Exokit

:dark_sunglasses: Native VR and AR engine for JavaScript 🦖

Examples

Find more examples here and on YouTube.

Overview

This project enables developers to build XR experiences using the same code that runs on the web. Exokit engine is written on top of Node and emulates a web browser, providing native hooks for WebGL, WebXR, WebAudio, and other APIs used in immersive experiences.

:eyeglasses: Exokit currently targets the following platforms:

OpenVR Desktop VR (Steam compatible)
Oculus Desktop (Oculus Rift/Rift S)
Oculus Mobile (Oculus Quest/Go, GearVR)
Magic Leap
iOS ARKit *
Android ARCore *
Google VR (Daydream / Cardboard / Mirage Solo) *
any XR device, start a pull request with a native binding if it isn't listed here! *

* not supported yet

:electric_plug: Since Exokit supports anything that runs on the web, it powers experiences built with:

Three.js
Unity
Pixi.js
Babylon.js
A-Frame
Custom WebGL frameworks
WebAssembly, TypeScript, and any language that transpiles to JavaScript

:thumbsup: Why Exokit?

You want your WebGL/WebXR to run fast.
You want the hot new web APIs.
You want to add your own integrations -- including native -- into a browser environment.
You want a lightweight browser as a hackable node module.
You want to combine the web with a 3D engine like Unity.

:thumbsdown: Why not Exokit?

You're looking for a traditional "web browser".
You don't care about 3D or mixed reality.
You're looking for strict and/or legacy standards support.

:book: Manifesto

The future is immersive. The web is the best application platform. Javascript is the best ecosystem.
Content should be hardware agnostic. Tomorrow will have different hardware. VR and AR should be compatible.
It's not possible to do both 2D and 3D well. We don't do 2D. We can use an external 2D browser.
Use your favorite game engine. Exokit is not a game engine.
Legacy browser design choices don't make sense in XR.
Exokit empowers and connect apps, even (especially) if they aren't designed to cooperate.
Apps should run in "reality tabs", layers of reality that blend together.

Quickstart

Desktop

Download for current OS

Run a WebXR site (desktop)

exokit https://aframe.io/a-painter/ # start A-Painter in Exokit

Magic Leap

Download for Magic Leap

Run (Magic Leap device)

mldb connect 192.168.0.10:1131 # mldb needs to be connected; see MLDB documentation
mldb install -u exokit.mpk # downloaded or built package
mldb launch com.webmr.exokit -v "ARGS=node . file:///package/examples/hello_ml.html" # or URL to load
mldb log exokit:*

Architecture

Exokit is a Javascript Node.js module.

C++ bindings hook into WebGL, WebXR, Magic Leap, Leap Motion, and various other device APIs.

const {window} = require('exokit')() to get an immersive browser in another project.

Exokit runs on Windows, macOS, Linux (x64), Linux (ARM64), and Magic Leap (ARM64).

Web API support

HTTP/S
HTML5
<script>
DOM
WebGL
WebXR
WebVR
WebRTC
Canvas2D
WebSocket
Web Workers
<img>, <audio>, <video>
WebAudio
Keyboard/Mouse events
Gamepad API
<iframe>
~~HTML layout~~
~~HTML rendering~~
~~CSS~~
~~Legacy APIs~~

Hardware bindings

OpenGL
OpenVR (Steam VR)
Oculus
Oculus Mobile
Magic Leap
Leap Motion

Local Development

See full building instructions in BUILDING.md.

git clone https://github.com/exokitxr/exokit.git
cd exokit
npm install
node . <url> # or node . -h for home

Debugging

Uses ndb.

npm run debug

Then in the console, input:

let window = await require('./src/').load(yourUrl);

Now you have a handle on the window object as you test your application, and you can set debugger breakpoints, inspect memory, profile CPU, etc.

Flags

--xr webvr Makes exokit WebVR mode regardless of the webpage. If exokit is always opening in pancake mode you can use this to try to fix that.

Stay in Touch

Join our Discord for hanging out.
Follow @exokitxr on Twitter for updates.

Contributing

Get involved! Check out the Contributing Guide for how to get started.

License

This program is free software and is distributed under an MIT License.

exokitxr / exokit

readme