumers completely know what they are buying).
Rising site on the site (3D models encourage search).
To support the flu. (Colors, Materials, Pressure)
Matters of real -world use
There are some fields where web GL + Three Dot Jes are already changing e -commerce. 3D Product Configurers By changing the colors and textures, use the Three Three Dot J to customize users interactively customize.
For example, 3D product reviews where online stores allow users to rotate boards, cars or devices to see every angle. Virtual Turns are also becoming popular in iWares and fashion brands. They use AR + WebGL to test users practically online items. Online printers and manufacturers also allow consumers to make their products in 3D before buying.
Technical challenges and the best action
Interactive 3D experiments are not without obstacles. Developers need to think about it:
Performance correction – Compress models, using surface surface (LOD), and reducing the size of the structure.
Cross device compatibility -3D experiences work easily on both high -end desktops and mobile devices.
Loading times – Use slow loading for textures and assets.
User experience – Smooth navigation control, fossilback images for unauthorized devices, and accessible interaction.
The future of 3D in online stores
We are just scratching the level that is possible. Some trends of future formation include:
Web GPU: The next generation graphics API that promises better than web GL.
Increased reality (AR): Mixing the real and digital world with the web XR.
AI -powered customs: automatically create product variations or suggestions.
Conclusion
Web GL and three JS Interactive are strengthening a new wave of online shopping. What is used for the need for ancestral apps or heavy plugins is now directly accessible in the browser, which increases the maximum experience and the exchange rate for businesses.
For developers, experimenting with WebGL and Three Dot Ja opens a whole range of applications, from easy product preview to full 3D configors. And as browser technology develops, the line between online shopping and real -world dialogue will continue to fade only.