Babylon.js vs React Three Fiber: Which Meets Your Needs?

Babylon.js and React Three Fiber are two feature-packed technologies for generating 3D graphics in a web browser. Babylon.js is a real-time 3D engine developed by Microsoft, leveraging HTML5 and WebGL. It offers a range of features, including key frame animation and physics engines. React Three Fiber, on the other hand, is a React renderer for three.js. It allows you to create a 3D scene graph efficiently and flexibly, offering excellent performance and supporting all features of Threejs.

Key Differences Between Babylon.js and React Three Fiber

• Original Developer: Babylon.js is a side project of Microsoft employees, while React Three Fiber is an independent project based on three.js.
• Coding Language: Babylon.js is written in TypeScript and JavaScript, while React Three Fiber is a React-based renderer for three.js.
• Rendering Method: Babylon.js uses physically based and post-processing rendering methods, while React Three Fiber utilises HTML5 Canvas and WebGL APIs.
• Use of Physics Engines: Babylon.js incorporates physics engines like Cannon.js and Oimo for real-world simulations, while React Three Fiber depends on React’s scheduling capabilities to improve performance.

What Is Babylon.js and Who’s It For?

Babylon.js is a powerful real-time 3D engine designed for rendering striking 3D graphics on web browsers using HTML5. Developed by Microsoft and numerous other contributors since its initial release in 2013, Babylon.js is ideal for tech-enthusiasts, game developers, and any organism that thrives on web-based creations.

This software, written in TypeScript and JavaScript, has a broad array of applications such as virtual worlds creation, crime data visualization, medical education, and military training, among others. Professionals across diverse industries stand to harness the power of Babylon.js for their projects.

Pros of Babylon.js

• Wide spectrum of uses: from medicine education to military training and beyond.
• Code is accessible and available on GitHub, under the liberal Apache License 2.0.
• Component anatomy allows user projects to interpret the 3D engine through HTML5 and WebGL supporting browsers.

Cons of Babylon.js

• Demands a steep learning curve for beginners.
• Limited use of constructive solid geometry for shell models manipulation.
• Requirement of plug-in physics engines for simulating real-world physical reactions.

What Is React Three Fiber and Who’s It For?

React-three-fiber is a React renderer built for three.js, allowing developers to craft dynamic 3D scene graphs pragmatically. Famed for its responsive components and interoperability with React’s ecosystem, this software is optimal for developers seeking enthralling and impactful 3D animations in a browser environment.

With a standard installation command and no feature limitations, React-three-fiber is tailored for those yearning for superb performance and adaptability with Threejs’s frequent updates. It’s a pragmatic tool for those building complex projects in React.

Pros of React-three-fiber

• Performance matches or exceeds that relative to plain Three.js.
• Supports all features of Three.js without exception.
• Not only dependency-free but also supports utility libraries for more functionalities.

Cons of React-three-fiber

• Requires a working knowledge of Three.js and React.
• Complexity can increase with larger projects.
• Compatibility issues may arise with older versions of Three.js.

Babylon.js vs React Three Fiber: Pricing

Neither Babylon.js nor React Three Fiber comes with a cost, instead, they both can be accessed freely under their respective licensing terms.

Babylon.js

Babylon.js is open-source software, developed and maintained by Microsoft and various contributors. It operates under the Apache License 2.0 and its source code can be found on GitHub. Hence, there’s no direct cost attached to this powerful 3D engine.

React Three Fiber

React Three Fiber, a 3D rendering library for React based on Three.js, is also a free technology. It can be installed via npm and utilized freely. This library essentially brings the power of 3D graphics to the React ecosystem at no actual cost.

Code Examples for Babylon.js & React Three Fiber

Babylon.js: Interactive 3D Sphere

This Babylon.js snippet creates an interactive 3D sphere. Users can rotate this sphere, giving them a 360-degree view. To execute this code, ensure you’ve imported the Babylon.js module.

    // Import Babylon.js
    import * as BABYLON from 'babylonjs';

    // Set up environment
    var canvas = document.getElementById("renderCanvas");
    var engine = new BABYLON.Engine(canvas, true);

    // Scene creation
    var createScene = function () {
        var scene = new BABYLON.Scene(engine);
        var camera = new BABYLON.ArcRotateCamera("camera1", 0, 0, 0, new BABYLON.Vector3(0, 0, -0), scene);

        //Var setting - radius, segments etc.
        var sphere = BABYLON.MeshBuilder.CreateSphere("sphere", {segment:16, diameter:2}, scene);

        return scene;
    };

    // Call the scene
    var scene = createScene();

    // Loop render for continuous rendering
    engine.runRenderLoop(function () {
        scene.render();
    });

React Three Fiber: Rotating Cube with Shadows

Here’s a React Three Fiber code snippet for a rotating cube with cast shadows. The execution of this code requires a working React application and the installation of @react-three/fiber and @react-three/drei.

    // Importing dependencies

    import React from 'react'

    import { Canvas } from '@react-three/fiber'

    import { OrbitControls, Box, softShadows } from '@react-three/drei'

    softShadows()
    // Cube component

    function Cubes() {

        return (